World Honours Greek Language Today

UNESCO will honour World Greek Language Day on 9 February 2026 with a cultural, literary, and musical evening at its headquarters in Paris, alongside a parallel exhibition inaugurated by Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.

UNESCO established World Greek Language Day after its recent General Conference adopted a decision recognising the Greek language and its contribution to universal culture, in line with UN General Assembly Resolution 71/328 on multilingualism and the importance of linguistic diversity for cultural diversity.

UNESCO will host the in-person event on Monday, 9 February, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, in Room I at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. Mendoni will inaugurate the accompanying exhibition earlier in the evening at 5:00 pm.

The programme will include brief addresses by ministers of the Greek Government, Gilles Pécout, President of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, as well as senators, members of parliament, academicians, and members of the Institut de France.

Organisers will enrich the evening with readings of poems and texts in the Greek language, alongside a musical interlude celebrating Greece’s linguistic and cultural heritage.

World Greek Language Day will also spark celebrations far beyond UNESCO’s Paris headquarters, with events expected across the globe organised by Greek communities, diaspora organisations, schools, universities, and cultural institutions. These gatherings will highlight the Greek language’s enduring influence on world civilisation through literature, philosophy, science, and the arts, while strengthening cultural ties between Greece and Greek-speaking communities abroad.

Tags:
Bibliothèque nationale de France, cultural diplomacy, Greece news, Greek City Times, Greek culture, Greek language, Greek news, Institut de France, Lina Mendoni, multilingualism, Paris, UNESCO, World Greek Language Day