International Mother Language Day is a worldwide annual observance held on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was the initiative of Bangladesh. It was approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference and has been observed throughout the world since 2000.

The day has its roots in the tragic events in Bangladesh on the 21st of February 1952, in which four students were shot dead by the police in the language movement protest riot. Representatives from Bangladesh asked UNESCO to declare 21 February as Mother Language Day as a mark of respect for the memory of these young people. 

In November 1999, the 30th session of UNESCO General Conference declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day and recommended that member countries hold activities in schools and universities on that day to commemorate mother tongue. On International Mother Language Day the UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UN agencies participate in events that promote linguistic and cultural diversity. They also encourage people to maintain their knowledge of their mother language while learning and using more than one language. Governments and non-governmental organizations may use the day to announce policies to encourage language learning and support.

International Mother Language Day, held annually to protect endangered languages, reminds everyone that they have the right to be proud, protect and develop their mother tongue. This works to preserve the differences in cultures and languages that foster tolerance and respect for others.
 
Communication is a very powerful tool that protects and develops the material and spiritual heritage of each nation. The mother tongue plays an important role in enriching a person’s spiritual world, in broadening one’s outlook, in gaining education and in communicating with compatriots. Prohibition of mother language, which plays a crucial role in the evolution of humanity, under any pretext is a crime. International Mother Language Day calls on everyone to unite against this crime.
It should be noted that the comprehensive development of the mother tongue in our country, its transformation into a working language and its inclusion into the system of international relations is the result of a well-thought policy of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, aimed at protecting the language. The foundation of this policy was laid in 1969. The same year, Heydar Aliyev delivered a speech in the Azerbaijani language at the 50th anniversary of the Azerbaijan State University (present Baku State University). Within a short time, the Azerbaijani language was used at events of state importance. An important event of that period was the adoption of Azerbaijani as the state language in the 1978 Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR.

After Azerbaijan gained independence, the name of the state language was reinstated by the Constitution adopted in 1995. Since then, important documents have been adopted at governmental level towards the development and protection of the mother tongue.

The Order “On the establishment of the Day of the Azerbaijani alphabet and the Azerbaijani language” dated August 9, 2001 laid the eternal foundation, built on a deep sense of dignity, love for the motherland and the people. According to this Order, Azerbaijan switched to the Latin alphabet on 1 August 2001. The adoption of the law “On the state language of the Republic of Azerbaijan” on September 30, 2002 was of exceptional importance from the point of view of defining, forming and strengthening the language policy of the independent Azerbaijani State. The law contained extensive information about the state language and created the basis for the satisfaction of the needs of the world Azerbaijanis for national and cultural self-determination in respect of their native language. This document is one of the vivid examples of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s inexhaustible love and care for our nation and its language.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev successfully continues these traditions. The decree of President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev signed on January 12, 2004 “On the publishing of mass media in Latin alphabet in the Azerbaijani language”, “On publication of the National Encyclopedia of Azerbaijan”, “On approval of the State Program on usage of the Azerbaijani language in the conditions of globalization in accordance with requirements of the time and development of linguistics”, “On approval of new composition of the State Commission on Language of the Azerbaijan Republic”, “On a number of measures to ensure wider use of the Azerbaijani language in the electronic space” and the decree “On measures to protect the purity of the Azerbaijani language and further improve the use of the state language” is a demonstration of the great concern of our head of state for the development of our language.

The preservation and development of the native language is the sacred duty of every Azerbaijani.

Recommended literature:

1. Xudiyev, Nizami Manaf oğlu. Azərbaycan ədəbi dili tarixi / N. Xudiyev. - Ankara : [n. y.], 1997. - 491 s.
2. Xudiyev, Nizami Manaf oğlu. Xalqın tarixi haqqı: dilimiz, varlığımız / N. M. Xudiyev ; elmi red. T. İ. Hacıyev. - Bakı : Azərbaycan nəşriyyatı, 2003. - 336 s.
3. Əliyev, Vilayət Hüseyn oğlu. Heydər Əliyevin dil siyasəti / V. H. Əliyev ; elmi red. N. Cəfərov. - Bakı : Nurlan, 2003. - 100 s.
4. Məhərrəmqızı, Aybəniz. Dil quruculuğunun yeni mərhələsi : söz yaradıcılığı / A. Məhərrəmqızı ; elmi red. A. A. Axundov. - Təkmilləşdirilmiş, əlavələr edilmiş II nəşri. - Bakı : Azərbaycan nəşriyyatı, 2004. - 104 s.
5. Yusifov, Mübariz İmran oğlu. Dövlətçilik və dil / M. İ. Yusifov ; red.: Ş. Yusifli, R. Ələkbərov ; Gəncə Dövlət Universiteti. - Bakı : Nurlan, 2004. - 176 s.