The International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation of the day in its resolution of 2002.United Nations General Assembly, on 16 May 2007 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 and named the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to serve as the lead agency for the Year.Today there is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in strengthening co-operation and attaining quality education for all, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development.It is estimated at least one language dies out every two weeks – taking the culture and all of its unique expression along with it. One of the most important parts to understanding and preserving a culture is mother tongue.Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and planet. Yet, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat, or disappearing altogether. When languages fade, so does the world’s rich tapestry of cultural diversity. Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression — valuable resources for ensuring a better future — are also lost.Every two weeks a language disappears taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage. 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 is observed every year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.For younger generations, the lack of knowledge surrounding their mother language can have a negative impact on their identity and cultural connection. By establishing this day as an international observance, it spreads awareness of the importance cultural preservation and diversity.Not only have ideas surrounding language preservation been implemented, but a wave of protection to those around the world has started.In 2008, the General Assembly created the International Year of Languages. Instead of one day being dedicated to an important cause, a whole year was. This provided a wide understanding of the hardships many cultures go through in the fight to preserve their language.The International Year of Languages focused on ensuring languages were treated equally and all given the same opportunities.Although International Mother Language Day comes once a year on February 21st, does not mean languages should only be preserved once a year. Everyday should be a strive for equal opportunity.With the technology and resources available today, mother languages can be preserved and used through language solutions like translation, localization and interpreting. The term “mother tongue” refers to a person’s native language — that is, a language learned from birth. It is also called a first language, dominant language, home language, and native tongue (although these terms are not necessarily synonymous).Mother tongue is a general term for the language of the childhood home, learned ‘at one’s mother’s knee’, often used synonymously with NATIVE LANGUAGE. Mother tongue pertains to the language that you speak since you were young. It is your native language.When you use the term mother tongue, you refer to the language a person learns from birth. It is the language one was initially exposed to and the first language learnt. However, it also means the speaker’s home and dominant language, not only from acquisition but also from its importance and the speaker’s ability to fully learn its communicative and linguistic features. In language translation terms, it means that the translator is highly capable of translating the text into one’s dominant and primary language.The general usage of the term ‘mother tongue’…denotes not only the language one learns from one’s mother, but also the speaker’s dominant and home language; i.e. not only the first language according to the time of acquisition, but the first with regard to its importance and the speaker’s ability to master its linguistic and communicative aspects. For example, if a school advertises that all its teachers are native speakers of English, we would most likely complain if we later learned that although the teachers do have some vague childhood memories of the time when they talked to their mothers in English, they, however, grew up in some non-English-speaking country and are fluent in a second language only. Similarly, in translation theory, the claim that one should translate only into one’s mother tongue is in fact a claim that one should only translate into one’s first and dominant language.Even if the world celebrates International Mother Language Day held on February 21 each year for cultural diversity and language awareness, there is no denying the fact that minority languages are dying more rapidly. Many factors contribute to this, including globalization, modernization and the blending of international culture. Languages,besides being a communication device are of cultural significance, and their disappearance means losing unique traditions and knowledge, heritage, and ancestral memories.A civilization’s foundation is language, which binds people together. It is all right to learn other languages, but it is vital to use your national language whenever possible.Language identifies a culture’s ethnic identity; thus, the development, preservation, and research of culture are linked to learning a nation’s language code. Language is the way to represent the formation and expression of a nation’s culture.Aside from the currency, flag, name or geographical boundary, the national language makes a country unique and respectable. Language is the indicator of the country’s national identity and a part of a person’s heritage or a nation.You can only have a deeper access to a community if you can speak and understand its language. A person has to be fluent in a language to understand the community’s cultural aspects and nuances. When you are fluent in a country’s national language, it makes it easier for the country’s citizens to accept you.Maintaining the languages of ethnic and cultural groups is critical for the preservation of cultural heritage and identity. Using one’s mother-tongue at home makes it easier for children to be comfortable with their own cultural identity. International Mother Language Day is celebrated every year on February 21 since 1990, after the declaration by the United Nations to recognize the sacrifices of people who lost their life for the sake of their mother-tongue.
