International Mother Language Day

Every year on February 21, the world celebrates International Mother Language Day, aimed at affirming the importance of linguistic diversity and supporting efforts to preserve the cultural identity of nations. For Ukraine, this day holds special significance, as our language has repeatedly been on the brink of destruction. Today, once again, we must defend and fight to ensure that the Ukrainian word resonates freely in every corner of our land.

Karazin University has upheld the tradition of nurturing the Ukrainian language throughout its existence. It was at our university that, in 1905, after numerous prohibitions, folklorist, ethnographer, historian, literary scholar, and public figure Mykola Sumtsov delivered a university lecture in Ukrainian for the first time across the entire Left-Bank Ukraine. Karazin University is also closely connected with the legacy of the outstanding Slavic studies scholar, alumnus, professor, and Honorary Doctor of the university, Yurii Sheveliov. His research on phonetics, historical grammar, and the evolution of East Slavic languages earned him worldwide recognition. His unique work Historical Phonology of the Ukrainian Language, in which he debunked the theory of the so-called "common Russian language," stands as a monumental contribution to global Slavic studies.

Within the walls of our alma mater, new scientific concepts continue to emerge, the literary process flourishes, and words serve as a bridge between the past and the future. Recently, reading halls in Karazin University’s Central Scientific Library were named in honor of two distinguished university alumni: Ivan Svitlychny — Ukrainian poet, literary scholar, and dissident movement activist, and Yurii Sheveliov —renowned Slavic linguist, historian of Ukrainian literature, and active participant in the academic and cultural life of the Ukrainian diaspora. Both scholars made invaluable contributions to the popularization and development of the Ukrainian language and literature both in Ukraine and beyond its borders.

Language is not just a means of communication — it is the pulse of a nation, its memory, and its soul. Language is the cornerstone of national identity, and its preservation and development are a shared responsibility for each of us.

On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, we urge everyone to cherish, learn, and spread our native language, for within it lies the power of unity, inspiration, and boundless spiritual energy.