“A NATURAL language is the archive where the experiences, knowledge and beliefs of a community are stored.”

The above words were uttered by the late Spanish linguist Fernando Lázaro Carreter. It underscores the relationship between language and identity. Guyana’s many languages are a testament to our rich culture. Language preservation needs to be one of our priorities as we move forward as individuals and as a people. Mashramani and International Mother Language Day are reminders of that.

First Lady, Sandra Granger on Wednesday evening attended a lecture at the University of Guyana (UG) held to observe International Mother Language Day.The event, which was hosted in UG’s Education Lecture Theatre, was coordinated by Lecturer in the Language and Culture Department, Charlene Wilkinson, according to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency.International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is a worldwide annual observance held to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.