Today is a day to spend a few moments remembering the languages of the world – and the people who speak them.
Today we join with communities around the world to celebrate International Mother Language Day, UNESCO’s day for recognising the importance and place of languages in our world.
As the UNESCO says on its website:
‘The year 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day. This milestone highlights a quarter-century of dedicated efforts to preserve linguistic diversity and promote the use of mother tongues. It serves as a significant opportunity to reflect on achievements, renew commitments, and emphasize the critical role of language preservation in safeguarding cultural heritage, improving education outcomes and creating more peaceful, sustainable societies.’
And, of course, today is also a day to remember and celebrate all the amazing work being done by Bible translators to unlock God’s word for every heart – and every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 7:9).
Across the world, people are celebrating all things language, at international, national and local levels. Here is just one of the local celebrations taking place today:
