World English Day - 23 April.

English Language Day at the UN is celebrated on 23 April, the date traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare. As well as being the most famous playwright, who wrote in English, Shakespeare also had a huge impact on modern-day English. 

Today, every one in four people in the world uses English. English is being used more and more as a way for two speakers with different first languages to communicate with each other.

At the United Nations, English is one of the two working languages, along with French.

The Day is the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Global Communications, establishing language days for each of the Organization's six official languages. The purpose of the UN's language days is to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity, as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization.

Under the initiative, UN duty stations around the world celebrate six separate days, each dedicated to one of the Organization's six official languages.

The days are as follows:

1. Arabic (18 December)
2. Chinese (20 April)
3. English (23 April)
4. French (20 March)
5. Russian (6 June)
6. Spanish (23 April)

Language Days at the UN aim to entertain, as well as to inform, with the goal of increasing awareness and respect for the history, culture and achievements of each of the six working languages among the UN community.

World English Day 2023: Theme

The theme for World English Day 2023 is “English as a global language: bridging cultures, connecting the world.” The theme reflects the language’s role in bringing people from different cultures and backgrounds together, promoting mutual understanding and communication. The theme also recognizes the importance of English as a means of communication in today’s globalized world and its significance in fostering international relationships.

Source: www.un.org

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