WCC 2016 Res 075 - Activity Report

Mother Language Day was celebrated at a school meant for the indigenous Kaani students in the Western Ghats, India.
Addressing the students and their parents, environmental educator Davidson Sargunam said that the Kaani dialect is rich in nature-based words that should be documented and preserved. International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism .
He quoted the UNO document that says about the Day, “languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.”
He said that the language is closely associated with the local biodiversity and should be preserved .