Today: February 21

The month of February is full of celebrations. There are so many days for us to celebrate. Be it Valentine’s Day or World Radio Day. So, if you are someone who enjoys festivity, we are back with more days for you to celebrate. Today on February 21, we celebrate International Mother Language Day and World Whale Day. Therefore, keep on reading to find how to celebrate these remarkable days.

International Mother Language Day

The world celebrates International Mother Language Day on February 21 every year. It is a day to celebrate cultural diversity and create awareness about linguistics. The UN declared 2008 as the International Year of Languages. UNESCO chooses the theme for every year at its Paris headquarters. Hence, this year’s theme for the celebration is “Fostering multilingualism for inclusion in education and society”. Bangladesh demanded to have a day to celebrate regional language in 1999.

History

The history of International Mother Language Day goes back to the 1950s in Bangladesh. After the partition of India, there were East Pakistan and West Pakistan on either side of India. In fact, Bangladesh was East Pakistan then. In 1948, the Pakistan government declared Urdu to be the national language of the country. The community of East Pakistan was a Bengali-speaking community. Hence, they requested to make Bengali one of the national languages. The proposal was rejected which resulted in protests and rallies. Consequently, the government banned all public meetings. In 1952, Dhaka University students arranged rallies. The police opened fire on the crowd which resulted in few deaths and hundreds injured. This was the first time in history that somebody sacrificed their life for their language. This day is marked as Martyr Day in Bangladesh.

How to celebrate

First, start giving importance to your mother tongue as much as you give it to any foreign language. Ask your elders about the origin and history of your language. If there are places in your country which celebrate this day, join them. If not, watch movies and shows in your language. Also, you can teach the language to your friends. Most importantly, keep the language alive. 

World Whale Day

World Whale Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of February every year. This year it falls on February 21. This day marks the celebrations for these giant sea mammals. Moreover, people celebrate it to raise awareness about their species which will soon be endangered. Whales are the most mysterious and fascinating creature of the ocean. They are the heaviest animals on earth. The largest whale is the blue whale which is 200 metric tons. Also, it is more than 30 meters long. People are hunting whales for their oil and meat from centuries. Furthermore, ship collisions are also the reason for serious injuries and death of whales. Natural reasons are global warming and pollution. Therefore, it is high time to preserve the life of these animals.

History

World Whale Day was first celebrated in 1980 in Maui, Hawaii. It was celebrated in honor of the humpback whale. Moreover, it celebrated as the Maui Whale Festival every year in Hawaii. Various events arranged for celebrations of this day. The Pacific Whale Festival organizes free all-day events for people. Some parades include children’s events, floats, and costume events. Also, there are Hawaiian music and star performances. Moreover, marathons are organized in various parts of the country to raise awareness.

How to celebrate

You can start the celebration from your home. Do not litter around the beaches and water bodies. Also, if you see somebody else littering, stop them. Furthermore, if you live in Maui, enjoy the festival. If not, do not worry. You can take part in various fundraising campaigns in your country.