Chinese Language Day

  Opening remarks by Mr. Aboubakri Diaw, Chief of Staff, ECA for the U.N. Chinese Language Day 2026. Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa.

  Mr. Jiang Feng, Head of the Mission of China to the African Union and Representative of China to the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Addis Ababa

Ms. Rita Bissoonauth, Director, Liaison Office of UNESCO to the AU & ECA  Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Addis Ababa

On April 20th,  2026, from 8:30am to 11:30am, New York time, join this virtual forum to explore the role of youth in advancing Multilingualism utilizing UN 2.0 Quintet of Skills through the lens of Chinese language learning within and beyond the United Nations. View the full programme details . . Non‑UN participants can register here . . UN‑internal participants can join the event directly via this link . CDOTS Language and communication Training Unit (LCTU) - Capacity Development and Operational Training Service . Instructor-led language and communications skills courses Fluent Futures Forum: Chinese Learning and Youth Engagement for a Multilingual UN 2.0 World/ 面向多语言联合国2.0世界的汉语学习与青年参与。

Language Days at the United Nations seek to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization. Why April 20? The date for the Chinese day was selected from Guyu ("Rain of Millet"), which is the 6th of 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian calendars, to pay tribute to Cangjie. Cangjie is a very important figure in ancient China, claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that he had four eyes and four pupils, and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet. From then on, Chinese people celebrate the day Guyu in honour of Cangjie. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around April 20. Chinese at the UN Chinese was established as an official language of the United Nations in 1946. However, in early years, Chinese was not commonly used in the work of the Unite...

   Language Days at the United Nations seek to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity.Under the initiative, UN duty stations around the world celebrate six separate days, each dedicated to one of the Organization's six official languages. Activities:Warming Music: Guzheng High Mountain and Running River; Violin Concerto Butterfly Lovers 高山流水/梁祝  11:00 am Performance: Lion Dance 舞狮  Opening and Introduction of Distinguished Guests by MC Remarks by Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Under Secretary General and Director General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) Remarks by H.E. Ms. Guo Haiyan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Kenya  11:20 am Cultural Performances presented by Confucius Institutes: I. Red Lantern II. Folk Song: Chengdu 11:30 am Interactive Roundtable: Chinese Characters Evolution and Development 12:05 pm Video Feature: Short Film on Chinese Language and Culture  12:20 pm Presentation on multilingualism...