Students across the State celebrated World Arabic Day on Friday by engaging in a variety of programmes.
Although World Arabic Day falls on Saturday, students celebrated it on Friday because of the weekend holiday.
The little children of Government LP School at Pukayur near Vengara made their celebrations unique by writing letters in Arabic to UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay. The letters praised the Arabic language for its simplicity and global relevance.
Official language
The students pointed out that the United Nations had declared Arabic as an official language on December 18, 1973, as it was the mother tongue to more than 400 million people and 24 nations.
The World Arabic Day has been celebrated on December 18 since 2010.
The Pukayur school also conducted a poster making competition, a quiz and an Arabic song competition for its students. Headmaster C. Moideenkutty, teachers K. Sahala, T. Ambika and Ragina led the celebrations.
The students of A.M.L.P. School at Paral, Veettikkad, near Perinthalmanna celebrated Arabic Day by bringing out manuscript magazines.
The celebrations took place under the banner of the Alif Arabic Club.
Aliparamba panchayat member C.H. Hameed inaugurated the celebrations. Parent-Teacher Association president C.P. Shihabuddin presided over the function. Headmistress K.K. Raihanath delivered the keynote
address. Staff secretary Husain Paral welcomed the gathering. K.K. Abdul Latheef proposed a vote of thanks.
Call for Arabic varsity
Madin Academy chairman Sayed Ibrahim Khaleel Bukhari inaugurated the fortnight-long celebrations titled Fiesta Arabiyya at Madin Academy near Malappuram.
Mr. Thangal said that Arabic language was getting wider acceptance across the world irrespective of religious affiliations. He called upon the authorities to take initiative for an Arabic university as
proposed by the Paloli Mohammed Kutty Commission in the wake of the Sachar Commission Report.
He said Kerala had a solid and historic link with the Arabic language and Arabian culture. He appealed to the people not to communally segregate the Arabic language, which was one of the six
official languages of the United Nations.
“The proposed Arabic university should not be reduced to election manifestos,” said Mr. Thangal.
Madin Arabic village director Abdussamad Saqafi presided over the function. The fortnight-long celebrations at Madin Academy will focus on tourism, employment, education, research, teaching and translation in 25 sessions.
Calligraphy workshop
There will be an Arabic calligraphy workshop, essay and poetry composition camps, literary sessions and seminars.
Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar will inaugurate the valedictory session on December 30.
