国际母语日致辞
联合国教科文组织总干事国际母语日致辞
（2004年2月21日）
这是我们连续第五年于2月21日庆祝国际母语日。我们这样为约6000种语言，也就是为大约6000种人类的天才创造举行庆典活动，它们各自以独特的方式表达对世界的看法，表达严密的价值观念体系，因为语言确实是体现人类文化多样性的一面镜子。
使这些语言（其中95％的语言仅为世界4％的人口所使用）能够继续与重要的国际媒介语言并存，这对世界上将近200个国家来说无疑是一个挑战。但是，从文化多样性和人人有权接受高质量的教育角度考虑，促进从学校、幼儿教育开始就使用母语却是根本。最新研究结果清楚地表明，将母语和一种官方使用的民族语言结合进行教学，有助于学生获得更好的学习成绩和培养他们的认识和观察能力。这正是2000年世界教育论坛期间在达喀尔提出的第六项目标的精神，这次论坛提到有必要全面提高教育质量，确保人人都能学好母语，都能达到一定的标准。
我为大会数月前通过的《保护非物质文化遗产公约》明确提及语言是非物质文化遗产的媒感到高兴。我希望该《公约》能以自己的方式为保护语言多样性做出贡献。鉴于语言消失的速度之快（平均每月消失两种），语言多样性的保护工作已是刻不容缓。我特别想到了土著人民，为了使其特性得到尊重，为了保护其遗产，捍卫母语仍然是他们的主要诉求。
因此，在当今这样一个需要学会在全球范围内进行交流，但各自又必须保存会使用自己的语言作为终生具有的表达方式之能力的世界上，语言教学，尤其是母语教学比任何时候都来得重要。
每年教科文组织在母语日之际都编写鼔离各会员国和准会员以应有的形式庆祝这个日子的文件。今年，我们出版了一本关于各会员国历年开展庆祝母语日活动的小册子，提供给希望学习其成功经验的会员国使用。我高兴地从小册子中看到，有这么多的事实表明母语日在各国引起了兴趣。
我希望2004年的母语日庆祝活动能够动员得更加广泛.
（2004年2月21日）
这是我们连续第五年于2月21日庆祝国际母语日。我们这样为约6000种语言，也就是为大约6000种人类的天才创造举行庆典活动，它们各自以独特的方式表达对世界的看法，表达严密的价值观念体系，因为语言确实是体现人类文化多样性的一面镜子。
使这些语言（其中95％的语言仅为世界4％的人口所使用）能够继续与重要的国际媒介语言并存，这对世界上将近200个国家来说无疑是一个挑战。但是，从文化多样性和人人有权接受高质量的教育角度考虑，促进从学校、幼儿教育开始就使用母语却是根本。最新研究结果清楚地表明，将母语和一种官方使用的民族语言结合进行教学，有助于学生获得更好的学习成绩和培养他们的认识和观察能力。这正是2000年世界教育论坛期间在达喀尔提出的第六项目标的精神，这次论坛提到有必要全面提高教育质量，确保人人都能学好母语，都能达到一定的标准。
我为大会数月前通过的《保护非物质文化遗产公约》明确提及语言是非物质文化遗产的媒感到高兴。我希望该《公约》能以自己的方式为保护语言多样性做出贡献。鉴于语言消失的速度之快（平均每月消失两种），语言多样性的保护工作已是刻不容缓。我特别想到了土著人民，为了使其特性得到尊重，为了保护其遗产，捍卫母语仍然是他们的主要诉求。
因此，在当今这样一个需要学会在全球范围内进行交流，但各自又必须保存会使用自己的语言作为终生具有的表达方式之能力的世界上，语言教学，尤其是母语教学比任何时候都来得重要。
每年教科文组织在母语日之际都编写鼔离各会员国和准会员以应有的形式庆祝这个日子的文件。今年，我们出版了一本关于各会员国历年开展庆祝母语日活动的小册子，提供给希望学习其成功经验的会员国使用。我高兴地从小册子中看到，有这么多的事实表明母语日在各国引起了兴趣。
我希望2004年的母语日庆祝活动能够动员得更加广泛.
