Amman, Aug. 18 (Petra) -National Forum for the Defense of the Arabic Language, organized by the Amman Group for Future Dialogues (AGFD), was launched on Tuesday, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO).
The event brings together several academics and experts to discuss ways to enhance, protect, and empower the Arabic language in various aspects of life.
Talking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Education and Human Resources Development and Chairman of the Jordanian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Dr. Azmi Mahafzeh, affirmed Jordan's commitment to the Arabic language is "a national obligation and a firmly established Hashemite approach." Mahfazeh expressed the Kingdom's keenness to strengthen presence of Arabic in education, culture, and media, and protect it legislatively through the Arabic Language Protection Law.
He also highlighted development of curricula, teaching methods, educational activities, and teacher training, calling for a shift from merely celebrating the language to empowering it in learning practices, daily life, scientific research, thought, and creativity.
In turn, Dr. Rami Iskandar, representative of ALECSO Director-General, stated defense of the Arabic language protects identity, heritage, and thought, and a tool for building knowledge.
He said ALECSO places the Arabic language at its "top" responsibilities by supporting its teaching, developing its curricula, training its teachers, promoting scientific research and Arabic digital content, and leveraging artificial intelligence applications and modern technologies.
He affirmed this approach aims to preserve the language's authenticity and enhance its ability to keep pace with developments.
He also highlighted the Project to Establish a Unified Reference Framework for the Arabic Language, which aims to standardize levels of Arabic learning and assessment criteria and improve the quality of Arabic language education in Arab countries.
In a speech delivered on AGFD behalf, Dr. Muhammad Khair El-Issa warned of the declining presence of the Arabic language in daily life.
He noted that signs of this decline are now evident in the names of shops, restaurants, and cafes, garment, menus, and bills, as well as the increasing use of foreign languages within some families and educational institutions.
//Petra//AG
