The United Nations (UN) observes Arabic Language Day on December 18th each year, celebrating the adoption of Arabic as one of the six official languages of the UN in 1973. This observance celebrates multilingualism and promotes equitable use of all six official languages of the United Nations.
- Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, used daily by more than 400 million people.
- The 2024 celebration marks the 51st anniversary of Arabic’s official recognition at the UN.
Theme:
- Theme of 2024 – “Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Advancing Innovation while Preserving Cultural Heritage.”
- The theme emphasizes how modern technology can help evolve the Arabic language while preserving its rich traditions.
Objective:
i.It aims to recognize Arabic’s contribution to enriching science, philosophy, literature, art, and global culture.
ii.It also aims to promote the equal use of all six official languages including Arab,Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish while celebrating multilingualism and cultural diversity.
Other UN Language Days:
Chinese Language Day (20 April); English Language Day (23 April); Spanish Language Day(23 April); French Language Day (20 March); Russian Language Day (6 June); Spanish Language Day (23 April).
Background:
i.On 18 December 1973, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution 3190 (XXVIII) introducing Arabic as the 6th official language of the UN.
ii.Commemorating this decision, in 2010 the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (190 EX/48) established the World Arabic Language Day to be celebrated on 18 December each year and observed annually on December 18th since 2012 UNESCO.
- The 1st Arabic Language Day was observed on December 18, 2012.
iii. The celebration of each of the UN’s six official languages by the United Nations Department of Global Communications (formerly the Department of Public Information) has been observed annually, starting in 2010, on the eve of International Mother Language Day, which is on February 21 each year.
Features of Arabic: –
- The Arabic alphabet or the Arabic abjad, is the Arabic script as specifically codified for writing the Arabic language. It is written from right-to-left in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters
- Arabic originated in the Proto-Semitic languages of the Middle East in the 7th century. The word “Arab” means “nomad,” hinting at the language’s roots in the nomadic tribes of today’s Arabian Peninsula.
- The Arabic script is the second-most widely used alphabetic writing system globally, after the Latin script. It is also the second-most used writing system by the number of countries and the third-most by the number of users, following Latin and Chinese scripts.
- Arabic calligraphy is inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
Events 2024
i.Exhibition on Arabic Language Achievements:
The exhibition held from December 18th to 22nd, 2024 highlighting the progress made in promoting the Arabic language under the ‘Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Programme for the Arabic Language at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.’ The Programme is supported by the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation.
- This programme has encouraged intercultural dialogue, enriched linguistic diversity, supported knowledge sharing in Arabic, and played a key role in celebrating World Arabic Language Day annually.
ii.UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture:
- The UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture is an international award established by the government of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates(UAE), in collaboration with UNESCO in 1998. It aims to recognize individuals, institutions, or organizations that have made significant contributions to promoting Arab culture, heritage, and intellectual exchange.
- The winners of the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture were announced during the World Arabic Language Day celebrations on December 18, 2024 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
- The 2024 UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture was awarded to visual artist Aya Tarek(Egypt) and filmmaker Alidji Alvin Touré(Mali).
Note: Arabic, spoken by over 450 million people and holding official status in nearly 25 countries.
