Russian Language Day is celebrated annually on 6 June at the United Nations Office at Geneva, in honour of the birth of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. This observance is part of the UN’s commitment to multilingualism and cultural diversity, and it recognizes Russian as one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
What languages do you speak?
Visit our photobooth to show your language abilities
The photobooth will be set up between 4 and 11 June during working hours.
Directions: Enter through door A11 and take the lifts to the 3rd floor. The photo booth is located in the Salon des délégués.
Everyone working at or visiting the United Nations Office at Geneva has the opportunity to take a picture showcasing the languages they speak.
Take your colleagues for a group picture and demonstrate the linguistic diversity in your team!
Did you know?
- Russian is one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations, alongside Arabic, Chinese, English, French, and Spanish.
- Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, which dates back to the 9th century and has influenced many languages across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
- With over 258 million speakers, Russian is the 8th most spoken language in the world!
- June 6 is Russian Language Day at the UN — it honors the birthday of the legendary poet Alexander Pushkin, considered the father of modern Russian literature.
- Russian is the official language of space communication — astronauts aboard the ISS learn Russian as part of their training!
Celebrate the richness of the Russian language and test your knowledge!
