The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was the initiative of Bangladesh. It was approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference and has been observed throughout the world since 2000.

Find out more about the origins of the day here.

At the Swanswell Network, we will be celebrating IMLD2026 in the week before half term. Below you will find activities to use in the primary and secondary classrooms to celebrate this important day with your students. 

We are also running an in-person day of activities for students in years 6-8, called Languages Unlocked. Schools can apply for a place here. 

The UN Arabic Language Day is celebrated annually on December 18th, commemorating the day in 1973 when Arabic became the sixth official language of the United Nations. Why not celebrate in school by sharing some of these simple activities as part of your language lessons, or as extra-curricular enrichment.

If you want to raise the profile of Arabic in your school, contact your local Arabic Teachers' Council - find them here.

Please share any activities you try out in school with us!