Shillong: The International Mother Language Day was celebrated with great vigour and excitement at the Shillong campus of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) on Thursday.
The event, which was inaugurated by the institute director A.K Misra, saw students from various ethnic groups celebrating their diverse culture and regional languages.
The highlights of the evening included a Khasi song followed by Diha Naam and Biya Naam, a traditional music of Assam.
Students came forward with their own compositions of an array of Urdu and Hindi poetry. A Telegu play portraying the Telangana Movement was also staged.
The evening progressed with a multitude of song and dance ranging from the traditional Assamese Bihu song to a mesmerising Rajasthani dance and many more.
The International Mother Language Day which has been observed since February 2000 aims to promote “linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingual education” according to the UNESCO. The theme for this year is “indigenous languages as a factor in development, peace and reconciliation”.
The North East being one of India’s richest regions in terms of linguistics and culture is a home to more than 200 languages including various regional dialects.