On December 18, the Ministry of Culture’s Qatari Forum for Authors posted a series of UNESCO posters about Arabic on its social media pages. These are part of the Ministry’s collaborative efforts with the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science to celebrate World Arabic Language Day. The posts are about the importance of Arabic and its status for Arabs and Muslims around the world.
The posts explain that Arabic is one of the most commonly used languages around the world, as more than 400 million people speak it on a daily basis. It is also very important for Muslims, since it is the language of the Qur’an and prayers.
Arabic is a gateway to a world of diverse cultures, ethnicities, and world views. It is a language of eloquence and verbal arts, as the Qur’an was revealed “in a clear Arabic tongue” (Qur’an, 26:195). It is also a highly adaptable language that facilitated the development of many fields of study, such as geometry, algebra, medicine, arts, and science in addition to language arts. Arabic is the oldest language that still maintains its linguistic structures and literature. The Qatari Forum for Authors and the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science are committed to continuing their efforts to promote and preserve Arabic and to engage their members in their campaign to celebrate Arabic. These efforts include publishing interactive cultural content on their social media accounts and maintaining dialogue to discuss the importance of Arabic and innovative ways to promote it.