French Language Day being observed today

Kathmandu, March 20: Today is French Language Day. In order to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity, the day is celebrated on March 20 every year at the call of the United Nations. 

Since 2010, the UN has been observing the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish language day every year. 

The global governing body has stated that the language days offer an opportunity to raise awareness about the history, culture, and usage of each language. 

According to the UN, after English, Mandarin, and Spanish, French is the fourth most spoken language in the world. This language is spoken by 396 million people and is also the second most taught foreign language globally. 

Currently, about 170 million students are learning this language. 

Around 65 percent of French speakers live in Africa.  (RSS)