International Mother Language Day 2025: UNESCO marks Silver Jubilee with theme 'Languages matter'; IGNCA holds two-day celebration
International Mother Language Day was observed on 21 February 2025, its 25th anniversary, with UNESCO's theme 'Languages matter: Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day'; in New Delhi, IGNCA held a two-day celebration.
Summary
International Mother Language Day was observed on 21 February 2025, marking 25 years of the Day. UNESCO's global event at its Paris headquarters on 20-21 February, 'Languages matter: Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day', focused on multilingual education, and UNESCO released a report, 'Languages matter: Global guidance on multilingual education', noting that 40% of learners do not have access to education in a language they understand. In New Delhi, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) held a two-day celebration on 21-22 February on the theme 'Make Languages Count for Sustainable Development', inaugurated the exhibition BHASHARRITI, and hosted Tim Curtis, Director of UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia, who referred to the UN's International Decade of Indigenous Languages, 2022-2032, and cited India's National Education Policy as a model of multilingual education.
Key facts
- Date
- 21 February 2025
- Anniversary
- 25th (Silver Jubilee)
- UNESCO theme
- Languages matter: Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day
- UNESCO report
- Languages matter: Global guidance on multilingual education; 40% of learners lack education in a language they understand
- IGNCA event
- 21-22 February; theme 'Make Languages Count for Sustainable Development'; exhibition BHASHARRITI
- UN Decade
- International Decade of Indigenous Languages, 2022-2032
Practice MCQs 4 questions
What was UNESCO's theme for International Mother Language Day 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Languages matter: Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day
UNESCO's 2025 theme was 'Languages matter: Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day'; 'Make Languages Count for Sustainable Development' was the theme of IGNCA's own event in New Delhi.
International Mother Language Day 2025 marked which anniversary of the Day?
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Correct answer: B — 25th
UNESCO celebrated 2025 as the 25th anniversary, or Silver Jubilee, of International Mother Language Day.
According to UNESCO, as highlighted on International Mother Language Day 2025, what share of learners lack access to education in a language they understand?
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Correct answer: C — 40%
UNESCO said 40% of learners do not have the opportunity to learn in a language they understand, and called for multilingual education.
The UN's International Decade of Indigenous Languages, referred to at IGNCA's Mother Language Day event in February 2025, covers which period?
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Correct answer: D — 2022-2032
UNESCO's South Asia director Tim Curtis referred to the UN declaration of 2022-2032 as the Decade of Indigenous Languages, aimed at documenting and revitalising languages.