“The year 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, with the theme “Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day,” commemorating a quarter-century of dedicated efforts to preserve linguistic diversity and promote mother tongue use.In conclusion, Let us help each other and celebrate the great diversity of languages and cultures throughout the globe so that we can keep our culture of “Inestimable Value” alive for posterity.”
To every one of us, mother language is one of the most precious gifts that we have in our lives. Each and every language spoken throughout the globe represents a unique and distinct cultural heritage, melodious songs, colorful environment, tasty food and a healthy society to live in, where people express their feelings and emotions without any hesitation.The beautiful sounds of which one hears, understand and gets familiar in the mother-tongue since the very beginning, has an important role in shaping our feelings, emotions and thought-processes. The concept of the mother-tongue is a fascinating aspect of language that has transcended generations.Mother language has a very powerful impact in the early formation of an individual, and maintaining the language equates with preserving a cultural and upholding tradition. Language is how we not only communicate, but how we connect to the growing world around us.According to Leanne Hinton, “More broadly, the loss of language is part of the loss of whole cultures and knowledge systems, including philosophical systems, oral literary and music traditions, environmental knowledge systems, medical knowledge, and important cultural practices and artistic skills. The world stands to lose an important part of the sum of human knowledge whenever a language stops being used. Just as the human species is putting itself in danger through the destruction of species diversity, so might we be in danger from the destruction of the diversity of knowledge systems.”Within multilingual societies, maintaining the languages of ethnic and cultural groups is critical for the preservation of cultural heritage and identity. Using one’s mother-tongue at home will make it easier for children to be comfortable with their own cultural identity. A language is more than just a means of communication. It is a repository of a community’s collective history and heritage. It also provides an identity and a focus that binds a community together, which makes individual accomplishments easier.On the importance of mother-tongue, SanjeevShekhar, an Indian-American living in St Louis, Missouri, says: “It allows children to know their roots and they will be able to pass it on to their children, thus securing their culture for the future generations.”One of the most effective ways to preserve a language is to continue using it, whether in written or spoken form. We can also buttress the preservation of mother tongue by teaching with it in early education and also in our Secondary Schools which will also enhance the ability of a child to assimilate learning fast.It is a way to raise awareness about the language in different areas. A civilization’s foundation is language, which binds people together. It is alright to learn other languages, but it is vital to use your national language whenever possible. To preserve our linguistic and cultural diversity, we must encourage the use of mother-tongue as much as possible. Therefore, familiarity with the language is seen as the gateway into the culture because it provides the bridge into understanding the culture by providing access to literature and poetry, original historical texts, religious texts, philosophical works as well as music and art. We should always practice, speak and teach our new generation to speak and communicate with each other in their mother-tongue. We must not and should not underestimate the power of language and work together to promote mutual understanding and cooperation. We should take this opportunity to reaffirm our respect for it as it is a way to raise awareness about the language in different areas.Language and culture are so intertwined that one cannot survive without the other. Both of them are sensitive and adopt to prevailing circumstances. Language gives full expression to people’s values and norms. They are dynamic in nature. Languages have to be fully associated with cultural transformations. It is impossible for one to teach language without teaching culture. The impotence of the indigenous language in the educational system of Nigeria is very important.Kashmiri, an Indo-Aryan language with Dardic influences, has a rich literary and cultural heritage but faces challenges due to declining speakers and dominance of Urdu and English. Once written in Sharada, Perso-Arabic, and Devanagari scripts, it thrives in poetry, folklore, and Sufi traditions. On International Mother Language Day, Kashmiri speakers are urged to celebrate, teach, and promote their language through cultural events, ensuring its survival for future generations.Although our revised curricula may have substantial cultural contents, the English language has become irreplaceable in our national history and development, our culture must be vigorously preserved and promoted by giving due and appropriate attention to our indigenous language in our educational curriculum and planning. The year 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, with the theme “Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day,” commemorating a quarter-century of dedicated efforts to preserve linguistic diversity and promote mother tongue use.In conclusion, Let us help each other and celebrate the great diversity of languages and cultures throughout the globe so that we can keep our culture of “Inestimable Value” alive for posterity.
(The authors write regularly for the opinion pages of “Kashmir Horizon”. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the authors and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Arshi Rafiq
Dr. Bilal Ahmad
