International Mother Language Day

FEBRUARY 21

The world's nearly 6,000 languages will be celebrated on International Mother Language Day, an event aimed at promoting linguistic diversity and multilingual education.

Linguistic and cultural diversity represent universal values that strengthen the unity and cohesion of societies.The recognition of the importance of linguistic diversity led to UNESCO ’s decision to celebrate International Mother Language Day.

The 30th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in 1999 decided that the Organization would launch and observe an International Mother Language Day on 21 February every year throughout the world.

Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.

Ensuring that these languages can continue in use alongside the major international languages of communication is a genuine challenge to countries worldwide.

Today, about half of the 6,000 or so languages spoken in the world are under threat.

This year’s theme will be devoted to the topic of languages and cyberspace.