About
Pages    About Us

About Mother Language Lovers of the World Society

We are a non-profit organization which bring together various linguistic and cultural origins to celebrate their heritage and enrich multiculturalism and intercultural harmony. We also promote the International Mother Language Day (Feb 21) to build national as well as community-level capacity for inclusive education and multilingualism as envisioned by the UNESCO.

Our Mission

Mother Language Lovers of the World Society
  1. To fortify and strengthen the love for one‟s own mother language and respect for other languages.
  2. To raise awareness among all people about the importance of mother language in social and cultural development.
  3. To raise awareness and to build national and/or community-level capacity for inclusive education as envisioned by the UNESCO declaration on International Mother Language.
  4. To protect the minority languages, including Braille and Sign Language.
  5. To build consciousness and mobilize people towards linguistic, cultural self-esteem and mutual-respect on the basis of equal rights to language and cultural heritage.
  6. To ensure that all languages are treated well and that socio-economic and political systems of a country are based equal respects to all languages and linguistic diversity and without any discrimination based on race, ethnic/national origin, religion, color, sex, age, and mental or physical disability.
  7. To work with all kinds of the people in the community , Government, Non-Government organizations, civil society, universities, institutions, social organizations all kinds of national and international award owners, Nobel laureates, Mother language users , religious leaders, politicians of all parties, stages and level, and people of divers world, BUT it does not have any political or religious vision of its own.
  8. To run its work with the core recognition and appreciation of
    • (i) UNESCO's declaration of IMLD in 1999
    • (ii) The language movement of 1952 in Bangladesh.

Lingua Aqua

Mother Language Monument
In December 2006, Mohammad Aminul Islam, a Bangladeshi-Canadian of the City of Surrey appeared as a delegate to the Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) where he shared the information regarding the proposal to develop a Monument and that would be Canada’s first Mother Language Monument in Surrey.
Mr. Islam provided the PAAC with a research note stating that how a wide number of different languages that were spoken in Canada have become extinct. To highlight his research he listed those already extinct languages in Canada and British Columbia. He also advised that since 1952, February 21st has been observed as a date to commemorate the martyrs of the Language Movement, and also described how on November 17th, 1999 the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted a resolution proclaiming February 21st as ’International Mother Language Day’. The proposal was well received by the Public Art Advisory Committee; they recommended him to take this concept forward to the City Council for further necessary actions regarding site selection criteria, his budget requirements and fundraising plans.

Mr. Islam appeared before the City Council on February 26, 2007, where he presented the proposal for a Mother Language monument and asked Surrey Council for support in principle. The Council accepted the proposal and mentioned that a site on City land be identified to house this public art installation.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Department short listed three potential spaces for the proposed project. Mayor Dianne Watt issued him a letter for fund collection to build the project; meanwhile the city staff met with him to discuss the site criteria. Mr. Islam preferred the Bear Creek Park for the monument. The initial fund raising goal was $200,000.00 for the project.

At this stage, Mr. Islam became a member of the Arts Council of Surrey and made them a partner for the fund raising to build the monument. The Arts Council of Surrey opened a bank account in the name of Mother Language Monument.

At that time, on behalf of 'The Mother Language Lovers of the World' organization, its founder president Mr. Rafiqul Islam and the founding Director Mr.Abdus Salam donated a cheque of $200 for the first time to this account. Part of this contribution amount was from the 'EKUSHE AWARD', prize money that the Government of Bangladesh had conferred on the organization for the work done to establish the International Mother Language Day. A part of the money was the individual donation of the above mentioned two individuals. However, the monument has been built by the city fund; this amount was never used. It remains in the account where it was sent.

In the year 2008, the City of Surrey was named winner of the 2008 Cultural Capital of Canada Award. The award, which was presented to Mayor Dianne Watts, is accompanied by up to $2 million in funding. With this funding, Surrey planned to unveil a number of artistic and cultural projects for the next year. The Mother Language Monument project was included in that plan and from there the City granted a fund of $120,000 for this project to be accomplished.

On 17 April 2008, the City of Surrey posted call for artists for Mother Language Monument Project (Culture as Catalyst: Bear Creek Park). A number of artworks were submitted in response to the Artists call. Finally "Lingua Aqua" was selected as one of six other site-specific public art legacy projects produced under Surrey's 2008 cultural capital of Canada initiative and supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage and the City of Surrey.

