To mark International Mother Language Day in 2026, Jakarta City of Literature is sharing a digital celebration.

Indonesia is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology in 2019, there were 718 regional languages recorded, and more recent reports from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education note the number has grown to 817 languages. Meanwhile, UNESCO highlights 143 Indonesian languages based on their vitality status, reminding us of the importance of preservation.

This celebration brings together poets from across Indonesia to honour the voices that shape Indonesia’s identity. Through poetry readings, audiences will experience the richness of mother languages from across the archipelago. The readings will be displayed on Jakarta UNESCO City of Literature’s social media, publishing each poems one by one on the 21st of February from morning to evening.

Follow @jakartacityoflit on Instagram to stay updated.

UNESCO Cities of Literature and International Mother Language Day

Manchester leads the UNESCO Cities of Literature on International Mother Language Day celebrations in February, and so each year we share how other cities are celebrating this special day. You can find out how other Cities of Literature are celebrating below.