Happy UN Arabic Language Day!

In 2010, the UNESCO has declared 18 December World Arabic Language Day "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six of its official working languages throughout the organization."

Here are some very short insights about the global influence the Arabic language have had over the years.

In the Middle Ages, Arabic emerged as an international scientific language as none other before. Arabic language has contributed to the preservation and transmission of knowledge from antiquity to the present day in science, arts, and philosophy. The language had a teaching chair in France and it was a requirement for librarians in the Vatican. Because of the countless wars waged in the Middle Ages especially, Arabic language is an important source of vocabulary for many European languages and non-European languages. For instance, many of the words that English-speakers use regularly come from Arabic, including cotton, coffee, sugar, and guitar, to name a few. The majority of countries in the world today officially use the Arabic numerical system (except, ironically, some Arab countries!)

The Arabic language, in its classical form and its many dialects, is a global language that embodies the interaction of identities, beliefs and civilizations. It is the responsibility of Arab governments, but also our duty as Arabic-speaking citizens, to embrace and develop this invaluable cultural diversity.