International Mother Language Day
2015 is the
15th anniversary of International Mother Language Day
The United Nations' (UN)
International Mother Language Day annually celebrates language diversity and
variety worldwide on February 21. It also remembers events such as the killing
of four students on February 21, 1952, because they campaigned to officially
use their mother language, Bengali, in Bangladesh
What do people do?
On International Mother Language Day the UN's Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UN agencies participate in events that promote
linguistic and cultural diversity. They also encourage people to maintain their
knowledge of their mother language while learning and using more than one
language. Governments and non-governmental organizations may use the day to
announce policies to encourage language learning and support.
In Bangladesh, February 21 is the anniversary of a pivotal day in the
country's history. People lay flowers at a Shaheed Minar
(martyr's monument). They also: purchase glass bangles for themselves or female
relatives; eat a festive meal and organize parties; and award prizes or host
literary competitions. It is a time to celebrate Bangladesh’s culture and the
Bengali language.The Linguapax Institute, in Barcelona, Spain, aims to preserve and promote linguistic diversity globally. The institute presents the Linguapax Prize on International Mother Language Day each year. The prize is for those who have made outstanding work in linguistic diversity or multilingual education.
Public life
International Mother Language Day is a public holiday in Bangladesh, where
it is also known as Shohid Dibôsh, or Shaheed
Day. It is a global observance but not a public holiday in other parts of the
world.
Background
At the partition of India in 1947, the Bengal province was divided according
to the predominant religions of the inhabitants. The western part became part
of India and the eastern part became a province of Pakistan known as East
Bengal and later East Pakistan. However, there was economic, cultural and
lingual friction between East and West Pakistan.
These tensions were apparent in 1948 when Pakistan's government declared
that Urdu was the sole national language. This sparked protests amongst the
Bengali-speaking majority in East Pakistan. The government outlawed the
protests but on February 21, 1952, students at the University of Dhaka and
other activists organized a protest. Later that day, the police opened fire at
the demonstrators and killed four students. These students' deaths in fighting
for the right to use their mother language are now remembered on International
Mother Language Day.The unrest continued as Bengali speakers campaigned for the right to use their mother language. Bengali became an official language in Pakistan on February 29, 1956. Following the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh became an independent country with Bengali as its official language.
On November 17, 1999, UNESCO proclaimed February 21 to be International Mother Language Day and it was first observed on February 21, 2000. Each year the celebrations around International Mother Language Day concentrate on a particular theme.
Symbols
The Shaheed Minar (martyr's monument) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, pays homage to the four demonstrators killed in 1952. There have been three versions of the monument. The first version was built on February 22-23 in 1952 but the police and army destroyed it within a few days. Construction on the second version started in November 1957, but the introduction of martial law stopped construction work and it was destroyed during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.The third version of the Shaheed Minar was built to similar plans as the second version. It consists of four standing marble frames and a larger double marble frame with a slanted top portion. The frames are constructed from marble and stand on a stage, which is raised about four meters (14 feet) above the ground. The four frames represent the four men who died on February 21, 1952, and the double frame represents their mothers and country. Replicas of the Shaheed Minar have been constructed worldwide where people from Bangladesh have settled, particularly in London and Oldham in the United Kingdom.
An International Mother Language Day monument was erected at Ashfield Park in Sydney, Australia, on February 19, 2006. It consists of a slab of slate mounted vertically on a raised platform. There are stylized images of the Shaheed Minar and the globe on the face of the stone. There are also the words "we will remember the martyrs of 21st February" in English and Bengali and words in five alphabets to represent mother languages on five continents where people live.
2015 Theme: Inclusive Education through and with Language - Language Matters
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 2007 the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/61/266
called upon Member States "to promote the preservation and protection of
all languages used by peoples of the world". By the same resolution, the
General Assembly proclaimed 2008 as the International
Year of Languages, to promote unity in diversity and international
understanding, through multilingualism and multiculturalism.International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The date represents the day in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.
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.
