International Mother Language Day: Kazakhstan’s efforts
February 21 marks International Mother Language Day, established by UNESCO in 1999 to preserve linguistic diversity and the cultural heritage of peoples worldwide, Kazinform News Agency reports.
In Kazakhstan, this day holds particular significance, as the country is home to more than 130 ethnic groups, Kazinform correspondent reports, citing UN.
The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was the initiative of Bangladesh. The date commemorates the events of 1952, when students in what was then East Pakistan fought for the recognition of Bengali as one of the country’s official languages.
According to UN, every two weeks, a language disappears, taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual legacy. Today, there are approximately 8,324 languages in the world, of which around 7,000 are still in use. However, only a few hundred have a presence in education systems and public life, and fewer than a hundred are actively used in the digital space.
Kazakhstan’s efforts
The Kazakh language is one of the ancient Turkic languages, which took shape during the era of the Kazakh Khanate in the 15th century. The 19th century marked the active development of its written form, and in the Soviet period, the language underwent several reforms: a transition from the Arabic script (used from 1924 to 1929) to the Latin alphabet, followed by a switch to Cyrillic in 1940. In 1989, Kazakh was granted the status of the state language. Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has been actively working to elevate the status of its official language.
At the same time, the government actively supports multilingualism, given that Kazakhstan is home to 130 ethnic groups. Legally, every citizen has the right to learn and develop their native language. In addition to International Mother Language Day, Kazakhstan also celebrates its own national observance—The Day of Languages of the People of Kazakhstan—on September 5, honoring the birth anniversary of Kazakh poet Akhmet Baitursynov. The country’s modern language policy is regarded as one of the key socio-political and cultural values in fostering a tolerant linguistic environment.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported on unique exhibition in Almaty of Golden Horde heritage.
