India’s commitment to promoting the Hindi language at the global stage shines brightly as the country donates $1 million to the United Nations. This generous investment is directed towards bolstering the @UNinHindi service, a dedicated platform aimed at disseminating UN news and narratives to Hindi-speaking audiences in India and beyond. Melissa Fleming, the Global Communications under-secretary-general, conveyed heartfelt gratitude to @IndiaUNNewYork and @ruchirakamboj for their invaluable support in advancing this initiative.
Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative, presented the donation cheque with a resolute affirmation of India’s unwavering dedication to promoting the use of Hindi within the United Nations. She lauded the UN’s commendable efforts to mainstream and consolidate news and multimedia content in Hindi, a move that has been warmly embraced not only in India but also among Hindi-speaking communities worldwide.
The journey to establish Hindi as an official language at the United Nations began with a significant moment in 1977 when former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed the UN in Hindi during his tenure as the external affairs minister.
While the UN initially recognized three widely spoken languages – English, French, and Spanish – inherited from its predecessor, the League of Nations, the inclusion of Russian and Chinese followed as the languages of the two permanent members. Arabic later secured its status as an official language in 1973.
India’s persistent efforts to introduce Hindi as an official language at the UN commenced in 2003, culminating in the establishment of a high-level committee chaired by the external affairs minister. Renewed endeavors in 2007, driven by the 8th World Hindi Conference’s recommendation, further bolstered India’s pursuit of multilingual representation at the United Nations.
Co-sponsoring a resolution at the UN General Assembly, India advocated for the significance of multilingualism, emphasizing the value of disseminating information in non-official languages, such as Hindi, Portuguese, Kiswahili, Persian, Bangla, and Urdu, alongside the official languages.
Beyond securing approval from the majority of the UN member states to designate Hindi as an official language, India shoulders the responsibility of bearing the majority of the costs associated with interpretations and translations, acknowledging the UN’s financial constraints. This transformative gesture cements India’s unwavering commitment to promoting Hindi and facilitating the global exchange of knowledge and information in the language of millions.