On 21 February, Kovăcița marked International Mother Language Day, a day dedicated to promoting cultural and linguistic diversity worldwide. This celebration was initiated by UNESCO in 1999 and has been observed annually since 2000.
The event in Kovăcița began with a performance by the choir of “Mihajlo Pupin” High School, which performed the song “We Speak Four Languages.” The program included several segments, such as the inauguration, working session, round table, and the program entitled “Four Threads, One Embroidery.”
At the beginning of the event, Jaroslav Hrubik, President of the Kovăcița municipality, took the floor, followed by Miloš Gajić, Head of the Department for Cultural Heritage, who conveyed the message of the Ministry of Culture. The event was organized under the aegis of the UNESCO Cooperation Commission, with its President, Prof. Dr. Goran Milašinović, delivering a speech on the occasion.
Dragana Milošević, Provincial Secretary for Culture, Public Information, and Relations with Confessional Communities, extended congratulations on International Mother Language Day on behalf of the provincial government. She emphasized the importance of language as a fundamental element of national identity and the need to preserve it for every national community.
On the same day, a working session was held by the Vice President, Petar Višnjički, with representatives of embassies and national councils.
The President of the Romanian National Minority Council, Dr. Valentin Ardelean, spoke about the challenges faced by minorities in Vojvodina, particularly concerning the declining number of children in schools. This situation makes it difficult to maintain schools that provide instruction in the mother tongue.
Dr. Valentin Ardelean raised this issue with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and provincial authorities, highlighting the need to find long-term solutions for this challenge.