India has made a significant financial contribution of $1.16 million to the United Nations (UN) to support the promotion of the Hindi language within the organization.
R Ravindra, the charge d’affaires of India’s Permanent Mission, presented the cheque to Ian Phillips, the director of the News and Media Division of the UN’s Department of Global Communications (DGC), on Thursday.
This contribution, described as a special payment in addition to regular UN assessments, aims to enhance the availability of news and multimedia content in Hindi through the DGC.
The initiative seeks to mainstream Hindi language content and increase awareness about global issues among millions of Hindi-speaking people worldwide.
India’s Engagement with DGC: Empowering Hindi Outreach & Understanding of International Affairs
Since 2018, India has actively engaged with the DGC, notably through the Hindi at UN project, aimed at enhancing public outreach in Hindi and fostering greater comprehension of international affairs within Hindi-speaking communities.
The UN currently produces a weekly audio news bulletin in Hindi and maintains Hindi-language social media accounts on platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook, alongside a dedicated Hindi news website.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has notably addressed the UN in Hindi, with India providing simultaneous translation services.
Previously, the late Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee made history by delivering a speech in Hindi at the UN General Assembly in 1977.
The UN, originally operating in five official languages (English, French, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish), expanded its multilingual efforts with the addition of Arabic in 1973.
Financial constraints have historically limited further linguistic expansions, underscoring India’s proactive role in supporting Hindi within the UN framework.
In recent years, the DGC has also increased its outreach in other languages such as Kiswahili and Portuguese, particularly targeting audiences in Africa.
Furthermore, it has begun producing essential communications in languages like Persian, Bangla, and Urdu to broaden its global linguistic inclusivity.
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