Today is International Mother Language Day

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Today is International Mother Language Day

Today is a very special day for the world, though it is rather more special for Bangladesh.

The day is observed globally and recognises and intends to promote multilingual diversity. This day also aims to preserve and transmit traditional knowledge and cultures through multilingual societies. The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was approved at the UNESCO General Conference in 1999 and the day has been observed across the world since 2000.

Why is it special to Bangladesh? That is the only country in the world that earned its independence (from Pakistan) on the basis of their language (Bangla). The country celebrates this day with pride, pomp and remembrances of the souls that have been laid during its freedom struggle. Many have died, just to ensure that the country can speak its native language.

In India, as per the 2011 census, there are a total of 121 languages and 270 mother tongues spoken.

This year’s theme

Each year, this day is celebrated through a specific theme. This year’s theme is “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and Opportunities” and will highlight the potential role of technology in advancing multilingual education.