Mother Language Day at MPGU

Mother Language Day at MPGU is an important contribution to international and Russian programmes to preserve linguistic and cultural diversity.

There are some 6,000 languages in the world today, of which 80% are in danger of extinction: one language dies every 15 days. International Mother Language Day on 21 February was established by a decision of the 30th session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 1999, at the initiative of the Republic of Bangladesh, and has been celebrated annually since 2000 with the aim of protecting linguistic and cultural diversity.

International Mother Language Day is held at universities and educational organizations of the Russian educational system in order to support and promote the dissemination of mother languages, assert the importance of the state Russian language, support linguistic diversity and cultural traditions of different peoples.

By tradition, in Moscow Pedagogical State University the events are held during the week in different divisions of the university and at the sites of partner organizations. The program also includes online actions of partners, which you can join on different days.

Professors and students, included international students who study Russian as foreign language, pedagogues and senior students from Moscow schools such as UNESCO Associated Schools, as well as representatives of interclubs from other higher education institutes, and partners of Twinning and University Networks program (UNITWIN/UNESCO) take place in the event.

The program usually includes the work of discussion sessions for students and schoolchildren on different aspects of the issue, as well as the interactive programme within the exhibition area representing cultural and language diversity of the University.