YEREVAN. – Students, university professors, authorities, representatives of the diplomatic community and journalists learned more about the use and importance of the English Language at the UN during the observation of the English Language Day in Armenia on Tuesday.

The event was organized by the UN Department of Public Information jointly with the Yerevan State Linguistic University named after V. Brusov.

The Rector of the University, representatives of the UN, the embassy of the United States of America, American and British Councils welcomed the guests, spoke about the importance of the English language for the UN.

The UN Department of Public Information Representative in Armenia, Maria Dotsenko said: “We aim at further motivating the Armenian youth to study English and other UN languages and to better understand how crucial the multilingualism of the UN is for the implementation of its complex agenda, promotion of peace, diversity, cross-cultural dialogue and partnerships towards better human development.”

The Rector of the University, Gayane Gasparyan commented: “Our goal is to further raise awareness among Armenians of the richness, beauty and cultural importance of the foreign languages. Our university appreciates close ties with the United Nations and their support.”  

A modern stage play “Living On” about the importance of protection and promotion of languages written by the British linguist Professor David Crystal was performed by senior undergraduates.

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the six official languages of the United Nations. English is the second among the world’s most widely spoken languages, according to figures from UNESCO.

Starting from 2010, the United Nations Department of Public Information in New York has announced the launch of “Language Days at the United Nations”, an initiative which seeks to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. The UNDPI Yerevan Office together with partners marks all official languages of the UN throughout 2012.