ISLAMABAD: Celebrating World Arabic Language Day, the United Arab Emirates Embassy and National University of Modern Languages (NUML) organized an Arabic speech competition in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The day has been observed annually since Dec. 18, 2012, to mark the United Nations General Assembly’s decision to adopt Arabic as an official language in 1973.
Celebrating World Arabic Language Day, the UAE Embassy and National University of Modern Languages (NUML) organized an Arabic speech competition in Islamabad on Wednesday. (AN Photo)
“Over 500 million people speak this language which historically has contributed in different fields for humanity,” Emirati Ambassador Hamad Al-Zaabi said during the event held at the NUML auditorium, where more than 200 guests, including envoys from Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Jordan, and Somalia, were present.
Referring to the competition as an effort to promote the language, which is one of the world’s oldest tongues, Al-Zaabi called on other Arab diplomats to preserve its achievements over the centuries.
Expressing his gratitude and happiness over the eagerness of Pakistani students to excel in Arabic, he also highlighted the language’s verbal wealth: “Arabic has 12 million words in it which shows its richness,” he said.
Celebrating World Arabic Language Day, the UAE Embassy and National University of Modern Languages (NUML) organized an Arabic speech competition in Islamabad on Wednesday. (AN Photo)
Twenty-two students participated in the first competition of its kind organized to mark the UN-established day and promote Arabic in non-Arabic-speaking Muslim countries such as Pakistan.
NUML Rector Muhammad Jaffar said it was a great day for the university’s department of Arabic studies and appreciated the UAE embassy’s assistance and sponsorship. “The Arabic language is the best language and there should be no doubt (about it) in the world.”
During the competition, participants had five minutes to deliver their speeches in front of a panel of judges.
The winner, Mohammed Attiq-ur-Rehman, who holds a master’s degree in Arabic told Arab News that “Muslims can not understand the Holy Qur’an until they learn and understand the Arabic language.”
“The world’s biggest literature is Arabic literature,” he said, rejoicing his victory.
Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theme of World Arabic Language Day celebrations in 2019, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The use of AI in promoting and preserving the Arabic language will be discussed at the UN culture body in events organized in cooperation with the permanent delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Foundation.
