PURPOSE: The International Mother Language Day observed every year on 21 February, encourages us to support multilingualism and the use of mother tongues, both at school and in everyday life. The Day recognizes that languages and multilingualism can advance inclusion, and the Sustainable Development Goals’ which focus on leaving no one behind. Today, 250 million children and young people still do not attend school and 763 million adults do not master basic literacy skills. Mother tongue education supports learning, literacy and the acquisition of additional languages. The day is an opportunity to remind the international community that multilingual education enhances learning when the language of instruction is the learner’s first language. The use of learners’ own languages for literacy and learning provides a solid pillar for education, and for transfer of skills and knowledge to additional languages.
FORUM: ”Multilingual education – a pillar of intergenational learning.” International Mother Language Day 2024. Today, 40% of the world’s population does not have access to education in a language they speak or understand. In some countries this figure rises to over 90%. Yet research shows that the use of learners’ own language(s) in schools provides a solid foundation for learning, boosts self-esteem and critical thinking skills, and opens the door for inter-generational learning, language revitalization, and the preservation of culture and intangible heritage. Learning in one’s first language facilitates understanding and interaction, and further develops critical thinking. It strengthens self-confidence and self-esteem and stimulates active participation. In addition to boosting learning, multilingual education contributes to opening the doors to inter-generational learning, the preservation of culture and intangible heritage, and the revitalization of languages. It enriches multilingualism on the web and is essential for digital literacy. Multilingual education also helps in acquiring life skills, especially in the context of emergencies, crises and natural disasters. Thus, refugees, internally or internationally displaced people and those excluded or marginalized from quality education, such as Indigenous peoples, are not left behind. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #IntergenerationalLearning, #IMLD2024, #MotherLanguageDay, #mothertongue; #21February, #Multilingualeducation.
EVENT: On February 21st; The symposium to mark the 25 th edition of International Mother Language Day and the International Mother Language Day 2024 will take place from 10:00 am to 13:00 pm in Room X at UNESCO House (Fontenoy). the celebration will highlight the importance of implementing multilingual education policies and practices as a pillar to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 which calls for inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning for all as well as to the objectives of the International Decade on Indigenous Languages (2022 – 2032). Join the experts in early childhood education, literacy, informal learning and indigenous languages as they discuss how multilingual education policies and practices can be implemented to ensure inclusive, quality learning for all that enhances not only learning outcomes but the transmission of intergenerational knowledge, languages, culture and intangible heritage. This year's event at UNESCO HQ will include two panel discussions on multilingual education. The Panel sessions will be webcast soon (link to come). Interpretations will be available in English, French, Spanish. Targeted audiences include Key stakeholders in education, education policy-makers, teachers; Non-governmental organizations, foundations and other bodies supporting multilingualism. Register to participate!
The event will also be the opportunity to present the UNESCO Policy brief on Multilingualism and language diversity for inclusion in education. It is a UNESCO input to the implementation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages and the education of Indigenous peoples, among other initiatives such as the UNESCO/Purdue University (USA) Massive Open Online Courses on Indigenous Languages: From Policy and Planning to Implementation and Assessment. More specifically, International Mother Language Day 2024 will highlight the need to implement a multilingual education policy and practice so that all children benefit from quality and inclusive education and develop their cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The celebration aims towards the prioritization of multilingual education based on mother languages in different contexts; the promotion of the knowledge held by Indigenous peoples within the archives of Indigenous languages and through the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032); and the understanding of the importance of language education in intercultural dialogue.
PODCASTS: In many countries around the world where it is common practice to use more than one language in daily life, education takes place in multilingual contexts. Yet, many countries adopt monolingual systems of education and see multilingualism – the use of several languages within an area – as a challenge. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Join the IMLD 2024 Campaign ”Multilingual education – a pillar of intergenerational learning.”.Providing education in only one language that is not necessarily shared by all learners may impact negatively on learning performance, and the development of socio-emotional and foundational literacy skills. Get the communication materials!
How MTB-MLE contributes to Sustainable Development Goal4? The mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) is a realistic and cost-effective way to make significant progress towards SDG 4. Successful pilot projects continue to contribute to transform language policies that respect and encourage the diversity of communities.
You have to speak a language before you can learn to read and write that language (Targets 4.1, 4.4, 4.6 )
Early childhood education of high quality is only possible in the child’s first language (Targets 4.2, 4.5, 4.7)
Well trained and supported multilingual teachers boost learners’ performances (Targets 4.1, 4.5, 4.c)
MTB-MLE enables life-long learning (Targets 4.2, 4.4)
MTB-MLE helps to address gender inequality by allowing girls and women to engage fully in their own learning (Targets 4.1, 4.3, 4.5, 4.6)
Respect for cultural and linguistic diversity leads to peace, social cohesion and sustainable development (Targets 4.5, 4.7)
WHY WE CELEBRATE IT?
Since SDG 4 is so foundational to the other Sustainable Development Goals, without mother tongue-based multilingual education the other 16 goals will remain unachievable. The potential of multilingual education is enormous. However, implementation rarely takes place due to misconceptions surrounding multilingualism. Transforming education entails changing the perception of multilingualism, so that it is seen as an asset for learning in formal, informal and non-formal educational settings. There is growing evidence demonstrating the positive outcomes of multilingual education.
Research shows that education in the mother tongue is a key factor for inclusion and quality learning, and it also improves learning outcomes and academic performance. This is crucial, especially in primary school to avoid knowledge gaps and increase the speed of learning and comprehension. And most importantly, multilingual education based on the mother tongue empowers all learners to fully take part in society.
ACTIONS
Promote the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity, and multilingualism for peaceful and sustainable societies.
Enhance multilingual education as a necessity to transform education in multilingual contexts from early childhood education and well beyond;
Support learning through multilingual education and multilingualism in our fast-changing global contexts and in crisis situations including emergencies contexts;
Revitalize languages that are disappearing or are threatened with extinction.
Sensitize actors in education, teachers, education policy-makers on the transformative power of multilingualism and multilingual education
Support actors in education, teachers, education policy-makers in strengthening of multilingualism and multilingual education
Highlight and share the innovative policies and practices.
PARTNERS
The International Mother language Day is oganized in collobaration with the UNDGACM UNESCO permanent delegations; The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL); The Asian Development Bank; the Permanent missions of U.N. in new York. With the participation of stakeholders in education, education policy-makers, teachers; Non-governmental organizations, foundations and other bodies supporting multilingualism.
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Invest in children ; Help a child to develop its mother tongues.