Promoting Multilingualism on International Mother Language Day © UNESCO/Zhaocan Li The UNESCO Geneva Liaison Office joined the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) in the celebration of the International Mother Language Day at the Palais des Nations on 21 February 2018. The event was marked with the screening of the documentary film “Mother Tongue: Revisiting the Inca Language” produced by filmmaker Gabina Funegra on the role of the fading Quechua language in the historical and present value system of the Peruvian Andes.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Michael Moller, Director General of UNOG; His Excellency Mr. Shameem Ahsan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva; and His Excellency Mr. Claudio Julio de la Puente Ribeyro, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva. Commenting on the film, Mr. Abdulaziz Almuzaini, Director of the UNESCO Geneva Liaison Office, underlined the risks of disappearance of humanity’s cultural and linguistic treasures, and the negative impact of the unfolding erosion of multilingualism on cultural identity and human dignity. “Languages express who we are; they structure our thoughts and identities. We exist through our languages and linguistic diversity opens up true understanding of every culture,” said Mr. Almuzaini.
Globalization seems to be affecting the linguistic make-up of the countries throughout the planet in varied ways, often adversely. “The celebration of the International Mother Language Day is an opportunity to mobilize for the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular SDG 4, to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning,” he said. The UNESCO Representative underlined that for UNESCO, education and information in mother language is absolutely essential for improving learning and developing confidence and self-esteem. UNESCO appeals for the potential of multilingual education to be acknowledged everywhere, in education and administrative systems, cultural expressions and the media, cyberspace and trade. “We have to raise awareness on the need to preserve the world’s linguistic diversity and to promote education based on mother tongue as an effective way of preserving multilingualism,” concluded Mr. Almuzaini.
Following the projection of the film, a stimulating discussion took place on the ways to preserve multilingualism and the respective roles of different stakeholders in this effort. Moderated by Ms. Corinne Momal-Vanian, UNOG Focal Point for Multilingualism, this debate revealed key challenges and possible solutions in the promotion and preservation of world’s languages for a sustainable future. UNESCO proclaimed International Mother Language Day in 1999, and now it is a worldwide annual observance celebrated on every 21 February. This year, the global celebrations are held under the theme of “linguistic diversity and multilingualism count for sustainable development.” — with Sigrun Habermann and two others.