International Mother Language Day

International Mother Language Day is a worldwide annual observance held on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. First announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999, it was formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly with the adoption of UN resolution 56/262 in 2002.

Mother Language Day is part of a broader initiative "to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people of the world" as adopted by the UN General Assembly on 16 May 2007 in UN resolution 61/266, which also established 2008 as the International Year of Languages. The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was the initiative of Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, 21 February 1952 is the anniversary of the day when the Bengalis of the then-Pakistani province of East Bengal (which is now the independent state of Bangladesh) fought for recognition of their Bengali language as an official central state language instead of a provincial language. The day is also observed by Indian Bengalis in the states of West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, and Tripura, as well as in the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and diaspora communities.