The United Nations (UN) French Language Day is annually observed across the globe on 20 March to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity, and to promote equal use of all 6 official languages of the UN throughout the Organisation.
- This Day is part of an initiative to raise awareness and respect for the history, culture, and achievements of each of the 6 official languages.
The Day is recognised by the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) as the International Day of La Francophonie or International Francophonie Day.
- In 2024, the OIF marks the celebrations of the International Day of La Francophonie under the theme “Create, innovate, undertake in French.”
Note: Francophonie refers to men and women sharing French as a common language.
Why March 20?
i.This date marks the anniversary of the creation of the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (Agence de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT)) in Niamey, Niger in 1970. It was the first institution of multilateral Francophonie.
- In 1970, Canada was a founding member of ACCT.
ii.ACCT became the Intergovernmental Agency of La Francophonie in 1998 and then the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)/International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) in 2005.
Background:
i.On February 2010, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) announced the launch of “Language Days at the UN”, a new initiative that aims to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity.
ii.The UN observes 6 Language days annually dedicated to the 6 official languages of the UN namely, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
About other UN Language Days:
The dates for the UN Language Days were selected by the DPI for their symbolic or historic significance in connection with each language:
- Arabic Language Day (8 December)
- Chinese Language Day (20 April)
- English Language Day (23 April)
- Russian Language Day (6 June)
- Spanish Language Day (23 April)
French Language:
Origins:
i.French traces its roots back to Latin, introduced to Gaul by the Romans around 50 BCE.
- Gaul, an ancient region of Western Europe that includes modern-day France and Belgium.
ii.Over time, Latin evolved into Vulgar Latin, forming the basis of early French dialects.
Note:
i.The publication of the first French dictionary Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française by Académie Française in 1694 further solidified linguistic norms.
ii.French colonial expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries spread the language across continents, shaping regional dialects and creoles.
iii.French is one of the 5 main romance languages that descended from Latin, (the other 4 are: Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish).
French in UN:
On 1 February 1946, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution 2 (I) established Chinese, French, English, Russian, and Spanish as official languages, and English and French as working languages.
Key Facts:
i.French is the official language of 29 countries and is the 2nd most studied language in the world after English.
ii.French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance, and architecture. It is also considered an important language in the world of business.
iv.Since 1896, French has been the official language of the Olympic Games, along with English
