The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) joined UNESCO at its headquarters in Paris to celebrate World Arabic Language Day 2023. The event, themed ‘Arabic: The Language of Poetry and the Arts,’ coincides with the 50th anniversary of the declaration of the Arabic language as the sixth official language in the United Nations.

The celebration aimed to underscore the significance of Arabic as one of the most widespread and utilized languages globally, spoken by over 400 million people worldwide. The activities of the World Arabic Language Day celebrations entailed three-panel sessions: ‘Philosophy and Poetry: The Contribution of Arabic Poetry in Shaping Knowledge and Social Transformations;’ ‘Arabic Language and the Arts: Expanding the Horizons of Cultural Diversity;’ and ‘Arab Latinos: The Arab Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean.’ An additional panel session titled ‘The Arabic Language in the Foreign Land: The Vitality of the Arabic Language and Social Cohesion in Europe’ was also organized.

Furthermore, the cultural events also included an exhibition titled ‘Building Bridges of Understanding and Respect: The Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Programme for Arabic Language’ that showcased the achievements of the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Programme for Arabic Language at UNESCO.

His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of the MBRF, participated in the panel discussion titled ‘The Arabic Language and the Arts: Expanding the Horizons of Cultural Diversity,’ where he highlighted the UAE’s commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of the region. His Excellency also emphasized the UAE’s relentless efforts to launch numerous innovative initiatives and programs that improve intellectual momentum and cultural movement. Bin Huwaireb pointed out that the UAE places a high priority on the Arabic language, stressing that the UAE aims to raise the language’s profile, encourage its use in the digital era, and draw attention to its many unique characteristics that enable it to keep up with the swift advancements across various fields. Furthermore, he also stated that the MBRF remains committed to solidifying the Arabic language’s presence through several projects, initiatives, and programs that support the language’s intellectual output and preservation. These initiatives include the ‘Digital Knowledge Hub’, the ‘Bil Arabi’ initiative, and the ‘Dubai International Program for Writing,’ all of which contribute to increasing the Arabic language’s popularity and wider reach among various societal segments, especially the youth.

Bin Huwaireb underscored the importance of the ‘Arabic Language and the Arts: Expanding the Horizons of Cultural Diversity’ session and other UNESCO-organized events, particularly since they are held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Arabic language’s declaration as an official UN language. This recognition highlights the significance of the Arabic language as one of the most widely spoken and prevalent languages globally. In addition, His Excellency also emphasized that the celebration of World Arabic Language Day serves as a testament to the value of this historic language, its enormous contributions to human civilization, and its position as one of the oldest living languages.

During the event, the MBRF launched the 11th edition of the ‘Bil Arabi’ initiative under the theme ‘Arabic: Language of Science and Translation.’ The goal of the ‘Bil Arabi’ initiative is to change the stereotypical image of the Arabic language and highlight its value as a dynamic, global language while also encouraging the use of Arabic on the internet and social media and enhancing its cognitive role internationally among Arab youth. Targeting both Arabic and non-Arabic speakers over a week, the initiative offers a rich agenda of events and discussion panels to celebrate Arabic, change the stereotypical perception of the language, and demonstrate its status as a global language capable of adapting to changes across various fields.

As part of its efforts to support the Arabic language and enhance the habit of reading in society, the MBRF also distributed more than 50,000 books from its publications to the parents’ councils in the UAE’s schools. This came as part of the ‘My Family Reads’ initiative organized in collaboration with the Emirates Foundation for School Education. The Dubai International Program for Writing was also highlighted during the event, stressing that it contributed to training Arab youth in writing and translation, which advanced the use of the Arabic language.

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