UN Chinese Language Day

{{Short description|Annual observance}}

__NOTOC__

{{Infobox holiday

| holiday_name = UN Chinese Language Day
{{lang|zh|联合国中文日}}

| type = international

| longtype =

| image = 2021年中文日总海报 终稿3.JPG

| caption = Poster for the 2021 event hosted by the UNSRC Chinese Book Club

| official_name =

| nickname =

| observedby =

| duration = 1 day

| frequency = annual

| scheduling = same day each year

| date = April 20

| celebrations =

| observances =

| relatedto = International Mother Language Day,
UN Arabic Language Day,
UN English Language Day,
UN French Language Day,
UN Portuguese Language Day,
UN Russian Language Day,
UN Spanish Language Day,
UN Swahili Language Day

| firsttime = {{start date and age|2010|11|12|df=y}}

}}

UN Chinese Language Day ({{Zh|c=联合国中文日|p=Liánhéguó zhōngwénrì}}) is observed annually on April 20.{{Cite press release |title=UN launches new initiative to promote multilingualism |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2010/02/329922 |access-date=2011-04-23 |date=2010-02-19 |publisher=United Nations |language=en}} The event was established by the UN Department of Public Information{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Liánhéguó zhōngwénrì - bèijǐng xìnxī |script-title=zh:联合国中文日 - 背景信息 |trans-title=United Nations Chinese Language Day - Background Information |url=https://www.un.org/en/node/67208 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209184548/https://www.un.org/en/node/67208 |archive-date=2023-02-09 |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=United Nations |language=zh}} in 2010, seeking "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six of its official working languages throughout the organization". April 20 was chosen as the date "to pay tribute to Cangjie, a mythical figure who is presumed to have invented Chinese characters about 5,000 years ago".{{Cite press release |title=UN celebrates Chinese Language Day with art and exhibitions |date=2011-04-20 |publisher=United Nations |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2011/04/372852 |language=en |access-date=2011-04-23}}

The first Chinese Language Day was celebrated in 2010 on the 12th of November,{{cite web |url=http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/portal/lang/en/home/pid/23103 |title=Chinese Language Day celebrated at HQ on Friday, 12 November |date=2010-11-11 |access-date=2011-07-26 |author=Jingbo Huang |publisher=deleGATE — iSeek for Member States |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927152211/http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/portal/lang/en/home/pid/23103 |archive-date=2012-09-27 }}{{cite news |publisher=Xinhuanet |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2010-11/13/c_13604437.htm |title=First-ever Chinese Language Day celebrated at UN |date=2010-11-13 |access-date=2011-07-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116125703/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2010-11/13/c_13604437.htm |archive-date=2010-11-16 }} but since 2011 the date has been the 20th of April, roughly corresponding to Guyu in the Chinese calendar.{{cite web |title=Chinese Language Day |url=https://www.un.org/en/observances/chinese-language-day/english |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=United Nations |publisher= |language=en}} Chinese people celebrate Guyu (which usually begins around April 20) in honour of Cangjie, because of a legend that when Cangjie invented Chinese characters, the deities and ghosts cried and it rained millet; the word "Guyu" literally means "rain of millet".