“If
you talk to a man in a language he understands, it goes to his head
If
you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart” ~ Nelson Mandela
Language
is an essential aspect of our everyday lives; we tour the world through
language. It facilitates communication, builds our collective interests and to
date, remains the oldest known form of preserving our culture and tradition. It is what we stand for, it is our identity.
Today,
we observe the International Mother Language Day, a day through which we
promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity. This day represents the
year 1952 where the students of Dhaka University in Pakistan were shot and
killed by the police. Their only crime was in protesting for the recognition of
their language Bengali, in modern day Bangladesh, which at the said time was
part of and ruled by Pakistan. Since February 2000, the lives of these students
have been commemorated in honor of their sacrifice while fighting to establish
a rightful place for their language in society.
World Assembly of Youth (WAY),
hope to bring more awareness to this issue and implore society to embrace
mother languages worldwide. Youth today should work towards preserving this
priceless gift from our ancestors, and promote respect for linguistic and
cultural diversity.
We should appreciate the beauty and
splendor of mother language, it is what makes us unique. It is a symbol of our
cultural diversity, broadens youth capacity to imagine, explore and experience
one another’s cultures.
Let us make this day, a day where the beauty of mother
language blooms in all the hearts of young people.
