21 February 2008, UNPO joins with UNESCO and the UN in observing International Mother Language Day, in commemoration of the peoples who struggle to preserve and protect their languages.

The Hague, 21 February 2008 - Some have dubbed this the Century of Linguicide, with estimates that up to 90% of the world’s 6000 languages will disappear by 2100. Already this year, the Eyak language went into extinction when its last speaker, Mary Smith died in Alaska in January, an event that will happen all too often in the years to come. Still, efforts are being made to save these languages and the culture that surrounds them. In 1992, Tevfik Esenç, the last fluent speaker of Ubykh, died. The Ubykh people, who had been forced into exile in Turkey by the Russians in 1864, are one of the peoples of Circassia originally from Sochi, site of the 2014 Olympics. Their language has now virtually disappeared as most Ubykh speak Turkish today. Fortunately, the Ubykh language was not completely lost to history as efforts were made during the 20^th century to record both written and spoken Ubykh.

In response to the rampant extinction of mother languages, more initiatives have appeared to conserve them. More importantly though, has been the drive for mother language education. Many EU countries, for example, support this through promoting minority languages in national curriculum programs, and even founding minority language schools, such as Welsh school in Wales. Minorities world wide are demonstrating their right to preserve their mother language and the culture and traditions that goes along with it.

21 February commemorates the day when four Bangladeshi students were murdered by police for defending their right to their mother language. Bangladesh was then East Pakistan, an exclave province of Pakistan where Urdu was declared the official language in 1948. The majority of the population in Bangladesh, however, spoke Bengali, and they protested to make their language one of the official national languages. On 21 February 1952, students of this movement gathered in a peaceful demonstration to contest the Pakistani regime’s efforts to make Urdu the national language, when police opened fire on the crowd, killing four. Eventually, Bangladesh separated from Pakistan and now freely uses Bengali as the official language, but the Bangladeshi people still remember the four who died for their language.

In 1999, UNESCO declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day in commemoration of all those who struggle for language rights. Language is intrinsically linked with culture and tradition, and makes up a large part of a people’s identity. The United Nations General Assembly established 2008 as the International Year of Languages, officially recognizing International Mother Language Day. As a participant in the International Year of Languages, UNPO commemorates today all those who struggle for the continued existence of their mother languages. UNPO will continue to support its members in their efforts to preserve and protect their people’s language. May this International Mother Language Day inspire them in their actions. 

For additional information on International Mother Language Day, please click on the link below:

UNESCO International Mother Language Day