University of Tsukuba Celebrates International Mother Language Day with a Special Event

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences held a special event celebrating the Mother Language Day in cooperation with the CEGLOC FD Committee and Global Commons on February 22, 2019. The United Nations' International Mother Language Day (IMLD) annually celebrates language diversity and variety worldwide on February 21. For scheduling purposes, IMLD was organized at the University of Tsukuba on the following day.

This event consisted of three parts: two keynote speeches, a poster session and a declaration, with the participation of 50 people including presenters and organizers.

At the opening, on behalf of Dean Saburo Aoki, Assistant Prof. Jeremie Bride read an introductory note, followed by two keynote speakers. Prof. Andrej Bekes, visiting researcher of the University of Ljubljana, then proceeded to portray the sensitive issues of mother languages in Europe, notably in his home country Slovenia. Dr. Mohammed Abudl Malek, Associate Prof. of Agricultural and Development Economics exposed the original events that lead to the creation of the IMLD.

A total of 15 persons presented their posters on the topic "my mother tongue amidst the languages I speak". Some of the represented languages were Wakhi (Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China), Egyptian Arabic, Kikongo and Lingala (Congo), Uzbek, Fulani (10 African countries), Jurassien and Breton (France), etc.

In order to ensure the sustainability of this event and its goal, a declaration of the International Mother Language Day of the University of Tsukuba has been drafted.