The Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf) has rolled out a selection of events designed to celebrate the International Mother Language Day especially for the students around the UAE.

February 21 has been proclaimed the International Mother Language Day by Unesco to promote linguistic and cultural diversity.

“The Mother Language Day provides an opportunity to celebrate our mother Arabic language,” said Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, Admaf founder.

“The Arabic language is the language of poetry, philosophy, wisdom, beauty, and more specifically the language of the Holy Quran. I really hope that every individual in the Arab world be the custodian of this beautiful language, ensuring that our children value it, preserve it and perfect it,” she added.

In a celebration of the Arabic language, events that Admaf is supporting for this year’s International Mother Language day include an original play by Pauline Haddad called ‘1001 Stories’, which will be performed in literal Arabic.

Created specifically for the International Mother Language Day celebrations, the play and workshop will be performed at the Sheikh Zayed Private Girls Academy, and will investigate themes of storytelling and linguistics whilst reflecting some of Arabia’s best known and most loved tales.

Admaf will also support a selection of events which will uncover some of the techniques and messages embedded in great works of calligraphy.

Workshops will run throughout the week at various educational establishments run by Art Sawa, introducing students to the basics of calligraphy, with classic examples used to inspire them to create their own works of art.

Salwa Mikdadi of The Emirates Foundation will also present a lecture entitled ‘Visual Reflections on Arabic Poetry’. The lecture will explore ways in which cursive writing in the form of poetry is used as an element of composition to create a union between two aesthetics. – TradeArabia News Service