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Ekushey February
International Mother Language Day
UNESCO Resolution
THE UNESCO General
Conference in its closing session on 17 November, 1999 adopted the
following resolution proclaiming International Mother Language Day
to be observed on 21 February every year as proposed by Bangladesh.
Proposed modification
An International Mother Language Day will be
proclaimed with a view to pursuing the organization's work in favor
of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism in all
fields of competence and that the proposed International Mother
Language Day be observed on 21 February every year in the Member
States and at UNESCO Headquarters.
Explanatory note
Considering that languages are at the very heart of
UNESCO’s objectives and that they are the most powerful instruments
of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage.
Bearing in mind also that all moves to promote the
dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage
linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to
development of fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural
traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on
understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
Considering consequently that one of the most effective
ways to promote and develop mother tongues is the establishment of
an “International Mother Language Day” with a view to organizing
various activities in the Member States and an exhibition at UNESCO
Headquarters on that same day.
Recognizing the unprecedented sacrifice made by Bangladesh
for the cause of mother language on 21 February 1952.
Noting that this idea has not yet been adopted at the
international level.
Proposes that 21 February be proclaimed “International
Mother Language Day” throughout the world to commemorate the martyrs
who sacrificed their lives on this very date in 1952.
UNITED NATIONS
NATIONS UNIES
The Secretary-General
Message on International
Mother Language Day
21 February 2000
I am delighted to convey my greetings on the occasion of the launch of
the first International Mother Language Day. This day will help to
raise awareness among all peoples of the distinct and enduring value
of their languages. In an age of globalization and international
cooperation where a few languages have become global languages, it
is imperative that we uphold the diversity of local languages.
Along with nation and community, language is an essential component of
identity and a means by which we find our place in the world. The
very essence of belonging in an increasingly rootless world is to
hear a language of one’s own, to understand and be understood with
ease. While differing languages have in the past separated peoples
and groups, it is my hope that all peoples can unite in celebrating
the full diversity of languages.
The United Nations and UNESCO have long worked to promote the
dissemination of mother tongues and to advance multilingual
education and linguistic diversity. Given the danger that many of
the 6,000 languages spoken today may disappear in the next 20 years,
it is critical that the international community redouble its efforts
to protect this common heritage of mankind.
Above all, the lesson of our age is that languages are not mutually
exclusive, but that human beings and humanity itself are enriched by
communicating in more than one language. Languages no less than the
peoples to whom they belong can and must coexist in the new century,
and it is my hope that International Mother Language Day will
contribute to this noble aim.
Kofi Annan
How the 21st February was
proclaimed International Mother Language Day
(Abridged edition of an article by
Syed Moazzem Ali, then Ambassador of Bangladesh to France and
Permanent Representative to the UNESCO)
In early November 1999 Bangladesh was re-elected to the UNESCO Executive
Board, and in mid-November Bangladesh’s draft resolution for the
proclamation of International Mother Language Day, on the 21st of
February every year, was unanimously adopted by the UNESCO General
Conference.
From the high profile and tremendous goodwill that Bangladesh enjoys at
the UNESCO, we approached the biennial General Conference with
confidence and zeal. The General Conference is the highest
legislative body of UNESCO. Its 30th session was held from 26
October through 17 November. The Bangladesh delegation to the
conference had two main objectives were : i) to get Bangladesh
re-elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for another term of four
years, and ii) to get approval of our proposal for the proclamation
of 21st February as the International Mother Language Day.
The initiative for the proclamation of the International Mother Language
Day had come from a Canadian multi-lingual group called the Mother
Language Lovers of the World. The group’s president, Mr Rafiqul
Islam of Bangladesh, was in constant touch with me and Mr Tozammel
(Tony) Huq, Senior Special Advisor to the then Director-General. At
our suggestion, the group approached our government which
immediately approved the proposal and it was officially submitted to
the UNESCO Secretariat in mid-September 1999. The proposal in the
form of a draft resolution was published on 26 October. It was
assigned to the Second Commission of the General Conference that
deals with education issues.
