International Mother Language Day

International Mother Language Day History

International Mother Language Day promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and encourages the use of mother languages. Recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and various other international associations, this day is marked to advocate the sustained preservation and protection of all languages used by communities globally. This includes the importance of mother languages in bolstering multilingualism for inclusivity, enhancing the quality of education, and helping to accelerate sustainable development.

The idea of International Mother Language Day first emerged following a violent conflict in Bangladesh in 1952, where four students were killed whilst campaigning against the imposition of Urdu as the National language. The day has been in observance globally since 21st February 2000 after it was formally recognised by UNESCO in 1999. In Australia, with over 300 separately identified languages spoken at home, International Mother Language Day underscores the importance of respecting linguistic diversity and promoting equal use of all languages. Indigenous Australian languages, endangered and diminishing are a particular focus, given their significance to cultural identity, local history and indigenous peoples' connection to the land.

In Australia, events celebrating International Mother Language Day vary across different communities, schools and organisation with cultural festivals, language learning workshops, academic conferences, art exhibitions and music performances. Encouraging individuals to maintain their mother language despite English being the dominant language, these activities create recognition for Australia’s linguistic diversity and promote social cohesion. This observance, consistent with its global timing, takes place annually on 21st February.

Facts about International Mother Language Day

• The theme for International Mother Language Day in 2025 was Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day. The theme for International Mother Language Day in 2024 was Multilingual education is a pillar of intergenerational learning. The theme in 2023 was Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education.
• According to Ethnologue.com, as of 2024, the most spoken languages around the world are:
  1) English – 1.5 billion people
  2) Mandarin Chinese – 1.1 billion people
  3) Hindi – 600+ million people
  4) Spanish – 550 million people
• Mother languages in a multilingual approach are essential components of quality education, which is itself the foundation for empowering women and men in their societies. — Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General.
• In addition to International Mother Language Day, Australia hosts a range of other language-centric events and festivals, such as NAIDOC Week, the National Indigenous Language Teaching and Employment Forum, and the Sydney Language Festival. These events help to promote and preserve Australia's diverse linguistic heritage.
• Distinct from British and American English, Australian English has its unique slang, pronunciation, idioms, and expressions. Some of these terms, like "mate" and "G'day," are widely recognized globally.

In the News and Trending in Australia for International Mother Language Day

Top things to do in Australia for this observance

• Gather with friends and family to assess your local education system. Does it provide adequate language instruction and second language instruction? Second language acquisition has been linked with critical thinking, creativity and flexibility of the mind.
• Generate awareness for International Mother Language Day by using the hashtags #InternationalMotherTongueDay, #IMLD, #motherlanguage or a hashtag followed by the language of your post (#english, #bengali, #xhosa).
• Language Festivals: Many places in Australia organize language festivals with storytelling, poetry, music, and food from different cultures.
• Multicultural Storytelling: Public libraries or community centers often arrange storytelling events where stories are told in various native languages. Parents are encouraged to bring along their children for an enriching and multicultural experience.