International Mother Language Day

Today, and February 21st annually, is International Mother Language Day 国際母語デー, not just in Japan, but the world over. It is an annual observance established by UNESCO in November 1999 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingualism, and respect for mother tongues.

The first commemoration took place in 2000, and the day has since become one of the United Nations’ internationally observed days. The date carries deep historical meaning: on February 21, 1952, in Dhaka, then part of Pakistan, students and citizens demonstrated against the government’s attempt to impose Urdu as the sole national language. They demanded recognition of their own mother tongue, Bengali, as an official language. In my own country, our first language - Irish - was suppressed by British authorities for centuries, resulting in our language shifting to English. In Japan, it is a similar story with the Ainu language, which was also suppressed but is undergoing revitalization.

International Mother Language Day highlights the role of language in identity, education, and cultural continuity, reminding us that protecting mother tongues is essential to sustaining the world’s rich diversity.