When is International Mother Language Day?
International Mother Language Day 2027 is on Sunday
Sunday, February 21, 2027
February 21 every year. That's in 140 days.
until International Mother Language Day begins, in your time zone
International Mother Language Day promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and the right to learn in a language you understand. UNESCO proclaimed it at Bangladesh's request, honoring students killed in 1952 while defending the Bengali language.
About International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day celebrates the thousands of languages people speak at home and the knowledge, identity and culture those languages carry. It also highlights a practical problem: UNESCO estimates that about 40 percent of people worldwide do not have access to education in a language they speak or understand. UNESCO, which leads the day, promotes multilingual education that starts in a learner's first language.
The date honors events in Dhaka, in present-day Bangladesh, on February 21, 1952. Students marching for Bengali to be recognized as a state language of Pakistan defied a curfew, and police opened fire, killing several of them. Bangladesh has long marked the date as Martyrs' Day. Bangladesh proposed the international observance, UNESCO's General Conference approved it in November 1999, and it has been observed worldwide since 2000.
The UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation in resolution 56/262 in 2002. In 2007 it went further with resolution 61/266, calling on member states to protect all languages used by the world's peoples and naming 2008 the International Year of Languages. The day also supports UNESCO's work during the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, which runs from 2022 to 2032.
Sources: UNESCO: International Mother Language Day, United Nations: International Mother Language Day, SBS: How Bangladesh's fight to speak its mother tongue became a global celebration of language. How we check dates.
How to mark International Mother Language Day
- Learn a greeting or short phrase in a language spoken by a neighbor or coworker.
- Record an older relative speaking your family's language, telling a story or singing a song.
- Read a book in your first language, or a translated book from a language you've never read.
- Ask your local library or school what it offers in community languages, and donate books if they need them.
- Find out which Indigenous languages were or still are spoken where you live.
International Mother Language Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Friday, February 21, 2025 |
| 2026 | Saturday, February 21, 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, February 21, 2027 |
| 2028 | Monday, February 21, 2028 |
| 2029 | Wednesday, February 21, 2029 |
| 2030 | Thursday, February 21, 2030 |
| 2031 | Friday, February 21, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is International Mother Language Day 2027?
International Mother Language Day 2027 is on Sunday, February 21, 2027. It falls on February 21 every year. In 2028, it is on Monday, February 21, 2028.
What does mother language mean?
It means the first language a person learns at home, also called a mother tongue or first language.
Why is it held on February 21?
It marks the day in 1952 when students in Dhaka were killed while campaigning for Bengali to be recognized as a state language. Bangladesh, which proposed the international day, has long commemorated that date.
Is International Mother Language Day a public holiday?
No. International Mother Language Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.