Guests attend a celebration observing International Mother Language Day at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Feb. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Habtamu Worku)
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Experts and policymakers in Ethiopia have called for redoubling concerted efforts in promoting linguistic diversity and multilingualism during a celebration observing International Mother Language Day.
On Thursday, a special event was held at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, under the theme "Languages Matter: Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day."
Addressing the event, Aboubakri Diaw, chief of staff at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), said the celebration "provides a unique opportunity to take stock of the progress made in promoting multilingual education, while recognizing the power of languages to bring individuals, people, and nations together."
Data from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) showed that around 40 percent of the estimated 8,324 languages worldwide are at risk of disappearing.
Abdoulaye Salifou, education program specialist at the UNESCO Liaison Office with the African Union (AU) and UNECA, highlighted the importance of promoting linguistic and cultural diversity as well as the crucial role of mother language in education, communication, culture, and science.
He Youlin, deputy head of the Chinese Mission to the AU, emphasized that the international community has an urgent responsibility to preserve and protect "precious" language resources.
"Language is a tool for human beings to exchange thoughts, a carrier of inheriting civilization, and a bridge for enhancing understanding, which emphasizes the importance of language. The celebration of the International Mother Language Day reminds us that protecting language diversity is protecting the common cultural heritage of mankind," he said.
He noted that China, home to 56 ethnic groups, launched the Chinese language resource protection project in 2015, which featured numerous surveys and efforts for the preservation, display, development, and utilization of linguistic resources.
International Mother Language Day, initially proclaimed by UNESCO and later adopted by the UN General Assembly, is observed annually on Feb. 21. ■
He Youlin, deputy head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union, speaks at a celebration observing International Mother Language Day at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Feb. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Habtamu Worku)