Hon House Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House-
1) recognises that on 21 February 2020, International Mother Tongue Day was observed;
2) notes that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, proclaimed this day, in 1999, to promote the preservation and protection of all languages;
3) further notes that:
a) this day, commemorated the day in 1952 when students were shot dead by the police while protesting for the recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the former Eastern Pakistan (now Bangladesh); and
b) the purpose of this day is to promote language and cultural diversity;
4) agrees that mother tongue languages are powerful instruments and linguistic freedom is a basic human right;
5) further agrees that education in mother tongue is important and should be promoted;
6) believes that in accordance with section 30 of the South African Constitution which says, everyone has the right to use the language of their choice; and therefore
7) reaffirms the protection and promotion of all languages in South Africa.
I so move.
Agreed to.
Ms T M A TONGWANE Dr C P MULDER