Celebrate the International Mother Language Day by conducting the events to promote the hearing of all the voices and to display the social cohesion, cultural awareness, and tolerance. Encourage others to learn about the history of their mother language and the benefits of using more than one language.

1.  Sunday, February 18, 2018
https://dailyasianage.com/news/108916/language-customs-and-cultural-diversity
Language, customs and cultural diversity
M. S. Siddiqui
Language is essentially a means of communication among the members of a society. A language
can be defined as a system of signs (verbal or otherwise) intended for communication. It also
reflects a total view of the world. Society acquires self-awareness through the contact and
communication between its members. The significance of communication between people equates
the significance of language - the most important means of communication.
All people subconsciously mirror their cultural backgrounds in day-to-day communication. Language
is a system that consists of the development, acquisition, maintenance and use of complex systems
of communication, particularly the human ability to do so; and a language is any specific example of
such a system.
Culture is a product of the human mind and it is defined by Oxford Dictionary as "customs,
civilization and achievements of a particular time or people." In general terms then, culture defines a
people's way of life. The relation between language and culture is indisputably symbiotic. Languages
are vehicles of value systems and cultural expressions and are an essential component of the living
heritage of humanity.

2. Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education
and development, are of strategic importance for people and planet. It is said that "Education and
information in the mother language is absolutely essential to improving learning and developing
confidence and self-esteem, which are among the most powerful engines of development."
Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and
intangible heritage. There are many separate societies that emerged around the globe differed
markedly from each other, and many of these differences persist to this day. As well as the more
obvious cultural differences that exist between people, such as language, dress and traditions, there
are also significant variations in the way societies organize themselves. They share the same
morality but cultural diversity can be seen as analogous to biodiversity.
All are encouraged 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.
UNESCO Director General said- "Mother languages in a multilingual approach are essential
components of quality education, which is itself the foundation for empowering women and men in
their societies". Multilingual speakers have acquired and maintained at least one language during
childhood, the so-called first language. The first language usually referred to as the mother tongue is
acquired without formal education, by mechanisms heavily disputed. Children acquiring two
languages in this way are called simultaneous bilinguals.
International Mother Language day was proclaimed by UNESCO in November of 1999. The chosen
date commemorates the date on which a group of university students were killed by the Pakistani
Police in Dhaka, Bangladesh for demanding right of the mother language. At that time Bangladesh
was part of Pakistan.There are many challenges for the languages. But 96 per cent of these
languages are spoken by a mere 4 per cent of the world's population. Only a few hundred languages
have genuinely been given pride of place in education systems and the public domain, and less than
a hundred are used in the digital world.
Unfortunately, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat, or disappearing
altogether. When languages fade, so does the world's rich tapestry of cultural diversity.
Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression - valuable resources for
ensuring a better future - are also lost. More than 50 per cent of the approximately 6,000 languages
spoken in the world are likely to die out within a few generations.
According to the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger, out of the over 6,000 existing
languages in the world, more than 200 have become extinct during the last three generations, and
2,279 other languages are classified as ``endangered'.
UN took initiative to aware us of the adverse impact of lost languages on our diversified society and
culture. UN declares the 21st February as International Mother Language Day (IMLD). It is a
worldwide annual observance to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote
multilingualism in 1999.
UN has given more emphasis on language that the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2008 as the
International Year of Languages to promote unity in diversity and international understanding
through multilingualism and multiculturalism. UNESCO emphasis on Multilingual education which
facilitates access to education while promoting equity for populations speaking minority and/or
indigenous languages, especially girls and women. It emphasizes the quality of teaching and
learning with a focus on understanding and creativity.

3. UNESCO authority declared the theme of the year 2017 'Towards Sustainable Futures through
Multilingual Education', provided an opportunity to mobilize for the Sustainable Development Goals,
"in particular, SDG 4: to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning."
Sustainable Development Goal 4, the 2030 Agenda focuses on quality education and lifelong
learning for all to enable every woman and man to acquire skills, knowledge, and values to become
everything they wish and participate fully in their societies. "This is especially important for girls and
women, as well as minorities, indigenous people, and rural population,UNESCO's Education 2030
Framework for Action, a roadmap to implement the 2030 Agenda, encouraging full respect for the
use of mother language in teaching and learning, and the promotion and preservation of linguistic
diversity. "Multilingualism is essential to drive these objectives forward - it is vital for success across
the 2030 Agenda.
The theme of the year 2018 of IMLD is 'Theme Linguistic diversity and multilingualism count for
sustainable development'. UNESCO brings the same focus on advancing linguistic diversity on the
Internet, through support to relevant local content as well as media and information literacy.
"Through the local and indigenous knowledge systems program, UNESCO is highlighting the
importance of mother and local languages as channels for safeguarding and sharing indigenous
cultures and knowledge, which are vast reservoirs of wisdom. It aims to foster unity among various
nations as it promotes the preservation and protection of all languages used by people all over the
world.
On this day, UNESCO and UN agencies use to participate in events to promote the language and
cultural diversity. They will encourage the people to maintain their knowledge of the mother
language while learning and using more than one language. Policies will be adopted by the
Governmental and Non-governmental agencies to improve the language learning and support. They
also encourage people to not only keep their mother language in use but to also learn additional
languages as well. The United Nations also uses this day to make announcements about policy
changes as they relate to language learning and the support of this endeavor.
Singapore has three ethnic communities: Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Singapore has state policy of
annual celebration of ethnic days for each community in all educational institutions. All the students
of all communities wear common dress, try to talk in one language and exchange idea about that
community in Singapore.
Considering the importance of mother language, on February 16, 2017, two US Congressmen has
submitted a resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Supporting the goals and ideals of International Mother Language Day in bringing attention to the
importance of preserving linguistic and cultural heritage through education. The resolution urged to
the House of Representatives-(1) supports the goals and ideals of International Mother Language
Day; and (2) encourages the people of the United States to observe International Mother Language
Day with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.
Celebrate the International Mother Language Day by conducting the events to promote the hearing
of all the voices and to display the social cohesion, cultural awareness, and tolerance. Encourage
others to learn about the history of their mother language and the benefits of using more than one
language. Governments and non-governmental organizations around the world also encourage
using this day to announce policies to encourage the language learning. International Mother
Language Day is a great day for persons to celebrate their own language or to begin learning a new
one.

4. The writer is a legal economist. Email: mssiddiqui2035@gmail.com