idealist.org

Speak Your Mother Tongue Today

Did you know that 2008 is the International Year of Languages, according to the United Nations? If you haven't explored all the activities and resources that have emerged as part of this year, today is a great day to start. February 21 is International Mother Languages Day, which seeks to "promote people’s uniqueness and cultural diversity by highlighting their mother tongue."


The idea is that because linguistic diversity is threatened by the "globalization of communication and the tendency to use a single language," a day should be set aside to encourage networks like our own to share ideas and information across cultural lines and in many languages. But the action doesn't stop today; the people behind this holiday are advocating for more intensive foreign language classes in primary and secondary schools, international exchanges of primary and secondary school teachers, and much more. Feeling intrigued - or celebratory? Visit this page to learn more.

You can also visit Idealist's Language Project page to learn how we're working with volunteers to translate our website into many languages.