What is World Spanish Language Day? Know the history and significance of the day

The World Spanish Language Day is also known as United Nations Spanish Language Day. The significant day is observed on April 23 every year. World Spanish Day was organised by UNESCO in the year 2010. UNESCO made the day official in order to celebrate multilingualism and cultural heterogeneity as well as to encourage equal use of all six of its official working languages throughout the organisation. The day is also celebrated as a tribute to the writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Check out more about what is World Spanish Language Day and its history. 

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What is World Spanish Language Day

Originally, the day goes back to the year 1926, when a profound writer Vicente Clavel Andrés first proposed the idea of a day dedicated to celebrate Spanish literature. Post the proposal, the tradition first started in Valencia and later quickly spread throughout Spain. By the year 1964, the day was adopted by all Spanish-speaking countries.  

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Initially, October 12 was chosen as the day of celebration as it is traditionally recognised as the day when Christopher Columbus discovered America, tracing the beginning of the spread of the Spanish language and culture as well as its lasting impact on the new world. However, later the date was changed by the UN and there has been no official statement made by the UN as to why the date was changed. The United Nations urges all the companies around the globe to celebrate the days of languages. They also encourage them to organise cultural events that show the importance of multilingualism through music, art, food, and movies.

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In another history, World Spanish Language Day is also celebrated as an honour to the writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, deceased on April 23. Known as “El Manco del Lepanto”, Cervantes left his novel The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha, a monumental text that contributed to the enrichment of world literature and Spanish language. Described as the first modern novel, this has been the most translated and edited book in history. 

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