Language is a Pillar of Cultural Diversity

Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet. Yet, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat, or disappearing altogether. When languages fade, so does the world’s rich tapestry of cultural diversity. Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression – valuable resources for ensuring a better future are also lost.
In this context, it is urgent to take action to promote multilingualism, in other words to encourage the development of coherent regional and national language policies which give the opportunity for an appropriate and harmonious use of languages in a given community and country. Such policies promote measures allowing each speaker community to use its mother tongue in private and public domains of language use and enabling the speakers to learn and use additional languages: local, national and international. Mother-tongue speakers of national or international languages should be encouraged to learn and use other languages of the country and regional and international languages.
Courtesy: www.unesco.org/en/languages

Comment:

Languages are in competition and struggle for survival under the pressures of conteporary politico-economic and development policies. Which languages will survive and which languages will die will depends on our ideologies and choices. Langauges can survive only if used and langauge use depends on our economic, and socio-cultural policies.

UNESCO celebrated 2008 as the year of languages and 21 February as the International Mother Tongue day.

Let us talk more about it. Silence is the death of langauge and articulation is a sign of life.

sukhdev