UN French Language Day

{{Short description|Day to celebrate the French language}}

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{{Infobox holiday

| holiday_name = UN French Language Day
Journée de la langue française

| type = international

| longtype =

| image =

| caption =

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| duration = 1 day

| frequency = Annual

| scheduling = Same day each year

| date = 20 March

| celebrations =

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| relatedto = International Francophonie Day
International Mother Language Day
UN Arabic Language Day
UN Chinese Language Day
UN English Language Day
UN Portuguese Language Day
UN Russian Language Day
UN Spanish Language Day
UN Swahili Language Day

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

}}

UN French Language Day ({{Langx|fr|Journée de la langue française}}) is observed annually on 20 March.[https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33819 UN launches new initiative to promote multilingualism]. United Nations News Centre, 19 February 2010. Consulted on 2017-03-17

The event was established by UN's Department of Public Information in 2010 "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization".

[https://www.un.org/press/en/2010/obv853.doc.htm Department of Public Information to Launch ‘Language Days at the United Nations’] United Nations Department of Public Information, 19 February 2010

For the French language, 20 March was chosen as the date since it "coincides with the 40th anniversary of the International Organization of La Francophonie",

[https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?Cr=multilingualism&Cr1=&NewsID=34136 First-ever French language day celebrated at UN]. United Nations News Centre, 19 March 2010. Consulted on 2017-03-17.

a group whose members share a common tongue, as well as the humanist values promoted by the French language.

Other dates were selected for the celebration of the UN's other five official languages.