Due to time constraints our government was not able to approach other
countries through our missions for support, as should have been
normally done. Naturally, the whole responsibility to pilot this
resolution fell on the mission in Paris and the delegation. The
Education Minister, who was leading the Bangladesh delegation, in
his statement to the General Conference on 28 October, said that the
purpose for tabling our proposal for the declaration of 21st
February as the International Mother Day was to honour about 4000
mother languages in the world. He also noted the significance of the
day in our national history.
With the main strategy to enlist broad-based support from all the six
regional groups at the UNESCO, we arranged a round-table of
Ministers of Culture in Paris on 2 November. The meeting attended by
55 ministers from different regions, expressed its deep concern at
the disappearance of a number of languages from their countries. I
represented Bangladesh at this meeting and utilized the opportunity
to push forward our own draft resolution. I met most of the
Ministers of Culture and explained the necessity of proclaiming an
International Mother Language Day to create global awareness about
this problem.
As a follow-up, I wrote personal letters to the Permanent Representatives
at the UNESCO , seeking their support. We were able to enlist
co-sponsorship and support of 28 countries.
The UNESCO Secretariat, in their comments, suggested that there should be
a feasibility study of our draft resolution and then the
recommendations should be submitted to the Executive Board through
the Advisory Committee on Linguistic Pluralism and Multilingual
Education. Furthermore, they hinted at the financial involvement in
the implementation of our draft resolution. UNESCO is currently
going through a financial crisis and any draft resolution, which
involves additional financial allocation, is automatically shelved.
We took up the matter with the high officials of the Secretariat and
they agreed to delete the paragraph dealing with financial
implications, but they continued to emphasize the need for a
feasibility study and submission through the relevant bodies. This
process would have taken at least two years until the next General
Conference in 2001.
I met the Chairman of the Second Commission, Mr J Boulmer of Slovakia and
other members of the Commission’s Bureau, and finally they agreed to
consider our draft resolution.
Representatives of some friendly countries suggested that when our draft
resolution is introduced, we should focus not only on our own
experience but should also give a broader perspective to enlist
maximum support. I requested all our sponsors, through individual
letters and approaches, to speak in favour of our draft. My greatest
apprehension was that if a single delegation asks for a feasibility
study or for its submission through the Linguistic Committee and
Executive Board, then we would find it extremely difficult to
convince them.
I was scheduled to introduce the draft resolution at the Second
Commission in the afternoon session of 11 November, but due to time
constraints, it was deferred to the next day. I was given the
opportunity to introduce the draft resolution in the morning session
on 12 November. In the introductory statement, I underlined the
primary role of UNESCO in the preservation of languages, expressed
concern at the disappearance of so many languages and emphasized the
need to proclaim an International Mother Language Day to create
greater awareness to the preservation and promotion of mother
languages. I recalled the supreme sacrifice that martyrs made on 21
February 1952 for the preservation of our mother language, Bangla. I
was worried about the outcome, but was trying very hard to display
an air of confidence.
Fortunately, our vigorous lobbying behind-the-scene worked. There was no
opposition to our draft resolution and the Second Commission
unanimously adopted it.
Finally, on 17 November the plenary at its closing session formally
adopted all resolutions adopted by the Second Commission, including
our draft resolution. What a tribute to those who had fought for the
cause of our mother language Bangla ! What a tribute to Salam ,
Barkat and all the others who laid down their lives for the mother
tongue in 1952.
It is indeed a historic achievement for our country and nation that 21st
February, our ‘Mahan Shaheed Dibash’, has now been proclaimed as the
International Mother Language Day.
Our Language Movement , in which Salam, Barkat and others laid down their
lives and so many others had to go to jail and undergo immense
sufferings for the cause of the mother tongue, is unique event in
the contemporary history. The whole country and nation will always
remember their contributions. In our national life 21st February
will always be remembered as the starting point of our war of
self-determination and independence.
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