The UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Thailand, in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland in Thailand and Mahidol University, commemorated the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day on Friday, 21 February, with a resounding call to protect, invest in, and integrate languages into education systems and societies to ensure inclusive and sustainable development.
At the Silver Jubilee celebration in Bangkok, UNESCO Bangkok’s Regional Director Soohyun Kim underscored the urgency of this mission. ‘Languages are not just words—they are worlds. When a language disappears, we lose more than vocabulary; we lose a way of understanding the world, of passing down knowledge, of connecting generations.’
She emphasized that the rapid development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies makes this task all the more pressing. ‘Digital tools can either help preserve languages and cultures, or they can accelerate their disappearance and exclude those whose languages are not represented online.’
The Asia-Pacific region is home to half of the world’s languages, yet linguistic diversity is under threat. Nearly 37% of learners in low- and middle-income countries are not taught in the language they best speak and understand. At least 40% of the world’s languages are endangered, with one language disappearing every two weeks—a loss that diminishes humanity’s cultural and intellectual heritage.
The event gathered policy-makers, educators, linguists, civil society leaders, indigenous community representatives and other partners from the international community to address challenges related to learning outcomes and language loss. Among those in attendance were HE Fuwad Thowfeek, Ambassador of the Maldives to Thailand; HE Tumur Amarsanaa, Ambassador of Mongolia to Thailand; HE Dhan Bahadur Oli, Ambassador of Nepal to Thailand; and HE Luiz de Albuquerque Veloso, Ambassador of Portugal to Thailand. Marco Toscano-Rivalta, Chief of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific; Tao Ma, Regional Director of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Asia and Pacific Office; and Vincent Omuga, acting head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific also joined the celebrations.
HE Faiyaz Murshid Kazi, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand, said that this year’s Silver Jubilee aimed to build a case for mainstreaming linguistic diversity and multilingualism as part of the post 2030 international development architecture. 'As in Thailand and elsewhere, our government remains committed to promoting education and curriculum development in the languages of some of our ethnic groups,' the ambassador said.
HE Pedro Zwahlen, Ambassador of Switzerland to Thailand, called multilingualism 'part of the DNA of my country,' citing Switzerland’s high performing education system and stellar Global Innovation Index scores as proof of its advantage. Because evidence shows young students learn best when they are first taught in their mother tongue, he explained, children learn only in their mother-tongue until grade 5 when a second language is added, with a third added in grade 7. Switzerland is now developing a project to support the Thai Government to integrate mother tongue-based multilingual education in public schools, including in areas where students do not speak Thai as their first language.
As part of its global efforts, UNESCO is advocating for education systems and societies to support peoples’ right to learn in, use, and maintain their mother tongue, especially for local languages, as well as greater investment in mother tongue-based education. This not only benefits comprehension, engagement, and mutual understanding but also nurtures a deeper connection between education, society and culture.
‘We create a more equitable world when all voices are heard, and everyone can express themselves in their mother tongue,’ said Ms Soohyun Kim.
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About International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day was by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was the initiative of Bangladesh. The UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation of the day in its of 2002. Today there is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in strengthening co-operation and attaining quality education for all, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development.
