|
On 18 December 2023, Algeria celebrates the International Day of Arabic Language under the theme "Arabic- the language of Poetry and Arts". This year’s commemoration coincides with the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of the Arabic language as the sixth UN official language following the adoption by the UN General Assembly Resolution 3190 (XXVIII) on 18 December 1973. The Arabic Language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, used daily by more than 430 million people in the Arab world , and it is necessary for nearly 2 billion Muslims around the world to perform their prayers and religious duties. The celebration of the International Arabic Language Day is a recognition of the knowledge and scientific contributions of this language in various aspects of human knowledge throughout History, and an affirmation of what Arab-Islamic civilization has provided to the mankind in the fields of science, knowledge, literature and art. The Algerian State has spared no effort in its enduring endeavour to promote and support the Arabic language at the national and international levels : At the national level, through various relevant institutions and under the supervision of the Higher Council for the Arabic Language, Algeria seeks to promote this national and official language, and to disseminate its use in the scientific and technological fields and to encourage translation to Arabic. At the international level, Algeria has played a prominent role in this field, since the early years of its independence. At a regional conference of Arab-language committees held in 1964 in Algiers, the participants had inderlinged the determination of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "UNESCO" to increase the number of languages translated into languages other than its official working ones. Algerian and Arab diplomatic efforts in support of the Arabic language have been crowned by the adoption, in 1973, of Resolution N3190 of the UN General Assembly, which allowed our late President Houari Boumediene to deliver, in 1974, his speech before the United Nations General Assembly in Arabic, to make him the first Head of State do so without the need of an interpreter, following the decision to adopt the Arabic language as an official language of United Nations institutions. |