International Mother Language Day

Shaheed Minar (Martyr Monument), at University of Dhaka in Bangladesh, commemorates those who were killed in the 21 February 1952 Bengali Language Movement demonstration.

International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is a worldwide annual observance held on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. First announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999, it was formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.^[1][2][3]

History

It was a social movement built on the spirit to defend the rights to write in one's mother language.

International Mother Language Day has been being observed since 2000^[4] to promote peace and multilingualism. The date corresponds to the day in 1952 when students from the University of Dhaka, Jagannath College and Dhaka Medical College, demonstrating for the recognition of Bengali as one of the two national languages of East Pakistan, were brutally shot dead by police (then under Pakistan government) near the Dhaka High Court in the capital of present-day Bangladesh.

"Mother language" is the calque of a term used in several Romance languages — lengua materna (Spanish), lingua madre (Italian) and langue maternelle (French) "mamiaith" (Welsh) — as well as the Estonian "emakeel", the Sanskrit. The more literal and more common English translation is "mother tongue", while "native language" has the same meaning and is also in common use. In linguistics, the English term "mother language" usually refers to an ancestral language, often a proto-language, relative to its descendent language family.

2015 Mother Tongue Day in Islamabad, with demonstrators demanding that Punjabi (the mother tongue of a plurality of Pakistanis) be made an official language of Pakistan

"Celebration of Ekushey February in Alberta, Canada"

International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999 (30C/62). On 16 May 2009, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/61/266, called on its member states "to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people of the world".^[5] In the resolution, the General Assembly proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Languages to promote unity in diversity and international understanding through multilingualism and multiculturalism. The resolution was suggested by Rafiqul Islam, a Bengali living in Vancouver, Canada. He wrote a letter to Mr. Kofi Anan on 9 January 1998 asking him to take a step for saving all the languages of the world from the possibility of extinction and to declare an International Mother Language Day. Rafiq proposed the date as 21 February on the pretext of 1952 killing in Dhaka on the occasion of Language Movement.

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.

— from the United Nations International Mother Language Day microsite^[6]

Timeline

• 1952: The foundation for the day.
• 1999: UNESCO proclaimed 21 February (Ekushey February) as the International Mother Language Day
• 2000: Inaugural celebration of the International Mother Language Day
• 2001: Second annual celebration
• 2002: Linguistic-diversity theme, with 3,000 endangered languages (slogan: In the galaxy of languages, every word is a star.)
• 2003: Fourth annual celebration
• 2004: Children-learning theme; the UNESCO observance included "a unique exhibition of children’s exercise books from around the world illustrating the process by which children learn and master the use of written literacy skills in the classroom".^[7]
• 2005: Braille and sign languages
• 2006: Languages and cyberspace
• 2007: Multilingual education
• 2008: International Year of Languages
• 2009: Tenth annual celebration
• 2010: International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures
• 2011: Information and communication technologies
• 2012: Mother tongue instruction and inclusive education
• 2013: Books for mother tongue education
• 2014: Local languages for Global Citizenship: Spotlight on Science
• 2015: Inclusion in and through education: language counts (with an event in Paris)^[8]
• 2016: Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes
• 2017: Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education.

International observances

Dedication of the International Mother Language Day Monument in Ashfield Park, Sydney, 19 February 2006

International Mother Language Day celebration in CIS-A2K TTT 2017

UNESCO chooses a theme for each International Mother Language Day, and sponsors related events at its Paris headquarters on or around 21 February each year. In 2008, the International Year of Languages formally began on International Mother Language Day.

People have shaped the way of celebrating International Mother Language Day. The celebration of the day along with the topic of multilingual diversity has inspired a number of international, national and provincial award ceremonies.

