The Chinese Language on the Global Stage

Observed on April 20， is the UN Chinese Language Day. The exact date comes in tribute to Cangjie， the legendary figure credited with having invented Chinese characters. The theme of this years UN Chinese Language Day is “Highlighting Pictographs，” as pictographs are the origin of Chinese characters.

In 2010， the UN Department of Global Communications instituted language days for each of the organizations six official languages. The goal was two-fold： to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote the equal use of all six tongues.

Language is the carrier of communication， the bridge of interaction between states and the bond of mutual learning among civilizations. At the same time， a language and its individual written forms make up the“soul” of a nations cultural heritage. Every language is worthy of respect and should be treated equally. The UN Chinese Language Day not only provides a unique platform for the world to better understand China， but also promotes the exchange of worldwide languages and cultures.

As one of the six official UN languages， Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. Today， the Chinese language is increasingly learned and used in the international community as it has become a necessary language skill for international professionals in many countries.

Additionally， more than 70 countries have thus far incorporated the Chinese language into their education systems. Chinese plays an important role in the elevation of communication and cooperation between China and the world， as well as the advancement of exchange between nations worldwide.

As more and more foreigners start to study the Chinese language and experience Chinese culture， the world will have a better understanding of China and its rich history， its hard-working people， its development through innovation， and its inclusiveness. China， on its part， will also embrace the world with greater openness and make new， dynamic contributions to the international community. BR