Istanbul celebrates European Day of Languages for 4th time

This weekend Istanbul will be home to celebrations of the annual European Day of Languages for the fourth time. Twelve cultural institutes and consular missions in Istanbul, including the Austrian, Italian, German and French cultural institutes, will celebrate the day together through a series of cultural activities on Saturday at the Sismanoglio Megaro, the historic Greek Consulate General on Istiklal Street. The celebrations are being held under the motto "You are never too old to learn a language and to enjoy the opportunities it opens up." The program is set to run from noon until 6 p.m. and will feature a celebration of 12 languages spoken across Europe through various language games and modern and classic dance shows. The program includes "taster courses" in the languages of the participating institutes, fun language games, a "treasure hunt" in the historic district of Pera, traditional dance courses (from Greek hasapiko, to tango, Slovak polka and Austrian waltz), an exclusive interactive performance by the body percussion group KeKeCa as well as activities aimed at children. For more information, go to www.mfa.gr/turkey/tr/sismanogliomegaro.