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UN French Language Day () is
observed annually on 20 March.
[UN launches new initiative to promote multilingualism](_blank)
United Nations News Centre, 19 February 2010. Consulted on 2017-03-17
The event was established by UN's
Department of Public Information
The United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) (prior to 1 January 2019, the United Nations Department of Public Information) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat, Secretariat of the United Nations. It is tasked with r ...
in 2010 "to celebrate
multilingualism
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. When the languages are just two, it is usually called bilingualism. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolin ...
and
cultural diversity
Cultural diversity is the quality of diverse or different cultures, as opposed to Monoculturalism, monoculture. It has a variety of meanings in different contexts, sometimes applying to cultural products like art works in museums or entertainment ...
as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the
Organization
An organization or organisation (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), see spelling differences) is an legal entity, entity—such as ...
".
[Department of Public Information to Launch ‘Language Days at the United Nations’]
United Nations Department of Public Information, 19 February 2010
For the
French language
French ( or ) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European family. Like all other Romance languages, it descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. French evolved from Northern Old Gallo-R ...
, 20 March was chosen as the date since it "coincides with the 40th anniversary of the International Organization of
La Francophonie
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
*"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smi ...
",
[First-ever French language day celebrated at UN]
United Nations News Centre, 19 March 2010. Consulted on 2017-03-17.
a group whose members share a common tongue, as well as the humanist values promoted by the French language.
Other dates were selected for the celebration of the UN's other five official languages.
See also
*
International Mother Language Day
*
International observance
Lists of holidays by various categorizations.
Religious holidays
Abrahamic holidays (Middle Eastern)
Christian holidays
*Christmas (Nativity of Jesus, Nativity of Jesus Christ, the beginning of Christmastide)
*Solemnity of Mary, Mother ...
*
Official languages of the United Nations
The official languages of the United Nations, are the six languages used in United Nations (UN) meetings and in which the UN writes and publishes all its official documents. In 1946, five languages were chosen as official languages of the UN: Eng ...
References
External links
UN French Language Day– Official Site (French)
March observances
United Nations language days
Francophonie
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