Celebration of

In Bangladesh

Group of people laying down flowers at a replication of the Martyr's Monument

In respect of the language martyrs (see Language Movement Day), the lion-hearted students Rafiq, Jabbar, Salam, Borkot and many others who died during the protest at the University of Dhaka on February 21, 1952, the people of Bangladesh celebrate International Mother Language Day by laying down flowers at the Martyr's Monument (Shaheed Minar) and replications of that monument.^[9]

The people organize social gatherings, where they honor their language and culture, hold literary competitions, draw Alpana on the roads, eat festive meals, and listen to event themed songs, such as the "Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano" ("Coloured in the blood of my brother").^[9][10]

Outside Bangladesh

International Mother Language Day is celebrated all over the world, including in Chile, Russia, Philippines, Egypt and Canada.^[11]

In India

People in Indian state of Rajasthan demanding schedule eight and official language status for their mother tongue in Jaipur.

As a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, digitized content will be made available in 22 scheduled languages which will be extended to other 234 recognized languages of India. The work of digitization begun in June 2016 through the "Bharatavani Project" at CIIL, Mysore and by February 2017 content in 60 Indian languages had been made available for free.^{[12] [13][14]}

Sponsorship and awards

International Mother Language Day has inspired multiple organizations to recognize individual people for outstanding services to the community, and for the preservation of linguistic diversity and connected topics. In Alberta BHESA's Ekushey Heritage Awards and MJMF's Ekushey Youth Awards were announced and distributed by Delwar Jahid, the President of the Bangladesh PressClub Centre of Alberta in separate occasions.^[15][16][17]

International Linguapax Award

The International Linguapax Award is awarded annually on 21 February on International Mother Language Day by Linguapax International in Barcelona, Spain. It aims to recognize and award the actions carried out in different areas in favour of the preservation of linguistic diversity, revitalization and reactivation of linguistic communities and the promotion of multilingualism.^[18]

Ekushey Heritage Award

Recipients of the BHESA Ekushey Heritage Award 2015

The Ekushey Heritage Award is an appreciation for people who stand out exceptionally in helping their community. It was introduced in 2014 by the Bangladesh Heritage and Ethnic Society of Alberta (BHESA) located in Alberta, Canada and is awarded annually. Today the award is open for people residing in the Province of Alberta, and considered is the work of the recipients in fields like education, social work, and community services. The achievement may be awarded to multiple recipients and is officially announced on International Mother Language Day.^[19] International Mother Language Day observed at Edmonton, Canada. The BHESA this year also awarded "Ekushey Heritage Padak" to Dr A Ali for community service, Hazera Akhter for volunteerism and MJMF, Bangladesh Sports Club, for upholding the spirit of Ekushey and Bangladeshi heritages. ^{[20] [21]}[Int'l Mother Language Day observed at Edmonton]/^[22]

Ekushey Youth Award

The Ekushey Youth Award was introduced in February 2015 by the Mahinur Jahid Memorial Foundation (MJMF) and is awarded annually to recipients who stand out inspiring a young audience with their work and contributions in the fields of education, sports, youth activities, literature, and community services here. The honour may be awarded multiple times and is open to residents of the Province of Alberta in Canada. The Ekushey Youth Award is announced on International Mother Language Day.^[23]

Implementation of

International Mother Language Day has been a public holiday in Bangladesh since 1953,^[24] where it is also known as Shohid Dibôsh, or Shaheed Day. Though the day is observed globally, it is not a public holiday in other parts of the world. On 17 November 1999, the UNESCO General Conference officially recognized February 21 as International Mother Language Day.^[25]

In Canada

Proclamation for the Province of British Columbia

International Mother Language Day was introduced to the Canadian Parliament for recognition by Matthew Kellway on February 5, 2014. The introduction was made in form of a Private Member's Bill, Bill C-573 (view Bill), the International Mother Language Day Act.^[26]

In 2015, two Canadian provinces, the Province of British Columbia and the Province of Manitoba, passed proclamations to officially observe International Mother Language Day on February 21.^[27]

In 2017, [Int'l Mother Language Day observed at Edmonton]/^[28]

See also

• Language festival
• Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights
• Official languages of the United Nations

References

External links

• UNESCO homepage for International Mother Language Day
• UNESCO Education (includes links to information on past IMLD observances)
• The Makers of History: International Mother Language Day
• Worldwide event calendar on Mother Language Day celebrations
• Information about International Mother Language Day
• The Birth, Death and Re-birth of Language [International Mother Language Day]