Saturday, February 22, 2014

International Mother Language Day

Please take a minute to reflect on the following questions.

1.      Why do we need language?
2.      What are the benefits of language?
3.      Do you feel a special connection to your own mother language?
4.      How does your culture relate to your language?    

The QUT Bangladeshi Association cares about mother languages. We see language as the heart of any culture. Culture is expressed through language, and cultural diversity is the real energy of the earth. In essence, it’s our responsibility to protect our cultural diversity, and without protecting language, it is impossible to preserve culture. Extinction of a language can lead to the extinction of a culture.


According to the United Nations, there are approximately 7000 language spoken by various cultural groups around the world. It is assumed that about 50% of them will be extinct within the next few generations. The UN reports that 96% of languages are spoken by only 4% of the world’s population! Ultimately very few languages receive state sponsorship, and unfortunately the remaining languages don’t receive any sponsorship. Based on UN statistics it’s evident that most of the languages in the world are under threat of extinction. In this context, it is essential to conserve the languages that are facing the threat of extinction.

Documentary on International Mother Language Day 2014 QUT_HD