ITANAGAR, Feb 22: State Assembly Speaker Pasang D Sona on Monday gave a clarion call to the people of Arunachal Pradesh especially youths to preserve and protect mother language which is under serious threat due to changing situations.
The Speaker was addressing during the ‘International Mother Language Day’ celebrations organized by Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society (APLS) in collaboration with Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Itanagar at Chimpu.  The Speaker was accompanied by Chayangtajo MLA Hayeng Mangfi.
Mother language is the route map of our culture because it tells us who we are, where we have come from and where we are heading to, the Speaker said. 
“Loss of culture is loss of identity, similarly loss of language is the greatest loss any society can suffer,” Sona asserted while stressing on the importance of preservation of mother language.
“Learning other languages is good as it connects the people, but one should never forget their own mother language as it is our identity,” he further added.
Stating that since the world is becoming a global village as people from different races are coming together, and owing to which mother languages are at stake, the Speaker called upon the people of the state particularly parents to ensure that their kids learn their own language.  
“Until and unless you know your own language or dialect you won’t be able to follow your culture,” the Speaker said while adding that language is directly connected to one’s culture and identity. The Speaker also pitched for documentation of mother language for future generations.
Meanwhile, asserting that reading habit is an important activity to enrich and enhance one’s knowledge, the Speaker exhorted the students to inculcate reading habits. In order to encourage the students on reading habits, the Speaker announced to provide some funds for buying books for the school library and also free membership at Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly’s Library.
APLS Executive President Batem Pertin also spoke on the occasion. He dwelt at length about the challenges, consequences and other issues pertaining to mother language in the state. Expressing serious concern over the prevailing situations where most of the younger generations stopped learning their own mother language, the APLS Executive President called for necessary collective steps from elders to safeguard the mother languages from extinction.
The day-long programme marked with storytelling competition in different dialects of the state and colorful cultural presentations from the students of VKV, Itanagar. Later prizes to the winners of storytelling were distributed by the guests. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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