From February 13 to February 21, 2025, Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics of the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the NAS of Belarus holds events dedicated to the International Mother Language Day, which is celebrated on February 21. These are lectures, round tables, presentations, exhibitions, meetings and educational and entertainment events. All of them are dedicated to the problem of preserving, developing and popularizing the Belarusian language.

February 13 – a meeting of the director of Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics Igor Kopylov and the chairperson of the Republican Terminology Commission Elvira Ermoolenko with students and teachers of Vitebsk State University named after P. Masherov. During the presentation, the scientists will talk about the role of the national language, the main scientific areas of the Institute of Linguistics and the achievements of academic linguists. A meeting will be held between teachers of  Belarusian language and literature of comprehensive schools in Vitebsk region with the first deputy director for research at the Center for Research on Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the NAS of Belarus Alexander Baranovsky, director of Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics of the Center for Research on Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the NAS of Belarus Igor Kopylov and leading researcher at the Department of History of Belarusian language Elvira Yarmolenko under the title “The password for immortality is the native language”.  Vitebsk Regional Library named after V. Lenin will host a presentation of the book "Belarusian Language from A to Z". This publication is addressed to all those interested in the past and present of Belarusian language and wish to become familiar with its treasures.

On February 14, a meeting will be held between the director of Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics Igor Kopylov and the chairperson of the Republican Terminology Commission under the NAS of Belarus Elvira Ermoolenko with students and teachers of Vitebsk State Medical University, dedicated to the topic of "Formation of the linguistic competence of future doctors in the context of state bilingualism of Belarus".

On February 17 at 13.15, an interactive popular science lecture "Books of Our Ancestors" will begin at Belarusian State Pedagogical University named after Maxim Tank. The goal of the event is to familiarize students with the national historical and cultural heritage, popularize the results of the activities of academic scientists, and strengthen cooperation between the NAS of Belarus and higher education institutions. At 15:00, a cooperation agreement will be signed between the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the NAS of Belarus and the State Educational Institution "Gymnasium No. 22 of Minsk" as part of the "School of the Young Linguist". At 18:00, the presentation of the book "Belarusian Language from A to Z" will begin at Yakub Kolas State Literary Memorial Museum.

On February 18 at 10:00 in the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature (1 Surganov St., Bldg. 2, Office 302) the international scientific conference “National Literatures in the Era of Globalization: Theory, Practice of Adaptation Processes, Results” will begin, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the People’s Writer of Belarus I. Naumenko. At 11:00  the presentation “Treasures of the multifaceted linguistic culture of Belarus: unique materials from the archive of Alexander Adamovich” will begin with a public transfer of the archive the rare book department of the National Library of Belarus. Then at 14:00 there will be another presentation: in Yakub Kolas Central Scientific Library, the authors of the book “Lexical Atlas of Belarusian Folk Speech: Analytical and Research-Information Materials” could be heard. The final event of the day at 15.30 will be a meeting with students of the Faculty of Journalism of Belarusian State University and young scientists of the Division of Humanities and Arts of the NAS of Belarus, dedicated to the topic “IT in the modern language space: experience of using Belarusian language when working with neural networks.”

On February 19, at 11:00 a meeting will begin with listeners and students of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus, the topic of which is “The role of academic linguistics in the formation of professional competence of a modern manager”. At 12:00, listeners and students of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus will visit the Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture. At 12.30 a lecture will be given at BSU for students of the Faculty of Philology on “Formation of the lexical composition of Belarusian language in the context of cross-lingual contacts.” At 13.30, the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the NAS of Belarus will host a creative meeting of academic linguists with Belarusian writers. At 15.00, the writers will visit the Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture. At 15.30, the intellectual competition “Language of the Native Land” will begin with the participation of students of the Faculty of Primary Education of Belarusian State Pedagogical University named after Maxim Tank and students of Belarusian National Technical University. The aim of the event will be the patriotic, spiritual and moral education of students, deepening their knowledge of the mother language, expanding their horizons, and strengthening cooperation between the NAS of Belarus and higher education institutions.

On February 20 at 11:00, the pre-holiday day will begin with a round table  “Preserving the national identity of the original in translation from close and distant languages.” At 13:00, an intellectual competition will begin at Belarusian Notary Chamber. At 14:00, there will be a creative meeting of academic linguists with students of school No. 140 in Minsk, school No. 8 in Zhodino and students of  Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts under the title “A scientist will recognize any problem and formulate a research topic.” At 15:00, the participants of the creative meeting will visit the Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture. At 16:00, the presentation of three albums of the popular science series “Falklore Treasures of Belarus” can be attended. The event will feature the albums “Where Truth and Injustice Come From”: Belarusian Folk Legends and Tales”, “A Good Proverb Is Like a Tie to a Bag”: Proverbs with Russian and English Equivalents”, “The Water-Queen, Helper to the Whole World”: Belarusian Sayings”. The compilers, translators, editors and artists will speak. An exhibition of vytinanka masters will be held, and the folklore group "Stazhary" will perform.  

On February 21 (International Mother Language Day) at 11:00, an interactive popular science lecture “Through the Pages of Belarusian Written Heritage” will begin for senior students of Minsk Gymnasium No. 22. Also at 11:00, a round table for young researchers "Slavic studies. Onomastics. Ethnolinguistics" will begin at the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature.

On February 21, from 13.00 to 14.00, Yakub Kolas Central Scientific Library of the NAS of Belarus (15 Surganov St., Information and Exhibition Center, room 110) will host the Republican Dictation of the Belarusian Language, dedicated to the International Mother Language Day and the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The dictation will also be broadcast on the channel “Culture” of Belarusian Radio.  

At 14:00, the event will begin that concludes the festive week— a meeting with employees of Minsk City Tax and Duty Inspectorate called “From the History of the Native Word”, where the history of the Belarusian language, its alphabet, vocabulary, and written monuments will be told in a popular form. The meeting will end with an exciting quiz and a reading of a text in Old Belarusian.  

International Mother Language Day is an annual holiday established in 1999 by the decision of the UNESCO General Session. Its main goal is to preserve linguistic and cultural diversity in the world, support national languages ​​and cultures, and ensure the right of every citizen to use their mother language.  The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics) traditionally holds events dedicated to the International Mother Language Day, including a large number of events dedicated to the problem of preserving, developing and popularizing the Belarusian language.  

Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics of the NAS of Belarus is the leading scientific institution of the country, which is engaged in ensuring the successful functioning of the Belarusian language in all spheres of public life. The Institute ensures the coordination and implementation of systemic research in Belarusian linguistics.