World Arabic Language Day marked in Hanoi
Hanoi(VNA) – The University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) under the Vietnam National University-Hanoi and the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Vietnam held a ceremony in Hanoi on December 16 to celebrate the World Arabic Language Day (December 18).
A contest of eloquence in Arabic and an exhibition on the Arabic culture were also organised.
Speaking at the event, ULIS
Rector Dr. Do Tuan Minh said known as one of the six languages spoken in the
United Nations, Arabic is the language of the Koran and the official language
of 25 countries and is spoken by more than 500 million people around the world.
The UNESCO’s designation of
December 18 as the World Arabic Language Day in 2012 is the recognition of
the role of the Arabic language in the formation and development of human
culture, he said.
According
to the Rector, ULIS has taught the Arabic language since 1996 and celebrated the Day since
2016. The ceremony and the contest provided lecturers, students and Vietnamese people with a chance to understand more about the Arabic culture in general as well as the country and culture of Saudi Arabia, the biggest economy in the Middle East.
In his
speech, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Vietnam Mohammed Ismaeil A. Dahlwy expressed his wish to enhance cooperation with Arabic language training establishments in
Vietnam, especially ULIS – the first educational establishment in Vietnam to
teach Arabic.
He was
also delighted to announce the embassy’s aid to the ULIS’s Faculty of Arabic
Culture and Language to compile and print the first Arabic-Vietnamese
dictionary to serve students, teachers and Vietnamese people living and working
in Arabian countries./.