New York State celebrates the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day!
On February 21, 1952, the people of Bangladesh fought for their right to speak Bangla, their mother language. To honor that day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared International Mother Language Day as an annual observance worldwide starting in 2000. Today, Bangla is one of over 800 languages spoken across New York.
Watch with subtitles in the following languages:
Arabic (العربية), Bangla (বাংলা), French (Français), English, Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisyen), Italian (Italiano), Korean (한국어), Polish (Polski), Russian (Русский), Simplified Chinese (简体中文), Spanish (Español), Traditional Chinese (繁體中文), Urdu (اُردُو), Yiddish (ייִדיש)
Your Language Access Rights in New York State
As a New Yorker, you have the right to access state programs, benefits, and services, no matter what language you speak. When requesting state benefits or services, you can receive free interpretation services and have important documents translated into many languages. To learn more about your language access rights in New York State, visit our Know Your Rights page. Also, check out the newly released New York State Language Dashboard to explore our state’s linguistic diversity.
The New York State Office of Language Access. Your Language. Your New York State.
Watch the "Know Your Rights" video, available in the following languages, including English:
American Sign Language
Arabic (العربية)
Bangla (বাংলা)
French (Français)
English
Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisyen)
Italian (Italiano)
Korean (한국어)
Polish (Polski)
Russian (Русский)
Simplified Chinese (简体中文)
Spanish (Español)
Traditional Chinese (繁體中文)
Urdu (اُردُو)
Yiddish (ייִדיש)