On the occasion of the International Mother Language Day, the Permanent Missions of Bangladesh, Colombia, Tanzania, and Fiji, the UN Secretariat, UNESCO New York Office and the Office of the Mayor of New York City co-organized a special event to celebrate the world’s linguistic diversity and multilingualism.

The Ambassador of Bangladesh highlighted the power of mother language in promoting learning outcomes, sustaining peace, as well as fostering unity and tolerance. Speakers also mentioned the widespread use of Banga, Spanish, Fiji Hindi and Swahili, referring to the literature works of eminent authors such as Gabriel García Márquez as well as the importance of preserving indigenous languages and cultural identities.

The Under-Secretary-general for Global Communications Ms. Alison Smale mentioned the need to honor language diversity as a practical tool for multilingual diplomacy and a part of the inclusive approach to sustainable development. Ms. Catharine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management, stressed that multilingualism is crucial to amplify the voices of peoples, and that the sole focus on the English language has brought up the negative phenomenon of impoverishing the intangible cultural wealth brought by linguistic diversity.

Ms. Lily Gray, Program Specialist and Liaison Officer of UNESCO New York Office, delivered the message of Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO that “A language is far more than a means of communication; it is the very condition of our humanity. Our values, our beliefs and our identity are embedded within it. It is through language that we transmit our experiences, our traditions and our knowledge. The diversity of languages reflects the incontestable wealth of our imaginations and ways of life. ” She also reaffirms UNESCO’s efforts to “support language policies, particularly in multilingual countries, which promote mother languages and indigenous languages”.

As a part of the celebration, UN staff members read various articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 17 different languages on the occasion of its 70^th anniversary and performed musical pieces.

At the initiative of Bangladesh, UNESCO General Conference proclaimed February 21 as the International Mother Language Day in 1999. It has been observed throughout the world since 2000, with the aim of preserving linguistic diversity and promoting mother tongue-based multilingual education. The 2018 theme is “Linguistic diversity and multilingualism count for sustainable development”. This year, UNESCO also commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its bold statement that “no discrimination can be made on the basis of language”, and celebrates its translation into more than 500 languages.