The dream to build a Mother Language Monument became true. The Lingua Aqua, Canada’s first Audiovisual Mother Language Public Art was officially unveiled on 19th July, 2009. The city of Surrey commissioned this artwork as a tribute to Mother Languages and in recognition of International Mother Language Day, formally established by the United Nations to be celebrated annually on February 21. Lingua Aqua is the work of a multi-talented team of new media, visual and audio artists, Melanie Cassidy, Michael Filimowicz, Brady Marks, and Philippe Pasquier are the team members whose design concept was accepted. Built in the form of a small pavilion or shelter, Lingua Aqua combines sculptural, architectural, graphic, audio and water elements to create an immersive sonic environment. this “bath of sounds” is the place in which language is first heard and sounds from the outside environment first experienced. The structure is a self-enclosed fountain, with rain curtains and a reflective pool. A mirror on the underside of the roof reflects the pool and visitors, creating a visual texture and interaction with the structure. The sound of flowing water evokes the fluid environment in which spoken language is first heard, and the rippling pool and rain curtains modulate the sounds emitted from the structure. Glass panels overhanging the roof are engraved with symbols drawn from a number of languages spoken in Surrey. Four support columns each house audio speakers that play a variety of sounds, each transmitted through holes in the columns. These perforated designs form braille texts related to the role of language across various cultures.
Lingua Aqua is a Surrey landmark and a place where people of all languages come, reflect and immerse in the beauty of other languages.

Our Founding President

Late Mr. Rafiqul Islam

Founding President, MLLWS

Rafiqul Islam was born on July 16, 1950 at Rajbari Compound in Comilla city, Bangladesh to Late Janab Abdul Ghani and Mrs. Karimun Nessa. His father was related to the law profession and mother was a home maker. He was the eigth child amongst the ten siblings. After studying in the local primary school and secondary level in Comilla Zilla School he got his admission in the Comilla Victoria College in 1967. He passed his Intermediate in Commerce (I.Com) in 1969 from the same college. During the 1970 college year he was elected as the literary secretary of the Students Union of Victoria College.
When the Bangladesh liberation war broke out in 1971 he went to Dehra Dun in India for training and there after joined the Mujib Bahini as a Freedom fighter. He lost his younger brother Saiful Islam Shafu in the war who was in the same company as he was and which was commanded by Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni.
After the war, he finished his graduation from Victoria College and completed his Masters(M.Com) in Marketing from Dhaka University. After completing his Master she went to Germany for livelihood and stayed there for about 5 years. He then went to Malaysia and tried his hand in business. Mean while he got married to Dilras Buli Islam on January 27, 1980. Rafiqul joined an NGO named 'Proshika' in Bangladesh and worked there as a development officer for eight years. After that he migrated to Vancouver, Canada in late 1995 with his wife and two sons Jyoti and Joyonto.
From his then residence at 113-9071 Richmond; Greater Vancouver he wrote a letter to Mr. Kofi Anan, the then Secretary General of the UN on Jan 09, 1998. In that letter he argued and appealed that many languages of this world have become extinct, many are on the vergeof extinction and hence it is imperative that a day be declared as 'International Mother Language Day' to celebrate and protect ALL the mother languages of the world. He additionally proposed that Feb 21st would be the appropriate day for this as the Bangali people had in 1952 on this day successfully defended their mother language Bangla which was under threat by paying the ultimate sacrifice.
Based on the reply from UN hed is cussed his concept with another friend of his Abdus Salam. With his friend Abdus Salam, Rafiqul set up an organization called 'The Mother Language Lovers of the World' and they both started to work jointly to realise the dream of Rafiqul Islam. There were a total of ten language speaking people havings even different languages who were later on brought in as members besides the mother language Bangla belonging to Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam.
All these members were the signatories on the petition to UN and UNESCO in 1999 to declare Feb 21st as International Mother Language Day. Rafiqul Islam constantly kept in touch with the Bangladeshi UNESCO officials and the Education ministry over telephone during that time. He also contacted the UNESCO Paris office for updates and information. Due to the timely and decisive action of the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, diplomatic endeavour of Bangladesh's Paris embassy and the tire less effort of the Bangladeshi delegation to Paris and above all the support of 28 other countries to adopt Bangladesh's proposal and co propose it as their own propelled the declaration of the historical declaration of Nov 17, 1999. This was the day International Mother Language Day was declared by UNESCO at the 152 plenary session of the 30th General Conference in Paris.
Rafiqul Islam worked in Vancouver in the health sector. He passed away due to Blood cancer on Nov 20, 2013 at Vancouver General Hospital and is buried in Chilliwack with full state honour from Bangladesh deserving of all freedom fighters.
He was the Founder President of 'The Mother Language Lovers of the World' Vancouver and up until his death held this position. He was an ex-president of the Bongobondhu Porishod of BC and after ward she also acted as an advisor of the Bongobondhu Porishod BC. He was awarded the highest civilian award 'Swadhinota Podok' in 2016 post humously by the Government of Bangladesh for his pioneering contribution in the declaration of IMLD. His wife Buli Islam received it on his behalf in March 24, 2016 from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh at Dhaka. Before this he received honorary recognition from the Government of Bangladesh, signed by the then Prime Minister in 2000. The prestigious 'Ekushe Podok' was also conferred to the organization 'Mother Language Lovers of the World' in 2001 by the Government of Bangladesh. He left behind his wife and two sons who live in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

