KARACHI: Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Karachi observed the UNESCO International Mother Language Day-2025 at the Chancery premises.

Echoing the UNESCO initiatives, discussion, art competition and cultural evening were arranged by the Bangladesh Mission to mark the Day. Diplomats, government officials, UN officials, journalists, business leaders, academicians & columnists, cultural activists, and others including children and women participated at the programs. They enjoyed the cultural evening at the Chancery. 

UNESCO has been observing the Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day- 2025 on 21-22 February this year. UNESCO attaches huge importance to preserve linguistic diversity and promote mother tongues across the world. Languages are essential to education and sustainable development, serving as the primary means through which knowledge is transferred and cultures are preserved. With approximately 8,324 languages in the world today, many are at risk of disappearing due to globalization and societal changes. UNESCO emphasis that multilingual education, particularly for minority and indigenous languages, not only helps learners but also fosters a deeper connection between education and culture, contributing to more inclusive and equitable societies. Multilingual education not only promotes inclusive societies but also aids in preserving non-dominant, minority, and indigenous languages. 

It is a cornerstone for achieving equitable access to education and lifelong learning opportunities for all individuals. The 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day celebrates a quarter-century of efforts of the UNESCO to preserve linguistic diversity and promote mother tongues. This milestone emphasizes the importance of language preservation in safeguarding cultural heritage, improving education, and fostering more peaceful societies. 

UNESCO is concerned that in every two weeks a language somewhere across the globe disappears taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage.  UNESCO estimates that there are 8,324 languages, spoken or signed. Out of these, around 7,000 languages are still in use. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given a place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world. The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Karachi has been striving in promoting cultural cooperation and enhanced people-to-people contacts.