From February 17th to March 15th, in documents of international organizations reading room 207g is open a subject book exhibition “The language in the multicultural world” dedicated to the International Mother Language Day.
This Day was established by the resolution of the 30th session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 1999 and is observed annually on February 21st. The United Nations General Assembly approved the decision on the establishment of the International Mother Language Day (Resolution № Α/RES/56/262)and urged the United Nations member states, along with the world community, to promote protection and preservation of the languages of the world, especially those that are critically endangered.
Languages, as the factors exerting multilateral influence on self-consciousness, social dialogue and integration, education and development, play a strategically important role in both human life and the whole society. However, by virtue of the globalization many of them are endangered. The fading of languages causes the fading of a rich palette of cultural variety of the world. Thus the potential of originality, tradition, memory, unique forms of thinking and self-expression which play the important role in construction of a fair future can be irrevocably lost.
Today there are more than 6 000 living languages in the world while 95 % of them are used only by 4 % of the world population. Only some hundreds languages are used in full measure in education and social life, and less than onehundred – in the digital world. Thousands of languages are banished from education systems, mass media, book-publishing and social life in general, though they are the daily mean of self-expression for numerous groups of people who know them perfectly. Some of them have writing, others don’t. More than half of the existing languages are critically endangered. A language would die unless at least 100 000 persons speak it. Though at all times languages arose, existed, and then died out, sometimes without a trace at all, they have never disappeared so quickly before. According to the UNESCO, every month two languages die.
Such a situation claims urgent measures for protection of multilingualism. The world community has to develop and implement regional and national strategies in the field of languages for their full and equal use in all spheres of social life. The given strategies, on the one hand, should guarantee the free use of the mother language both in private and social life, and, on the other hand, provide an unobstructed studying and application of additional languages: local, national and international. Only through a meaningly cultivated multilingualism all languages of the world can survive in the epoch of globalization. Therefore the International Mother Language Day, which is observed for already the tenth time, gets a special value and gives the extremely favorable opportunities for expansion of initiatives on encouragement and protection of all languages, in particular those that are critically endangered.
Belarus is a polyethnic state where representatives of more than 100 nationalities live. Our state policy is based on recognition and respect for all languages and promotion of language diversity and cultural traditions, mutual understanding, tolerance and dialogue. The State carries out a rational policy for maintenance and development of the Belarusian language and preservation of national cultural heritage and the best features of the Belarusian mentality.
The offered exhibition presents more than 70 publications in Belarusian and English languages: books, periodicals, brochures, booklets and mimeographed materials.
The exposition includes the following subject sections:
- languages and their role in preservation and development of material and spiritual heritage;
- international legal documents promoting the development of multilingualism;
- language, society, education and the issues of intercultural communication;
- language and multilingualism in the epoch of globalization and global communication networks;
- the language policy and perspectives of development of the Belarusian language in the Republic of Belarus.
The exhibition is designed for linguists, philologists, cultural workers, historians and everyone who is interested in language and cultural diversity.
Useful links
UNO
UNESCO
- The International Mother Language Day
- Languages and Multilingualism
- Cultural and language diversity in education
- MOST Clearing House Linguistic Rights
- Endangered languages
- Multilingualism in Cyberspace
- МThe International Year of Languages
DOCUMENTS
- Convention against Discrimination in Education, 1960.
- UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, 2001.
- Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003.
- Promoting Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace, 2003.
- Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, 2005.
- UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger
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