21 Feb International Mother Language Day
Today, February 21, 2025, we celebrate International Mother Language Day. This day, established by UNESCO in 1999 and observed since 2000, aims to promote linguistic and cultural diversity worldwide. It also commemorates a tragic event: in 1952, Bangladeshi students were killed while fighting for the recognition of their mother tongue, Bengali.
How many languages do you think exist on our planet? According to Ethnologue, approximately 7,139 languages are spoken worldwide. Asia has about 2,300, followed by Africa with 2,144. Europe, on the other hand, has a total of 287 different languages.
The world champions of linguistic diversity
The Importance of the mother tongue
The mother tongue is a fundamental element of a person’s cultural identity. It plays a crucial role in cognitive and social development. Unfortunately, many minority languages are at risk of extinction due to globalization and cultural homogenization.
Endangered languages
Defending Spanish against restrictions
In today’s context, where some political figures, such as former President Trump, have sought to restrict the use of Spanish in the United States, defending the language is more important than ever. Spanish, spoken by millions worldwide, is an integral part of the identity of many Hispanic communities.
Important facts about the Spanish language in the world. Image taken from : El español en el mundo – Anuario 2023. cvc.cervantes.es.
Influencers and celebrities take a stand
Many Spanish-speaking influencers and celebrities use their platforms to promote the importance of speaking Spanish. They emphasize that language is a vehicle for culture, history, and traditions. These personalities encourage younger generations to embrace their linguistic heritage and take pride in their bilingualism.
@carlos_eduardo_espina Being bilingual is a superpower and something to be proud of 🙏🏼❤️ Arriba toda la gente bilingüe…
@bilingualresources.org Bilingualism is a superpower!#bilingual #duallanguageteacher #bilingualism #education #speechlanguagepathologist #cristofernandez #wilmervalderrama
The benefits of multilingualism
Multilingualism offers many advantages, both personally and professionally. It fosters open-mindedness, improves cognitive abilities, and provides better job opportunities. UNESCO actively promotes multilingual education, particularly in early childhood schooling.
Preserving linguistic diversity
The preservation of mother languages, including Spanish, is essential to maintaining the cultural richness of our world. In Latin America and the Caribbean, there are 560 indigenous languages, each representing a unique mother tongue.
On this International Mother Language Day, let us remember the importance of celebrating and protecting all languages, including Spanish. Let us encourage multilingualism and fight against linguistic discrimination to build a more inclusive and culturally rich world.
This map shows the great linguistic diversity of Latin America
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