Every year, International Mother Language Day is celebrated on February 21 to promote linguistic, and cultural diversity and multilingualism. the Day recognizes that languages and multilingualism can advance inclusion, and the Sustainable Development Goals focus on leaving no one behind.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated the idea of celebrating Mother Language Day in 1999.
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International Mother Language Day: Theme
The 2023 International Mother Language Day theme is ‘multilingual education – a necessity to transform education‘.
The theme of International Mother Language Day 2022 is “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”.
The theme of International Mother Language Day 2020 was “Languages without borders”. The theme focuses on cross-border languages and helps to preserve indigenous heritage.
History
In November 1999, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) decided on International Mother Language Day (30C/62). The General Assembly of the UN accepted the proclamation of the day in its resolution A/RES/56/262 of 2002.
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Happy International Mother Language Day 2024: Wishes, Quotes
“Language is the road map of a culture.” – Rita Mae Brown
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein
“Those who know only one language cannot put a name to their own thoughts.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“A language is worth dying for.” – Moazzam Hussain (Bangladeshi linguist)
“Respect for one’s mother tongue is respect for oneself.” – Chinua Achebe
“Languages are living things. They change, they grow, they die.” – Elie Wiesel
“Let us celebrate the languages that make our world vibrant and diverse.” – Kofi Annan
“Every language is a world unto itself.” – Umberto Eco
“Diversity of languages is a strength, not a weakness.” – Nelson Mandela
“Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and transmitting civilization.” – Desmond Tutu
Dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | February 21 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | February 21 | Friday |
| 2026 | February 21 | Saturday |
| 2027 | February 21 | Sunday |
| 2028 | February 21 | Monday |
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FAQs
How many languages are in the world?
There are over 7,000 languages in the world.
What is the most spoken language in the world?
English is the most widely spoken language, with more than 1.13 billion speakers, Mandarin Chinese has the most native speakers, with around 1.11 billion speakers.
What is the hardest language to learn?
The hardest to learn are Chinese, German, Russian, and Arabic.