News
18 Dec 2020
Gulf Today,
Staff Reporter
US Cultural Attaché in the UAE Lauren Willy took everyone by surprise with her fluency in Arabic.
The seasoned diplomat greeted the people of the UAE in an Arabic video message on the occasion of World Arabic Language Day.
The World Arabic Language Day is observed annually on Dec.18.
The US Mission in the UAE shared the video on its Facebook page, which reads, “Celebrating World Arabic Language Day. US Cultural Attaché, Lauren Willy, talks about her passion for the Arabic language and how it has enriched her experience with Emirati culture in the UAE.”
World Arabic Language Day: On this day in 1973, Arabic officially became a UN language
Photo: Alamy
Through the years, the UAE has been committed to promoting and preserving the language.
Today is the best time to ask expats and tourists in the UAE: How many Arabic phrases do you know? The UAE is set to kickstart a host of activities and programmes today to celebrate World Arabic Language Day. And with all the webinars and virtual events lined up, residents and visitors can easily expand their Arabic vocabulary as they learn more about the language.
On December 18, 1973, Arabic officially became among the six official languages of the United Nations. These include French, English, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese. An international day of celebration was set for each language. The goal, UN said, is to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity and promote equal use of all six languages throughout the organisation.
Updated Dec 18, 2020 | 10:08 IST
The day coincides with that of back in 1973 when Arabic was declared to be the sixth official language by UNESCO. World Arabic Language Day 2020 | Photo Credit: Representative Image
December 18 is celebrated as the World Arabic Language Day. The Arabic language is considered to be one of the oldest and the most widely spoken in the world. Right from the countries in the Middle East to many in North Africa, Arabic is the mother tongue.
History
World Arabic Language Day was established by UNESCO. It coincides with the day back in 1973 when the UN General Assembly decided to adopt Arabic as the sixth official language of the organization.
(ANSAmed) - ROME, 17 DIC - The Arabic language is a pillar of
humanity s cultural diversity, which is why it must be preserved
from changes due to technological progress and the widespread
use of global languages, such as English and French, which are
substituting Arabic both in daily communication as well as in
the academic world. In addition, classic Arabic is increasingly less used, with
increasingly more people opting for the use of local Arab
dialect. To preserve the integrity of classic Arabic and improve its
use, UNESCO has organised a virtual meeting between academics on
the topic, for World Arabic Language Day on 18 December.
15 Arabic phrases to know if you re travelling around the UAE
Web report
World Arabic Language Day is celebrated on December 18 every year 1 of 16
It s World Arabic Language Day. Celebrated every year since 2012 on December 18, the date recognises a language that according to UNESCO is spoken by over 290 million people across the world every day. With the launch of the World s Coolest Winter campaign, and residents being encouraged to explore the country s hidden gems, here are some Arabic phrases you re bound to find useful as you make those road trips across the country to explore all that the UAE has to offer. How many do you know?