International Mother Language Day is celebrated annually on February 21st to promote linguistic and cultural diversity around the world. The day was first observed in 2000 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in memory of the Language Movement in Bangladesh in 1952.
The Language Movement in Bangladesh was a political movement that began in 1948 when the Pakistani government declared that Urdu would be the only official language in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). This decision was met with widespread protests, as it disregarded the fact that Bengali was the mother tongue of the majority of the population. On February 21, 1952, students and activists organized a peaceful protest in Dhaka, the capital of East Pakistan, which was met with brutal force by the police. Several protesters were killed, and the incident became a symbol of resistance against cultural oppression and linguistic discrimination.
WHY IS INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY CELEBRATED?
International Mother Language Day serves as a reminder of the importance of language diversity and the need to preserve and promote endangered languages. According to UNESCO, approximately 43% of the world's 6,000 languages are at risk of disappearing, and every two weeks, a language dies. When a language dies, it means that the world loses unique cultural and intellectual wealth, as languages are carriers of traditions, values, and knowledge.
The theme for International Mother Language Day 2021 is "Fostering multilingualism for inclusion in education and society," which highlights the importance of promoting multilingualism as a means to foster inclusion and build more tolerant and cohesive societies. UNESCO recognizes that linguistic diversity is essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and calls on governments, civil society, and individuals to support multilingualism and invest in language education and preservation.
In conclusion, International Mother Language Day is an important day to celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity, raise awareness of the need to preserve and promote endangered languages, and promote multilingualism as a means to foster inclusion and build more tolerant and cohesive societies. By valuing and preserving our mother languages, we can help create a more equitable and diverse world.
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