Shillong, Feb 22: International Mother Language Day is a worldwide annual observance held on 21st February to promote awareness of Linguistic diversity and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism.

According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), this year’s theme is “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and extended wishes on the occasion. He said, “Today is also World Mother Language Day. Education in mother tongue is related to the mental development of children. Teaching of medical and technical education in local languages has started in many states.”

This day is not given much importance in Meghalaya although the North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, joined the rest of the country in observing International Mother Tongue Day by organizing a small programme. The programme was organized by the Hindi Cell and attended by the Registrar, Finance Officer, Controller of Examinations, Librarian, officers and staff of NEHU.

In his speech, Dr JN Nayak, Registrar, said the Government of India realized that other languages cannot flourish unless steps are taken to develop them. Hence, such initiatives like the International Mother Tongue Day are very much needed.

NEHU Finance Officer, LMK Lyngrah, suggested the idea of organizing an essay competition on any topic in the writer’s own mother tongue along with a translation to foster closeness among the university community.

Controller of Examinations, Debasish Chowdhury, gave a brief background about the genesis of International Mother Tongue Day which was the initiative of Bangladesh. It was approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference and has been observed throughout the world since 2000, he informed.

He also informed that half a dozen languages disappear every year and that Mother Tongue Day is a reminder that these endangered languages should be revived.