International Mother Language Day 2023: February 21 is dedicated to promoting awareness of linguistic diversity and cultural unity. It also promotes multilingualism. The United Nations recognized the day in 2002, three years after UNESCO first declared it on 17 November 1999. It was an initiative of Bangladesh with the overarching idea of preserving and protecting all the languages used by the people. It is said that out of 7000 languages spoken in the world, 2000 are spoken in India only.
The International Mother Language Day page on UNESCO’s website reads, “UNESCO believes in the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity for sustainable societies. It is within its mandate for peace that it seeks to promote tolerance and respect for cultures and languages.” works to preserve the difference in. for others”
International Mother Language Day 2023: Theme
The theme of International Mother Language Day 2023 has not been decided yet. The theme for 2022 was “Using technology for multilingual education: challenges and opportunities”, while the theme for 2021 was “Promoting multilingualism for inclusion in education and society”.
International Mother Language Day 2023: History and Significance
The day celebrates languages and multilingualism as powerful tools for social inclusion and global development. International Mother Language Day was declared by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The General Assembly of the United Nations endorsed the declaration of the United Nations Day in 2002. The United Nations General Assembly in this resolution encourages member states to take action to preserve and protect all languages spoken by people around the world.
International Mother Language Day 2023: Quotes
“For us Indians, I don’t think English can ever create the same magic of emotions that our mother tongue can.” – Kailash Kher
“If you speak to a man in a language he understands, it goes to his head. If you speak to him in his language, it goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela
Language is the blood of the soul in which thoughts run and by which they grow.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
“Rhythm is our universal mother tongue. It is the language of the soul.” – Gabriel Roth
“What is a nation without a mother tongue?” – Jack Edward
how many languages are spoken in india
There are 22 languages constitutionally recognized as mother tongues in India. These are Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi, Santhali, Dogri, Nepali, Bodo, Maithili, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu, Oriya, Konkani, Kashmiri, Manipuri, Kannada, Bengali, Sindhi, Gujarati and Marathi.
Among these Hindi, Bengali and Marathi are the most spoken languages in India. Also, there are more than 99 non-scheduled languages in India.