Today, on March 20, the United Nations celebrates French Language Day.
Language Days at the United Nations were introduced in 2010 to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity.
The United Nations celebrates six “Language Days” each year, dedicated to the six official languages of the United Nations, namely Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
These days are an opportunity to raise awareness in the international community about the history, culture and use of each of these languages.
The date of the Day of the French language was chosen symbolically with reference to March 20, 1970, which marks the creation of the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT), which has become the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).
In 2020, the United Nations celebrates its 75th anniversary with a broad, inclusive global debate on the role of global cooperation in building the future we want.
As part of the UN75 Initiative, the United Nations organizes dialogues in various parts of the world with different partners. The goal is to reach as many people as possible, to hear your hopes and fears and to learn from your experiences, but also to spark your thoughts and actions on a global scale.
Your voice counts. Participation in the dialogue, in person or online, is open to everyone. The resulting insights and ideas will be presented to world leaders and senior UN officials at a major event to be held in September 2020, during the 75th session of the General Assembly. Your opinions and ideas will be disseminated online and by various partners.
50 years of Francophonie
The date March 20 is also recognized by the International Organization of La Francophonie as the International Day of La Francophonie. The United Nations regularly cooperates with the OIF and its member states in the spirit of the provisions of the resolutions on cooperation with the OIF periodically adopted by the General Assembly.
In 2020, La Francophonie is also celebrating an important anniversary: 50 years of existence. This is an opportunity for the OIF to go back to the origins, to the spirit of its founders, but also to project itself into the future and imagine the Francophonie of tomorrow. Many events will be organized throughout the year, from March 20 to December 31, 2020, on five continents. Consult the OIF website for the calendar of events.
