ISLAMABAD: International Mother Language Day is being observed today (Monday) to promote cultural and linguistic diversity.

The theme this year is “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”. The International Mother Language Day is observed globally on February 21 every year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

The idea to celebrate the International Mother Language Day was approved by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO in 1999 and is an annual event since then. The date represents the day, 21st February 1952, when four young students were killed in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, because of Bengali and Urdu language controversy.

The International Mother Language Day is a step towards showing commitment to the development of mother language in public life. Well, roughly 6,500 languages are spoken in the world today. Each and every one of them make the world a diverse and beautiful place. Sadly, some of these languages are less widely spoken than others.

There are between 70 and 80 languages spoken in Pakistan. Urdu is the national language and one of two official languages. English is the other official language. Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage.