UN Arabic Language Day to be observed

Paris – UN Arabic Language Day is observed annually on December 18. The event is celebrated all around the world as a means to promote cultural understanding and encourage dialogue among people who speak different languages.

The UN Arabic Language Day was announced by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010 aimed to "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six of its official working languages throughout the organization".

Organizations and governments hold cultural events that showcase the history and richness of the language. Seminars and conferences highlight the current developments in Arabic literature through lectures, talks and workshops by Arabic writers and poets.

Arabic is a language with a rich history and is spoken by almost 1.5 billion people around the world, and this includes UNESCO’s 22 member states. The UN recognizes this and acknowledges the contribution of the language in fostering ties between different cultures and in the development of science, medicine, mathematics and literature through the ages.

December 18 was chosen as the date for the Arabic language to signify the day in 1973 when the General Assembly approved Arabic as an official UN language. The other official languages of the UN are French, English, Russian, Spanish and Chinese.