[EDLING:168] 2008 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LANGUAGES

[Francis M Hult]

United Nations

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROCLAIMS 2008 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LANGUAGES, IN EFFORT
TO PROMOTE UNITY IN DIVERSITY, GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING

The General Assembly this afternoon, recognizing that genuine multilingualism promotes 
unity in diversity and international understanding, proclaimed 2008 the International 
Year of Languages.

Acting without a vote, the Assembly, also recognizing that the United Nations pursues 
multilingualism as a means of promoting, protecting and preserving diversity of 
languages and cultures globally, emphasized the paramount importance of the equality 
of the Organization’s six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, 
Russian and Spanish).

In that regard, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to ensure that all 
language services were given equal treatment and were provided with equally favourable 
working conditions and resources.  The Secretary-General was also requested to 
complete the task of publishing all important older United Nations documents on the 
Organization’s website in all six official languages, on a priority basis.

Further, the Assembly emphasized the importance of making appropriate use of all the 
official languages in all the activities of the Department of Public Information, with 
the aim of eliminating the disparity between the use of English and the use of the 
five other official languages.

Full text:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ga10592.doc.htm