Celebrating 25 years of Spanish language at Massey

The milestone was celebrated this month before New Zealand went into lockdown. Ambassadors from Argentina, Chile, Cuba and Mexico attended a 25th Anniversary Commemoration lunch at Wharerata with Vice Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas, Pro Vice-Chancellor College of Humanities and Social Sciences Professor Cynthia White, and guests from the Spanish Language and International Relations teams. These four embassies have provided key support for the Spanish Language Programme, collaborating with Massey to promote Spanish language and culture across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Topics of discussion included Massey’s continued provision of online learning for students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance and high percentage of Spanish language used in the world today. Spanish is the second-most widely spoken language in the world (after Chinese and before English). Native speakers of Spanish can be found across five continents and more than twenty countries.

As part of the visit, Deputy Head, School of Agriculture and Environment, and Professor of Dairy Production Systems Danny Donaghy took the Ambassadors on a tour of Massey’s Agricultural and Horticultural facilities where they had the opportunity to compare agriculture and horticulture from their own countries.

To cap the day off, an evening fiesta of fun, food and entertainment was held to celebrate the achievements of the Spanish Language Programme. Former and current Massey students and staff shared stories about courses, trips and the experience of teaching and learning the Spanish language.