International Mother Language Day
21st February is the United Nations’ International Mother Language Day, which promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. This year’s theme is: Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education in a multilingual world.
You can join UNESCO’s live streamed event on 21st February on UN WebTV (8-10pm GMT), exploring these themes:
- Enhancing multilingual education as a necessity to transform education in multilingual contexts from early childhood education and well beyond;
- Supporting learning through multilingual education and multilingualism in our fast-changing global contexts and in crisis situations including emergencies contexts;
- Revitalizing languages that are disappearing or are threatened with extinction.
There is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in strengthening co-operation and attaining quality education for all, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development.
Celebrating Mother Tongues in the North East
International Newcastle co-ordinates Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages, which celebrates the diversity of languages spoken in the region and encourages the awareness of different languages, cultures and traditions. This launched on 9th January and runs to the end of March 2023.
There are free activities for children, young people, families and communities to celebrate their mother tongues, which include:
- Festival Song – Just One World (open to 31st March)
- Mother Tongue Other Tongue creative writing activity (open to 24th March)
- What’s My Language quiz (available now)
- Click here to see What’s On for more activities which celebrate a wide variety of world languages.
The Festival also includes events for professionals around multilingualism and making the most of the many languages that are spoken in our schools and communities. Click here to see events for professionals relating to multilingualism and multilingual education.
Happy International Mother Language Day to everyone around the world!