Mohammad Aminul Islam (Moula)

A tireless cultural activist of international mother language day (IMLD) movement in BC

Mohammad Aminul Islam

President, MLLWS

Mr. Mohammad Aminul Islam is the current President of the Mother Language Lovers of the World Society (MLLWS) and for the past 10 years, he has worked tirelessly to promote and preserve linguistic diversity and cultural heritage within Surrey and throughout BC through the celebration of the International Mother Language Day, recognized annually on February 21st worldwide. In Surrey, every year approximately 70,000 students, representing 172 various mother language speakers have the opportunity to know about and celebrate their languages, identify their cultural heritage and share this with others. Mr. Islam’s work promotes diversity and respect for other cultures through cross-cultural sharing.
As a cultural activist Mr. Islam marked many of his achievements. Among those, following few highlights his charismatic leadership and dedicated hard work.
Build Canada's first audiovisual Mother Language Monument the "Lingua Aqua" - in Surrey, BC.
Obtained the highest level of British Columbia Provincial Proclamation for the first time in Canada on "International Mother Language Day" (IMLD).
Initiated the annual observation of "Mother Language Festival" in Surrey, etc.
He intensively worked and took the challenges on implementation of IMLD by creating a model for young generations. It took him almost ten years to create the revolutionary "BC MODEL" for implementation of IMLD.
To date, this is perhaps the only tested framework for IMLD implementation which is recommended by the Assistant Director General (ADG/Education) of UNESCO and noted "to continue efforts locally and globally on IMLD implementation using the BC Model". This Model was first accepted in the School District of Surrey and included IMLD in the School Yearly calendar. Beyond Surrey, now this Model is being replicated in other School Districts in British Columbia.
Mr. Islam has initiated the annual observation of "Mother Language Festival" in Surrey with the support of City.
Initiated the "Bangla Heritage Week" - the celebration of the first week of Bangla New Year in lower mainland Vancouver.
For the outstanding achievements of Mr. Islam, he has received the "2016 Civic Treasure Award" from the City of Surrey. He is also the recipient of 2017 Mayor's Art Award as "Cultural Ambassador" from the City of Surrey. Currently the City has placed his photograph on the Mural Wall of Surrey Museum, unveiled in 2018.
In 1999, Mother Language Lovers of the World Society (MLLWS), BC proposed to UNESCO to proclaim 21st February as the International Mother Language Day (IMLD). Since 2000, IMLD is being celebrated globally. Recently on behalf of this organization a Bill S-247 has been tabled to the Canadian Federal Parliament as an Act to establish IMLD. Meanwhile, the 2nd reading has been passed in the Senate.

MLLWS - Proclamation

Diversity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee - Surrey City Deligation

Corporate Report - Mother Language Monument

Memorandum - Vancouver School Board

Mother Language Lovers of the World Society

Our language is our identity

  • City of Surrey
  • Surrey Libraries
  • Surrey Schools
  • Vancouver School Board
  • Richmond School District 38
  • Langley Schools
  • Ottawa Catholic School Board