25 April 2009, 21:00
Chechnya marks the Day of the Chechen Language
Today, residents of Chechnya have celebrated the Day of the Chechen Language. The events dated to this holiday took place in all dwelling settlements of the republic.
Schools and educational institutions of Chechnya held lessons of mother tongue, higher schools organized scientific and practical conferences, and houses of culture staged celebration concerts and plays in the Chechen language.
"The main attribute of any nation is the language, and if we lose it, we'll cease to exist as a nation," said President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov at one of the actions dated to the Day of the Chechen Language.
"The holiday is young but very significant for our people. Our mission is to popularize study of mother tongue among the growing generation, and show them its whole beauty and the importance of preservation of the culture, customs and traditions of the Chechen people," the "Grozny-Inform" quotes the head of Chechnya's Government Odes Baisultanov.
The Day of the Chechen Language was introduced in 2006 by Decree of the President of the Chechen Republic. In late April of 1923, the first newspaper in the Chechen language was published - "Serlo" (Light).