International Mother Language Day 2018

International Mother Language Day is an observance held annually on 21 February worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It was first announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. Its observance was also formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages. International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since 2000 February to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The date represents the day in 1952 when students from different educational institutions such as Dhaka University , Jagannath University , Dhaka Medical College demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bengali, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka (near High Court), which is the capital of present day Bangladesh. Our Producer, Kulasegaram Sanchayan presents this segment commemorating International Mother Language day, paying respect to all those who have sacrificed their lives in defending the honour of their mother language; with comments from Dr Selvarajah Marimuthu, President of Tamil Association of Western Australia; and T Thirunanthakumar, Vice President of NSW Federation of Community Schools.