“Canada is a multicultural country, but multiculturalism must be parallel to multilingualism,” Islam says. “If we don’t uphold the language, we cannot uphold the heritage.”
Islam is the president and CEO of the Surrey-based Mother Language Lovers of the World Society – an organization committed to strengthening respect for all languages. Their annual Mother Language Festival returns Aug. 10 at Holland Park, celebrating B.C.’s linguistic diversity.
Beyond the province, the team is also working on a Commonwealth Declaration of International Mother Language Day for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings in Antigua and Barbuda.
Advocacy efforts
MLLWS’s founding president was Rafiqul Islam (1950–2013) who immigrated to B.C. from Bangladesh in the 1990s. Rafiqul was an advocate for language preservation; he and fellow founder, Abdus Salam, along with the rest of their team, petitioned the UN and UNESCO in 1999 to establish a day recognizing mother languages.
Their efforts were successful that same year when UNESCO declared Feb. 21 as International Mother Language Day. According to Mohammad, Rafiqul’s passion reflected the linguistic diversity he witnessed in Vancouver.
“It’s like a salad bowl, keeping everyone’s identity intact, but in one bowl,” Mohammad says of the late founding president’s vision. “He proposed to schools [that they] declare a day to celebrate all mother languages and their speakers – to uphold their cultures and heritages.”
The February date was chosen for its significance in Bengali culture: On Feb. 21, 1952, Bengali activists fought for the right to use their mother language across social, political and educational spheres.
“A group of people scarified their lives to save their mother tongue,” Mohammad adds. “That [mother tongue] is Bangla, my mother tongue, so I feel so proud of it.”
Following India’s partition in 1947, the Bengal province was separated into East and West Bengal; the former became a province of Pakistan while the latter was an Indian state. East Bengal eventually became Bangladesh. These protests, now known as the Bengali Language Movement, responded to Pakistan’s declaration of Urdu as the official language.
Recently, MLLWS’ vision has expanded beyond the province. With the passing of Bill S-214, the day is now recognized on a national level.
“We worked with the Canadian senate, we worked with the Canadian Parliament,” Mohammad recalls. “And eventually, we got the royal assent.”
The team is now working on a Commonwealth Declaration on International Mother Language Day. To achieve this goal, MLLWS has collaborated with various countries, including Canada, Australia and U.K.
“I have communicated with the Bangladesh High Commission in the U.K.,” Mohammad shares. “We are signing a memorandum of understanding with them.”
Welcoming all languages
The proposed declaration promotes linguistic diversity, reinforces Canada’s global leadership and contributes to international efforts for global advocacy, such as UNESCO’s commitment to protect endangered and Indigenous languages. These principles also underline MLLWS’ Mother Language Festival – now in its 11th edition.
“It’s really a great social bonding,” Mohammad says, adding the festival is open to all cultures. “They come, they sing, they [use] their language, they recite their poems, they dance.”
The festival started as a small gathering; it highlighted a variety of communities, including associations representing Bengali and Punjabi heritage. It has since expanded to other cultures. This year’s festivities will include First Nations, South Asian, Chinese, African, Filipino, Latin American and Nepali communities.
“Everybody has their mother language and their cultural heritage,” Mohammad adds. “We want to bring it to one platform and celebrate it.”
The president has also worked with schools to incorporate mother language education – an initiative known as B.C. Model. Mohammad recalls giving a speech at a Richmond school where the principal asked students to write their mother tongue and a short phrase in that language on a maple leaf. The leaves were then combined into “a big language tree.”
“They are demonstrating their own languages; they are knowing other languages – it’s wonderful,” Mohammad shares.
This educational work is deeply meaningful to the president, as younger generations are needed to carry on mother tongues. Mohammad has been awarded B.C.’s Medal of Good Citizenship for his community advocacy. Unveiled in 2009, the monument in Bear Creek Park Gardens is also a result of Mohammad’s tireless work. He sees Lingua Aqua as a permanent reminder of one’s intrinsic connection to their mother tongue.
For more information on Mother Language Lovers of the World Society, see www.motherlanguagelovers.com
For more information on Mother Language Festival 2025, see www.surrey.ca/news-events/events/mother-language-festival-2025
