WHEREAS, since the founding of the United States, other cultures and other languages have played an integral part in the development of our democracy; and

WHEREAS, more than anywhere else in the United States, Hawaii's population comprises a multitude of ethnic groups and cultures; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii serves as a melting pot of the many different cultures that happily co-exist and commingle to form a richly diverse environment that makes Hawaii unique; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii values linguistic and cultural diversity, international education, and learning languages; and

WHEREAS, foreign language study augments a student's cognitive and critical thinking abilities, and a student's ability to compare and contrast cultural concepts; and

WHEREAS, the most recent United States census reports that only 9.3 per cent of Americans speak both their native language and another language fluently; and

WHEREAS, according to the European Commission Directorate General for Education and Culture, 52.7 per cent of Europeans speak both their native language and another language fluently; and

WHEREAS, the 2001 Hart-Rudman Report on National Security in the 21st Century names foreign language study and requisite knowledge in languages as vital for the United States to meet security challenges properly and effectively; and

WHEREAS, the Higher Education Act of 1965 labels foreign language study as vital to secure the future economic welfare of the United States in a growing international economy; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii is uniquely poised due to its location to take advantage of economic development opportunities in the global marketplace; and

WHEREAS, a population with competence in foreign languages is a vital component to international business success; and

WHEREAS, the United States House of Representatives passed House Resolution 122 on March 8, 2005 calling for 2005 to be established as the "Year of Languages"; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that the State recognizes the year 2005 as the "Year of Languages" to promote foreign language study in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Superintendent of Education, Chair of the Board of Education, and Interim President and Chair of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.

Report Title:

Year of Languages