Bahasa Indonesia Named The Official Language Of UNESCO General Conference In Paris
Bahasa Indonesia joins the ranks of English, Hindi, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese, among other official languages.
By Sadho Ram — 23 Nov 2023, 09:29 AM
Bahasa Indonesia — the national language of Indonesia — has been designated as an official language of the UNESCO General Conference
The decision to honour the official language of Indonesia was taken at the 42nd Session of the UNESCO General Conference on Monday, 20 November. This makes Bahasa Indonesia the 10th official language, in addition to English, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, French, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
Mohamad Oemar, the Indonesian Ambassador to France, Andorra, and Monaco, as well as the Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, mentioned that Bahasa Indonesia is spoken by more than 275 million people.
The language's curriculum is being used in 52 countries, with a minimum of 150,000 foreign speakers currently, Oemar said, while stressing the importance of raising awareness about Bahasa Indonesia.
"The recognition of Indonesian as the official language of the UNESCO General Conference will have a positive impact on peace, harmony, and the achievement of sustainable development goals not only at the national level but also throughout the world," Antara News quoted him as saying on Tuesday, 21 November.
The recognition is likely to elevate Indonesia's stature as it highlights the country's commitment to cultural development at the global level
"The Indonesian language has been the nation's uniting force since pre-independence times, especially through the Youth Pledge in 1928, so it is able to connect various ethnicities in Indonesia," Oemar noted.
Indonesian Ambassador to France, Andorra, and Monaco Mohamad Oemar delivering remarks on the 42nd Session of the General Conference of UNESCO.
Image via ACN Newswire