21 February, Mother Language Day is celebrated all over the world. It is special for every nation, of every nation, because there is no people without a language, there is no language without its speaker. The Belarusian language is one of the two (together with Russian) state languages in the Republic of Belarus. Like other national languages, the modern Belarusian language is spoken in two varieties: literary and folk-dialect. Each of these varieties has its own spheres of application and its own forms of life. Native language – it is the heritage of the people, it is the fruit of the people's geographical and historical conditions, its customs and habits. In order to draw attention to the problem of preserving linguistic diversity by the General Conference of UNESCO 17 November 1999 International Mother Language Day was announced.
Native language, wonderful language!
You are the fabric and foundation of our thoughts!
Mother's gift from the cradle itself,
you gem bright low.
Each of them has amazing colors,
shines with eternal fire – does not burn.
You have always been my help,
wherever and whatever way I went.
I hear the chimes of the spring in you,
I hear the thunder in you,
I hear the sounds of green pine,
leisure work in the native space.
You are worthy of respect with every little thing,
every word is created by the ages.
And it lives forever,
eternal yes, like a people's heart (Uladzimir Dubovka)