UNESCO Director-General's Message to mark
International Mother Language Day, 21 February 2004
This is the fifth year in a row that we have observed International Mother Language Day on 21 February. In this way we celebrate nearly 6,000 languages, all creations of human genius, each expressing in a unique way a vision of the world, a coherent system of values and meaning. In fact, languages represent a true reflection of humanity’s cultural diversity.
Ensuring that these languages, 95% of which are spoken by only 4% of the world’s population, can continue use alongside the major international languages of communication is a genuine challenge for some 200 countries worldwide.
It is essential, however, not only on grounds of cultural diversity but also in support of the right to a quality education for all, that the use of mother languages is fostered in school systems from infancy. The most recent studies show clearly that the teaching of the mother language together with an official national language enables children to obtain better school results and stimulates their cognitive development and their ability to study. This is the spirit of the sixth goal set in Dakar at the World Education Forum, which refers to the need to improve all aspects of the quality of education so that recognized and measurable outcomes are achieved by all.
I am pleased that the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted some months ago by the General Conference, makes explicit reference to languages as vehicles of the intangible cultural heritage. I hope that this convention will contribute, in its way, to the safeguarding of linguistic diversity, which is a matter of great urgency in view of the pace at which languages are disappearing (two per month on average). I am thinking in particular of indigenous populations for whom the defence of the mother language remains a crucial right ensuring respect for their identity and the safeguarding of their heritage. The teaching of languages, and in particular mother languages, is thus becoming more important than ever in a world that must be able to communicate at the global level but which must also know how to preserve for every individual the option of speaking his or her own language as a unique form of expression throughout life.
Every year, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, documents are drawn up to encourage the Member States and Associate Members to celebrate the Day appropriately. This year saw the publication of a brochure on the contributions by Member States to the celebration of the Day in previous years: it is available to all those who wish to draw upon their successes. I am delighted to see so many testimonies to the interest that this Day generates in all countries, and it is my hope that its celebration in 2004 will bring about an even greater mobilization.
International Mother Language Day, 21 February 2004
This is the fifth year in a row that we have observed International Mother Language Day on 21 February. In this way we celebrate nearly 6,000 languages, all creations of human genius, each expressing in a unique way a vision of the world, a coherent system of values and meaning. In fact, languages represent a true reflection of humanity’s cultural diversity.
Ensuring that these languages, 95% of which are spoken by only 4% of the world’s population, can continue use alongside the major international languages of communication is a genuine challenge for some 200 countries worldwide.
It is essential, however, not only on grounds of cultural diversity but also in support of the right to a quality education for all, that the use of mother languages is fostered in school systems from infancy. The most recent studies show clearly that the teaching of the mother language together with an official national language enables children to obtain better school results and stimulates their cognitive development and their ability to study. This is the spirit of the sixth goal set in Dakar at the World Education Forum, which refers to the need to improve all aspects of the quality of education so that recognized and measurable outcomes are achieved by all.
I am pleased that the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted some months ago by the General Conference, makes explicit reference to languages as vehicles of the intangible cultural heritage. I hope that this convention will contribute, in its way, to the safeguarding of linguistic diversity, which is a matter of great urgency in view of the pace at which languages are disappearing (two per month on average). I am thinking in particular of indigenous populations for whom the defence of the mother language remains a crucial right ensuring respect for their identity and the safeguarding of their heritage. The teaching of languages, and in particular mother languages, is thus becoming more important than ever in a world that must be able to communicate at the global level but which must also know how to preserve for every individual the option of speaking his or her own language as a unique form of expression throughout life.
Every year, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, documents are drawn up to encourage the Member States and Associate Members to celebrate the Day appropriately. This year saw the publication of a brochure on the contributions by Member States to the celebration of the Day in previous years: it is available to all those who wish to draw upon their successes. I am delighted to see so many testimonies to the interest that this Day generates in all countries, and it is my hope that its celebration in 2004 will bring about an even greater mobilization.