Every year on February 21st, the world celebrates International Mother Language Day, a day established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1999 and officially adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2002.
This date commemorates the events of February 21, 1952, in Dhaka, where people sacrificed their lives defending the Bengali language as their mother tongue, affirming that language is an integral part of human identity and national dignity.
The Syrian Future Movement views the mother tongue as a fundamental pillar of a unified Syrian identity and a vital element in building the democratic civil state it strives for—a state founded on equal citizenship, social justice, and cultural diversity that strengthens national unity, especially during the current transitional phase, which is witnessing progress in rebuilding the social fabric after years of conflict.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms that the mother tongue, while a means of communication, is also a cultural vessel that carries the nation’s history and collective memory, and an effective tool for education, learning, and creativity. Respect for linguistic diversity in Syria—including Arabic as the unifying official language, and Kurdish, Syriac, Turkmen, Armenian, Assyrian, and other mother tongues that form the fabric of Syrian identity—strengthens social cohesion, prevents marginalization and exclusion, and aligns with Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, which recognized the rights of the Kurdish language as part of the commitment to protecting cultural and linguistic diversity.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for the adoption of national educational policies that guarantee education in the mother tongue at the early stages, while promoting Arabic as a common language, to achieve quality education that reduces gaps and enhances the capabilities of new generations. This is inspired by UNESCO’s recommendations supporting multilingualism as a factor for sustainable development, and builds upon the progress achieved in national integration agreements and the recognition of cultural rights.
The Syrian Future Movement recommends launching national initiatives for the digital archiving and audio-visual documentation of Syria’s endangered languages, in partnership with civil society and international organizations, to preserve linguistic heritage as part of rebuilding Syria’s cultural fabric after years of conflict, while capitalizing on the positive developments of the transitional phase.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on Syrian youth, intellectuals, and educational institutions to produce rich digital and cultural content in their native languages, utilizing modern technology to enhance the presence of these languages in the digital sphere and build bridges of communication between the various components of the Syrian people.
The Syrian Future Movement is committed to supporting any national effort aimed at making linguistic diversity a strength for the future of Syria, not a source of division. It affirms that preserving and developing native languages serves our ultimate goal: a free, unified, independent, civil, and democratic Syria that respects human rights and guarantees equal citizenship for all.
