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Research Guides: Multilingualism at the …

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Research Guides

Multilingualism at the United Nations

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Multilingualism at the United Nations: Selected resources

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Welcome!

This research guide compiles resources about multilingualism at the United Nations and links to UN websites and databases with multilingual information on the work of the Organization.

About Multilingualism

Multilingualism at the UN Headquarters

Multilingualism at UN Geneva

UN official languages
There are six official languages at the United Nations: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Learn more about UN official languages history and UN Language days: Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish.

Photo credits: UN photo.

UN documents and publications on multilingualism

UN resolutions and decisions on multilingualism

Secretary-General reports on multilingualism

Reports on multilingualism and official languages

Featured UN documents and publications on multilingualism

United Nations strategic framework on multilingualism, UN Department for General Assembly and Conference Management, March 2024 This link opens in a new window
Available in the six UN official languages.

Multilingualism : report of the Secretary-General, A/80/668, 2026 This link opens in a new window
Covers 2024 and 2025.

Multilingualism at the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld Library, February 2023 This link opens in a new window
Presents an overview of the cornerstone resolutions and historical records documenting the development of multilingualism in the UN.

General Assembly resolution on multilingualism, A/RES/78/330, adopted on 6 September 2024 This link opens in a new window

Multilingualism in the United Nations System : report of the Joint Inspection Unit, JIU/REP/2020/6 This link opens in a new window
Includes annexes on formal frameworks for multilingualism, official and working languages, coordinators and focal points, language training programmes and more for UN System organizations.

UN videos on multilingualism

UN videos on multilingualism
By the UN Department for General Assembly and Conference Management.

Commemorations

21 February: International Mother Language Day
Proclaimed by UNESCO in November 1999.

23 September: International Day of Sign Languages
Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/72/161 of 19 Dec. 2017. The resolution has been translated in International Sign language (Source: World Federation of the Deaf).

30 September: International Translation Day
Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/71/288 on 24 May 2017.

2022-2032: International Decade of Indigenous Languages
Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/74/135 on 18 December 2019.

2019:International Year of Indigenous Languages
Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/71/178 on 19 December 2016.
Indigenous languages and knowledge is the focus of UNESCO Courier's first issue in 2019.

2008: International Year of Languages
Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/266 on 16 May 2007, pursuant to the resolution adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 20 October 2005.

Resources available at the UN Library Geneva

UN resources by language

All resources by language

Multilingualism

Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish

Available through our library's

Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish

Available through our library's

Resources on multilingualism available through our library's

Dictionaries & News in multiple languages available through the Library

Electronic resources : Dictionaries & more

Electronic resources : News

UN information in different languages

United Nations Official Document System (ODS)This link opens in a new window

Search for UN documents in the six official languages.

UN website

UN News

UN News -- Audio Hub

UN WEBTV

German Translation Section

UN Information Centres in local languages

Highlights

Languages matter : global guidance to multilingual education
Published by UNESCO on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the International Mother Language Day, 21 February. See our Library resources on multilingual education.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights in over 500 languages
The Declaration, also available in audio format and in sign languages, can be searched by language, country or region.

UN Yearbook Express
Features the chapter introductions of recent Yearbooks, along with the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization in those years, in the six UN official languages.

Language rights of linguistic minorities : a practical guide for implementation
Available in the six UN official languages

United Nations Resolution on the International Day of Sign Languages from World Federation of the Deaf on Vimeo. Text of resolution A/RES/72/161 available in the six UN official languages.

Guidelines for gender-inclusive language
Produced in the six UN official languages to guide UN staff in using gender-inclusive language.

SDG Book Club in the six UN official languages
Encourages children ages 6-12 to interact with the principles of the SDGs through a curated reading list of books from around the world.

Dag Hammarskjöld Library research guides in English, French and Spanish

UN terminology

UNTERM
Provides terminology and nomenclature in areas relevant to the work of the United Nations in the six UN official languages.

UNBIS Thesaurus
Contains subjects used in the bibliographic description in the United Nations Digital Library and ODS (UN Official Document System).

Last Updated:Apr 10, 2026 5:55 PM

URL:https://libraryresources.unog.ch/multilingualism/en

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