BLOGGING THE VIEW: 5 reasons to celebrate International Mother Tongue Day

There appears to be a day celebrating everything, but for South Africans, International Mother Tongue Day is quite a profound one because of our multicultural society.

Created by Unesco, the day is celebrated annually on 21 February to promote linguistic and cultural identity.

Here’s why you should be celebrating.

1. Honour South Africa’s linguistic diversity

There are more than 7 000 languages spoken around the world, but due to increasing globalisation and urbanisation, languages are disappearing all the time. In South Africa, we have an incredible 12 national languages, not to mention the unique dialects found across the Rainbow Nation.

This is a day to celebrate this linguistic flavour and encourage the next generation to continue this important cultural reality.

2. Promote multilingual education

Learning in one’s mother tongue has been proven to enhance understanding and academic success. Unesco promotes multilingual education because it helps children grasp concepts better and stay connected to their roots.

In South Africa, the Department of Basic Education has implemented a Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE) programme as part of its Transformation Programme Branch. This will extend mother tongue instruction beyond Grade 3 so every child can learn in their language of choice.

3. Supporting cultural identity

Language is more than just words; it shapes how people think, express themselves and connect with their heritage.

By celebrating mother tongues, South Africans can honour their roots, traditions and unique ways of storytelling, ensuring cultural identities remain strong for future generations.

4. Acknowledging historic struggles

South Africa has a long history of language struggles enforced in schools during apartheid. The 1976 Soweto uprising – now commemorated as Youth Day – is a result of pupils fighting government’s attempt to make Afrikaans the language of instruction in schools.

On this day, we should also acknowledge past injustices and support the ongoing struggle to be taught in one’s mother tongue.

5. Encourage social inclusion

Despite its diversity, South Africa still faces linguistic inequalities, with English often being the dominant language in business, government and higher education.

Valuing and using all mother tongues – and attempting to learn more than one’s own mother tongue – can help create a more inclusive society where people from all backgrounds feel heard and respected. This aligns with the spirit of ubuntu.

Happy International Mother Tongue Day!

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