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International language monument to be built in Cardiff

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An artist impression of the monumentImage source, International Mother Language Monument
Image caption,

The monument is being designed to give people a place to visit on International Mother Language Day

Construction work will begin on a new language monument in Cardiff on Monday.

The International Language Monument project committee was set up more than 10 years ago in a bid to create a statue to commemorate international languages.

Planning applications faced a backlash from the local community when proposals initially suggested building it in Clare Gardens in Riverside.

But, a new application to build it in Grangemoor Park was approved.

Mohammed Sarul Islam, who is on the committee, set about creating the monument in 2007 with the help of architect and Whitchurch councillor Mike Jones-Pritchard.

It is being designed to give people a place to visit when celebrating International Mother Language Day, which is held annually on 21 February.

The day promotes linguistic diversity and multilingual education, as well as raising awareness of different languages and traditions in cultures across the world.

"Many cities have erected a similar monument and celebrate international language day on 21 February," Mr Islam said.

"When the monument is built, it will be a place where people who love languages and cultures from all communities can go and celebrate that diversity, no matter what language they speak."

Image source, Google
Image caption,

The monument will be built in a park near Cardiff Bay Retail Park

The group has been raising the £125,000 needed to build the monument during the last decade and, now that the application to build has passed through Cardiff council's planning committee, work can begin.

Previous plans to build the monument in Clare Gardens were opposed by residents, but Mr Islam said there had only been one objection from a councillor when the project was moved to Grangemoor Park.

The committee expect the monument to be completed by 15 January next year.

"It's really exciting to finally be in that place where we can start to build," Mr Islam added. "It's going to be such an amazing feature in the park."

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