"Celebration of Chinese Language Day"

Ambassador Mr. Liu Zhenmin,
Distinguished Ambassadors
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a pleasure to welcome you all this evening, as we come together to celebrate Chinese Language Day. I wish to thank Ambassador Liu Zhenmin and the Permanent Mission of China for organizing this of event which highlight the historical and cultural significance of the Chinese language. And following this event there will be other similar events. I would also like to express my appreciation to the Permanent Mission for the donation of books to the UNOG Library and to the Chinese Book Club. This contribution is a valuable addition to our Library and to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

One of the oldest languages in the world, Chinese is now becoming increasingly popular all over the world, in the West and in the East, and in Central Asia as well. And as one of the official languages of the United Nations, it plays a central role in our efforts to promote multilingualism within the Organization. For me, this day has personal meaning, as I myself have been a student of this important language for a number of years.

Dear Colleagues:
Here at UNOG, we have celebrated “Language Days” since the initiative commenced in 2010. It is essential that we do so, as the promotion of multilingualism and cultural diversity is a key priority of the United Nations, and one of my personal priorities as Director-General. Through multilingualism, we recognize the need to protect and promote the global plurality of languages. We also appreciate the importance of communicating with global audiences in their own languages. This ensures an effective multilateral process. In recognition of the value of multilingualism, we are doing our utmost at UNOG to support the use of all official UN languages, including through our documentation and language services, our UNOG Library resources, and in our outreach and communication to the public.

Ladies and Gentlemen:
Next week, as part of the continuing celebration of Chinese Language day and our efforts to promote cross-cultural exchange and understanding, UNOG and the Permanent Mission of China will be hosting a Chinese film festival and a lecture on “Medicine and Chinese Culture”. I encourage you all to participate in these events which showcase the rich cultural history of China, and of course, the Chinese Language.

I understand that this day was selected because of Guyu, (which is the 6th of 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian calendars), to pay tribute to Cangjie. Cangjie, the very important figure in ancient China, is claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. What better a day to celebrate the spirit and cultural significance of China and the Chinese language!
I would like to conclude with the following poem:

仓颉的眼泪

天地玄黄，宇宙洪荒。
磐古开天，天地乃现。
女娲选人，女子为先。
仓颉造字，光明大显。
中华文化，流芳万年。

Thank you very much and I hope you enjoy the evening.