The theme of this yr’s Worldwide Mom Language Day (IMLD) is “Youth voices on multilingual training.” Celebrated on February 21, IMLD was formally established by UNESCO in 2002 to advertise the preservation and safety of the world’s languages, and encourage the proliferation of training delivered by mom languages.
This yr’s celebration coincides with a rising motion within the US to supply training in college students’ mom language. Nevertheless, in accordance with UNESCO, “important challenges stay, as 40% of learners worldwide nonetheless lack entry to training in a language they perceive greatest, with indigenous, migrant, and minority youth most affected. Addressing this hole requires training insurance policies and practices that embed multilingual training at their core to advertise inclusion, fairness, and efficient studying for all. By advancing concrete actions, sharing promising experiences, and fostering dialogue amongst younger individuals, educators, and policymakers, world initiatives create areas to change concepts and determine options that strengthen linguistic variety in colleges and communities worldwide.”
“Youth voices on multilingual training emphasizes that language is greater than a way of communication: it’s central to identification, studying, well-being and participation in society. The celebration underscores the significance of training techniques that acknowledge and worth each learner’s language to assist inclusion and studying outcomes,” claims UNESCO’s web site.
“On this Worldwide Mom Language Day, UNESCO is asking for funding in language transmission by inserting younger individuals on the coronary heart of the options concerned. As a result of linguistic variety is a pillar of peace, dignity, and inclusion. And no voice needs to be lacking from the story of our humanity,” mentioned Khaled El-Enany, director-general of UNESCO.
For its half, Language Journal is encouraging policymakers, leaders, dad and mom, academics, and college students to think about how they will make their instructional techniques extra welcoming to language-minority college students.
