Multilingualism at the United Nations: Selected resources

This research guide compiles resources about multilingualism at the United Nations and links to UN websites and databases with multilingual information on the work of the Organization.

Learn more about UN official languages history and UN Language days: Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish.

Photo credits: UN photo.

• 21 February:  International Mother Language Day
  Proclaimed by UNESCO in November 1999.

• 23 September: International Day of Sign Languages
  Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/72/161 of 19 Dec. 2017. The resolution has been translated in International Sign language (Source: World Federation of the Deaf).

• 30 September: International Translation Day
  Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/71/288 on 24 May 2017.

• 2022-2032: International Decade of Indigenous Languages 
  Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/74/135 on 18 December 2019.

• 2019: International Year of Indigenous Languages
  Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/71/178 on 19 December 2016.
  Indigenous languages and knowledge is the focus of UNESCO Courier's first issue in 2019.

• 2008: International Year of Languages
  Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/266 on 16 May 2007, pursuant to the resolution adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 20 October 2005.

Languages matter : global guidance to multilingual education
Published by UNESCO on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the International Mother Language Day, 21 February. See our Library resources on multilingual education.