Concordia Language Villages
Mission
The mission of Concordia Language Villages is to prepare young people for responsible citizenship in our global community.
A responsible world citizen:
- Understands and appreciates cultural diversity
- Communicates with confidence and cultural sensitivity in more than one language
- Responds creatively and critically to issues which transcend national boundaries
- Expresses empathy for neighbors in the global village
- Promotes a worldview of peace, justice and sustainability for all
History
Concordia Language Villages, created by Concordia College in 1961, was started as an experimental language immersion program with the intent of teaching young people about other languages and cultures, while also giving Concordia students the opportunity to gain practical teaching experience.
Over the years, interest in the program steadily increased and more "villages" were organized, adding new languages and facilities every year, with a permanent location on Turtle River Lake in the Minnesota lakes region.
Numerous dignitaries and public figures have visited and shown support for the program, including former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson and former President Bill Clinton, both of whom had children that attended as villagers.