World Arabic Language Day (WALD) 2022

The United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated 18 December as World Arabic Language Day. The day commemorates the recognition of Arabic as an official and working language of the UN.
SQCC celebrated WALD on 15 December under the theme, The Intersection between Language, Culture, and Identity. The event began with a panel discussion featuring Dr. Abdelaadim Bidaoui, Associate Professor of Arabic and French in the Department of Modern Languages and Classics at Ball State University who addressed “The Status of Arabic and Identity Projection in the Arab World”; Dr. Abbas Benmamoun, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Linguistics (Duke University) on “Arabic as a Global Language: Arabic outside the Arab World”; and Dr. Francesco L. Sinatora, Associate Professor of Arabic, George Washington University, spoke about “Language, Culture, and Identity in the Digital Arabic-Speaking World.” The event was moderated by Dr. Fida Adely, Associate Professor and the Clovis and Hala Salaam Maksoud Chair in Arab Studies at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, served as moderator.
The evening concluded with a reception and musical performance.