Bangladesh displays diversity in International Mother Language Day celebrations in Denmark

The Bangladesh embassy in Copenhagen has celebrated the International Mother Language Day at the prestigious Asia House auditorium in Copenhagen in a “multi-cultural” ambience.

Ambassadors and diplomats from foreign missions, a good number of academicians, representatives of civil society and media and members of Bangladesh community attended the programme on Thursday, the embassy said.

At the outset, one-minute silence was observed in the remembrance of those who were killed in the fire at Dhaka’s Chawkbazar just before the beginning of February 21, which is also observed as the Language Martyrs Day in Bangladesh.

The embassy screened a video on the Ekushey song composed in twelve different languages.

Former Danish ambassador and the Executive Director of Asia House Susanne Rumohr Hækkerup in her opening remarks appreciated the initiative of the embassy for conveying the intrinsic messages of the International Mother Language Day in Denmark.

Prof Marie Højlund Roesgaard of the Department of Cross-Cultural Studies at Copenhagen University presented the keynote speech with an emphasis on upholding the spirit of ‘Ekushey’ to preserve and develop indigenous languages around the world.

Bangladesh Ambassador Muhammad A Muhith in his remarks paid homage to the memories of the language martyrs and the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mubibur Rahman, who had steered the language movement from within the confines of the prison cell.

He shed lights on the significance of the day in line with the theme of International Mother Language Day 2019-“Indigenous languages matter for development, peace building and reconciliation”.

The UNESCO in 1999 unanimously adopted a resolution declaring the Feb 21 as the International Mother Language Day which later received UNGA’s recognition.

A cultural programme was also presented by the artistes from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Denmark and Sweden, displaying rich cultural diversities.