Mother Language Day is celebrated in Russia today, TASS reports. This international holiday was established by UNESCO 25 years ago in the memory of Indian students who were killed during a rally in support of their mother tongue.
As per RF Federal Law about the State Language, Russian language is a state language all over Russia. At the same time, republics and regions of Russia are entitled to assign the state status to their own languages. Hence, children are taught in 80 languages in the primary and secondary school across the Russian Federation. However, pupils of 10th and 11th grades as well as students of colleges are obliged to study in Russian.
Activities dedicated to International Mother Language Day arranged in many Russian cities. For example, a spelling quiz in languages of the Northern minorities is held in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region. Inhabitants of Siberian city Omsk have ethnographic National Literatures Friendship festival, while in Udmurtia Word Poetics quiz takes place, as well as and International Journalistic School opens it’s doors.
The action Speak Your Own Language Day takes place all over the country today.
Russkiy Mir
