COMMUNITY LANGUAGES AUSTRALIA
Where language and culture come together
185 Faraday Street Carlton. Victoria 3053
Tel (03) 9347 0379 Fax: (03) 9347 0297
Email: afesa@netsol.net.au
www.communitylanguagesaustralia.org.au
Languages Australia sends it heartiest greetings on the occasion of the 2012 International Mother Language Day:
This is good time for us to reflect on the importance of language, the processes of maintaining and promoting languages education.
To our all students, teacher, parents, community workers and policy makers we trust you will have a wonderful day- feeling positive about the fact that you are the custodians of your mother tongue and you have in sense a responsibility to pass on the baton in the future. Are we prepared for this?
Best wishes
Stefan Romaniw OAM
Executive Director
Information:
http://www.un.org/en/events/motherlanguageday/
The language of our thoughts and our emotions is our most valuable asset. Multilingualism is our ally in ensuring quality education for all, in promoting inclusion and in combating discrimination. ”
Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
Message for International Mother Language Day 2012
2012 International Mother Language Day: Mother tongue instruction and inclusive education
International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999 (30C/62).
On 16 May 2009 the United Nations General Assembly 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.
International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The date represents the day in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.
Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue
