Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge International Mother Language Day. International Mother Language Day is celebrated every year on 21 February. It was formally declared by UNESCO in 1999 and has been celebrated since 2000. International Mother Language Day brings together communities from across the world and celebrates the important role languages play in building cultural identities while highlighting the need to protect and preserve languages. I note the contributions of the Bengali language movement and community in championing this cause and for the success of International Mother Language Day. I also acknowledge the contributions of Sydney's Bengali diaspora in leading the promotion of International Mother Language Day.

Australia is a distinctly multicultural community with over 400 languages spoken at home. We have an unparalleled opportunity to take a leading role in the protection and promotion of mother languages. Already we've made progress towards this goal with the construction of the first International Mother Language Day monument in Ashfield on 19 February 2006. I know this was a collaborative project between the local member for Grayndler, now Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Sydney's strong Bengali community.

My electorate of Parramatta is similarly a beacon of multicultural success within the greater Sydney metropolitan area, where 61 per cent of people speak another language at home compared to the national average of just 22 per cent. With such a strong multilingual community, Parramatta has the potential to become a local leader in the promotion and protection of mother languages.

I note the work of Prabir Maitra, a Westmead local and branch member who's been a champion for multicultural Australians as a former City of Parramatta councillor and Labor branch secretary. Prabir is the son of Ranesh Maitra, a veteran of the Bengali language movement, the same movement that would later help establish International Mother Language Day. So, on 21 February 2024, on International Mother Language Day, I encourage everyone in Australia to come together and celebrate our multicultural community.

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