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| Ardabil |
Ahead of International Mother Language Day on February 21, national activists in Iranian Azerbaijan have distributed books in Azerbaijani Turkish, particularly among schoolchildren.
According to reports shared on social media, activists in Tabriz, Ardabil, Urmia, Khiyav, Parsabad (Mugan), Qoshachay, Bostanabad (Ujan), and other cities distributed books teaching the grammar of Turkish, as well as fairy tale books for children. This initiative aims to raise public awareness about the importance of the mother tongue.
Activists distributed these books in various locations, including in front of schools, and engaged with parents to emphasize the necessity of mother tongue education.
In Ardabil province, cultural activists marked International Mother Language Day by distributing Turkish-language storybooks in elementary and middle schools.
Each year, children's storybooks introducing Turkish writing rules are distributed on this occasion. Published by official houses and cultural activists, they face no legal restrictions, though some activists reportedly encounter pressure from security forces.
In addition to book distribution, national activists have handed out brochures and sweets in various cities to promote awareness about the importance of mother tongue education. At Tabriz University, students from the Turkish Language and Literature faculty celebrated the occasion by distributing sweets and congratulatory notes while informing fellow students about the significance of their language.
International Mother Language Day was established by UNESCO in 1999 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and to protect endangered languages. The date, February 21, commemorates the Bengali students who lost their lives in 1952 while fighting for the recognition of Bengali as one of Pakistan’s official languages.
In Iranian Azerbaijan, the demand for mother tongue education remains a central concern, and national activists continue to advocate for linguistic rights through various initiatives.
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The link to the related news in Farsi on Anadolu Agency:
روز جهانی زبان مادری؛ پخش کتابهای کودکان به زبان تُرکی در اردبیل
Link to the related news in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
İran Azərbaycanının müxtəlif şəhərlərində türk dilində kitablar paylanıb