The Washington, D.C.-based Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is a nonprofit organization “working to improve communication through better understanding of language and culture.” It was established in 1959.

Its many activities include work on ESL and foreign-language education, language policy, and refugee orientation. Among the fundamental underpinnings of CAL’s work is a belief that multilingualism benefits individuals and society, and that effective language education should be valued and widely available.