PARIS, February 23. /Dunyo IA/. At the UNESCO headquarters, a series of events dedicated to International Mother Language Day was held on the initiative of the Permanent Delegation of Uzbekistan, in cooperation with the Permanent Delegation of Bangladesh and UNESCO Secretariat, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference in 1999 and is observed annually on 21 February. The day serves to promote and protect linguistic and cultural diversity and to recognize the crucial role of mother languages in transmitting traditions, values, and traditional knowledge from one generation to the next.

This year’s events were attended by UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enani; UNESCO General Conference Chair Hossain Muhammad Talha; UNESCO Executive Board Chair Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khanzab, ministers of education and culture from member states, as well as other high-level officials and experts.

At a high-level meeting titled “Language for Peace, Education and Sustainable Development”, participants discussed achievements in establishing multilingual education systems, shared best practices in the field and highlighted the importance of multilingual education in advancing peace, sustainable development and inclusivity.

The Permanent Delegation of Uzbekistan to UNESCO provided participants with detailed information on the extensive opportunities available in the country for representatives of various nationalities and ethnic groups to access education and study their mother languages.

It was also emphasized that the Uzbek language possesses an unprecedented lexical richness, expressive potential, a rich literary heritage and a unique historical path of development. The contributions of illustrious figures such as Alisher Navoi and Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur to the development of the Uzbek language and their extensive literary legacy were highlighted.

Participants were briefed on practical measures implemented in Uzbekistan for the scholarly study of the Uzbek language, its promotion on the international stage, and the expansion of opportunities and interest in learning Uzbek language and literature.

In addition, as part of the celebrations for International Mother Language Day, a festival of national cuisine was organized. Guests were introduced to traditional Uzbek dishes, including Uzbek plov, which is inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.