The International Mother Language Day was officially accepted by the United Nations General Assembly in the year 2008. The year 2008 was also celebrated as the International year of languages. The stated objective of this day is to celebrate and protect mother languages all over the world. February 21 is observed as the International Mother Language Day in memory of Bengali Language movement in Bangladesh.

According to the official website of UN/microsite- “The International Year of Languages came at a time when linguistic diversity was increasingly threatened. Language is fundamental to communication of all kinds, and it is communication that makes change and development possible in human society. Using — or not using — certain languages today can open a door, or close it, for large segments of society in many parts of the world.”

At least 43% of the estimated 6000 languages spoken in the world are endangered. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given a place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world.

International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

The objective of this day is to protect and sustain the native languages. Technology can help massively in this mission so as the political will. The UN understands it and hence observes 21 February as the International Day of Mother Languages.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2018 02:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).