February 21st is Unesco’s International Mother Language Day. It is a day to celebrate the diversity of languages around the world and to communicate the importance of valuing and protecting mother languages, as a valuable part of culture.
‘Children who start off learning to read and write in their mother language do better in school. Literacy programmes in mother languages bring learners the self-confidence they need to participate in their community and make informed choices.’
The work Wycliffe does is part of this aim to preserve mother languages around the world, not for the sake of language alone, but so communities can know that God values them, and values their languages, as they are. Language should be a way of coming to God, not a barrier hindering people.
Wycliffe works not only to translate the Bible, but to develop writing systems in language groups that have never been written, to encourage literacy and orality programmes, and to help communities with health care, agricultural information and learning their human rights.
Watch this video to find out more about how Bible translation is a key to serving language communities.
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Tags: UNESCO
Thankyou for reminding us that Thursday is International Mother Tongue Day.
You may not know Esperanto is alsos the mother tongue, or native language, for many thousands of people in the World. Details here. http://www.delbarrio.eu/2008/05/speaking-esperanto-like-native.html
The World Esperanto Association enjoys consultative relations with the United Nations and is using its position to defend the rights of minority languages. Please click for details here.
Your readers may also be interested in the website http://www.lernu.net
Thankyou for your support to International Mother Tongue Day.