© UNESCO
21 February 2011: International Mother Language Day
21 February 2011
In her message on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, the UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, emphasises the importance of mobilising for multilingualism and linguistic diversity. The promotion of policies and practices that nurture multilingualism is a long-standing concern for the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL).
Representatives from 144 UNESCO Member States had met in Belém, Brazil, in December 2009, as participants of the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) to take stock of progress made in adult learning and education. One of the findings was that while mother tongue learning is increasingly being addressed, comparatively few countries have actually implemented comprehensive policies. Few have consistent multilingual policies promoting mother tongues, yet this is often crucial for creating a literate environment, especially for indigenous and/or minority languages.
To redress this situation, UNESCO Member States committed themselves in the Belém Framework for Action, which was adopted at CONFINTEA VI, to “supporting the development of writing and literacy in the various indigenous languages by developing relevant programmes, methods and materials that recognise and value the indigenous cultures, knowledge and methodologies, while adequately developing the teaching of the second language of wider communication”.
UIL is committed to supporting Member States in their efforts to increase participation, inclusion and equity in adult learning and education by taking relevant measures to enhance motivation and access for all through multilingual policies and programmes. An example of the most recent initiatives to support the development of national and institutional capacity, mainly in LIFE (Literacy Initiative for Empowerment) countries, is the development of a manual on action-research for literacy in multilingual contexts. Further, UIL has developed an evidence- and practice-based policy brief, which includes a policy guide on integrating African languages and cultures into the education system. This policy brief was adopted by Ministers of Education participating in a Conference on this topic last year.
