The inaugural ceremony of an awareness campaign to consider the Sindhi language as the national language organized by the Sindhi Language Authority, was held on Saturday. The campaign will run from February 1 to February 28. Speaking at the event, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and former Minister of Culture, Sassi Palejo, stated that while the resolution of Pakistan 1940 guarantees provincial autonomy and the rights of all provinces, unfortunately, efforts are still being made to secure the national recognition and survival of the Sindhi language. She emphasized that some people believe that in this era of modern technology, the survival of a language is less important, but this is not the case. Sindhi is a thousands-of-years-old indigenous language, and we will continue to raise our voice for its preservation on every platform. Palejo recalled that when she was a senator, she had presented a bill to grant Sindhi the status of a national language, but regrettably, a federal party did not support it. The PPP has always strived to grant national language status to Sindhi and other provincial languages. She mentioned that after 2010, a high-level committee was formed at the government level, led by the Sindhi Language Authority, to initiate efforts not only for the preservation of Sindhi but also for other languages. She praised the Sindhi Language Authority for its work on developing software and computer applications for the Sindhi language. Renowned Sindhi writer Noorulhuda Shah, addressing the ceremony, stated that the mother tongue is the language of the motherland, the language of one’s soil. Sindhi is a literary and historical language, and it deserves to be recognized as a national language. Speaking at the event, Ishaq Samejo said that we do not consider any language inferior or superior. All languages of Pakistan are respectable. He quoted the famous Sindhi writer Ali Baba, who said, “A mother can never be inferior.” He emphasized that this movement is not only for granting national language status to Sindhi but also for recognizing all languages of Pakistan as national languages. He called on all nationalities in the country to unite in support of this demand. Punjabi, Siraiki, and other languages should also be given their due recognition. He added that the purpose of this awareness campaign is to encourage people to speak and write in Sindhi. He noted that it is often observed that wedding cards, visiting cards, shop signboards, marriage certificates, birth and death certificates, and many other documents are increasingly being written in English. Therefore, we should prioritize our own language over foreign languages. He also stressed the need to ensure that private schools comply with the law requiring the teaching of Sindhi as a subject. Teaching and learning our language is our fundamental right, and schools are obligated to do so. He urged parents to speak to their children in Sindhi at home so that the younger generation remains connected to the philosophy of Shah Latif and Sachal. The Sindhi Language Authority presented demands, including the establishment of a Language Commission, the implementation of language use in offices, the cancellation of registrations for schools that do not teach Sindhi, the use of Sindhi on signboards in major cities, airports, and railway stations, the use of Sindhi in private companies and banks operating in the province, the celebration of February 14 as a day of love for the Sindhi language, and the promotion of Sindhi language trends on social media on February 21. At the event, renowned Sindhi writer and intellectual Jami Chandio stated that language holds a significant place in the development of an individual and society. Language is not just a means of communication; even if we do not speak to someone, our thoughts are conveyed through our language. He noted that the Kolhi, Bagri, and Indigenous Dravidian communities, who have converted to Christianity or other religions, have lost their Sindhi identity because of language. He emphasized that language is the memory of our generations, and we need to work on the semantics of our language. Linguistic research in Sindhi is still in its infancy. He mentioned that there are 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, and linguists predict that by the end of this century, only 200 languages will remain. We need to think about whether our language can survive in the modern era. Chandio pointed out that great languages of the past, such as Hebrew and Latin, have already disappeared. He stressed that the use of language in multiple domains is crucial for its survival. He clarified that they are not against Urdu or any other language but are against the dominance of Urdu. He called for reducing the influence of other languages on Sindhi and promoting the use of original Sindhi words. He noted that in countries like India, Nigeria, and others, multiple languages are spoken, and all are recognized as indigenous languages. Pakistan is the only country in the world where only one language is recognized as a national language. He urged that the case be presented to the federation to recognize Urdu and English as official languages while granting national language status to all other languages of the country. According to the Constitution of Pakistan, we can use our provincial language in matters of correspondence. He added that Sindhi has been made compulsory in primary and secondary schools in Sindh, and practical steps must be taken to enforce this law. Dr. Aakash Ansari, addressing the ceremony, stated that when Urdu was given the status of a national language at the time of Pakistan’s creation, only the Bengalis opposed it, while other nations remained silent. As a result, Bengali was granted national language status in Bangladesh. He emphasized that for the survival of a language, a month-long campaign is not enough; continuous efforts are required until the goal is achieved. Sindhi Graduate Association SGA leader Piral Khan Khoso stated that SGA has been working for the development and survival of the Sindhi language since its inception. During the era of an Dictatorship SGA faced restrictions on its efforts for the survival of the Sindhi language, but the SGA has always strived to grant it national language status. He added that all branches of SGA are supporting the Sindhi Language Authority in this campaign. Noor Chakrani, General Secretary of the Sindhi Adabi Sangat, stated that the organization is fully supporting the awareness campaign and will ensure that all its 300 branches organize seminars in every city, town, and village to highlight the importance of the Sindhi language. He noted that collectively, we may be trapped in a complex where we prefer to speak English or another foreign language, but we must prioritize our own language. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Sindhi Language Authority, Ishaq Samejo, renowned writer Jami Chandio, famous Sindhi poet Dr. Aakash Ansari, Teemina Muftee Noor Chakrani, Ehsan Danish, and other writers and poets.