2010年，联合国新闻部（现全球传播部）宣布启动联合国语言日（Language Days）。

Language Days at the United Nations seek to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization.
联合国语言日的倡议旨在庆贺多种语文的使用和文化多样性，并促进六种官方语言在联合国的平等使用。

联合国中文日（UN Chinese Language Day）定在每年的“谷雨”节气

The date for the UN Chinese Language Day was on the same day with Guyu (Grain Rain), the 6th of 24 solar terms, to pay tribute to Cangjie, who is claimed to be the inventor of Chinese characters.
中文日定在农历二十四节气的第六个节气“谷雨”，以纪念“中华文字始祖”仓颉造字的贡献。

关于“谷雨”节气的来历，据《淮南子》记载，仓颉造字，是一件惊天动地的大事（the invention of characters is a remarkable achievement），黄帝于春末夏初发布诏令，宣布仓颉造字成功，并号召天下臣民共习之。这一天，下了一场不平常的雨，落下无数的谷米（the sky rained millet），以慰劳圣功，后人因此把这天定名谷雨，成为二十四节气中的一个，这就是现在的“谷雨”节气。

中文是联合国的六种正式语言之一

Chinese was established as an official language of the United Nations in 1945.
联合国1945年成立时，中文就被确定为正式语言。

In 1973, the General Assembly included Chinese as a working language, which was followed by the Security Council in 1974. More and more UN offices and staff members work with Chinese language.
1973年，联合国大会将中文列为工作语言之一，1974年，联合国安理会也将中文列为工作语言之一。越来越多的联合国机构和员工用中文开展工作。

Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, and among the six official languages of the United Nations, it is the only official language used by a single country.
中文是全世界使用人数最多的语言，在联合国的六种正式语文中，中文是唯一一个由单一国家使用的官方语言。

迄今为止，纽约联合国总部已经成功举办了10届“联合国中文日”的庆祝活动，并通过丰富多彩的文化展示和艺术表演在这个世界最重要的国际机构中推动了来自世界各地的联合国官员、外交官以及海外华侨对中国语言和文字的了解和喜爱。

今年联合国中文日的活动主题是：聚焦象形文字（Highlighting Pictographs）。

其他几个联合国语言日分别是：

3月20日法文日（French Language Day, 法语组织成立纪念日）
4月23日英文日（English Language Day, 莎士比亚诞辰与逝世日）
4月23日西班牙文日（Spanish Language Day, 塞万提斯逝世日）
6月6日俄文日（Russian Language Day,普希金诞辰日）
12月18日阿拉伯文日（Arabic Language Day, 联大于1973年12月18日决定将阿拉伯文定为正式语文）

在这样一个特别的日子里，不如一起欣赏三首苏东坡的名作及翻译泰斗许渊冲的英译版本，品味语言之美！

水调歌头

明月几时有？把酒问青天。
不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年？
我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。
起舞弄清影，何似在人间！
转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。
不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？
人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。
但愿人长久，千里共婵娟！

TUNE: PRELUDE TO WATER MELODY

How long will the full moon appear?
Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky.
I do not know what time of year
It would be tonight in the palace on high.
Riding the wind, there I would fly,
Yet I'm afraid the crystalline palace would be
Too high and cold for me.
I rise and dance, with my shadow I play.
On high as on earth, would it be as gay?
The moon goes round the mansions red
Through gauze-draped windows to shed
Her light upon the sleepless bed.
Against man she should have no spite.
Why then when people part, is she oft full and bright?
Men have sorrow and joy, they meet or part again;
The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane.
There has been nothing perfect since the olden days,
So let us wish that man
May live long as he can!
Though miles apart, we'll share the beauty she displays.

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定风波

莫听穿林打叶声，何妨吟啸且徐行。
竹杖芒鞋轻胜马，谁怕？一蓑烟雨任平生。
料峭春风吹酒醒，微冷。山头斜照却相迎。
回首向来萧瑟处，归去！也无风雨也无晴。

TUNE: CALMING WIND AND WAVES

Listen not to the rain beating against the trees.
Why don't you slowly walk and chant with ease?
Better than saddled horse I like sandals and cane,
Oh, I would fain,
In a straw cloak, spend my life in mist and rain.
Drunk, I am sobered by vernal wind shrill
And rather chill.
In front I see the slanting sun atop the hill;
Turning my head, I find the dreary beaten track.
Let me go back!
Impervious to wind, rain or shine, I'll have my will.

----------------

念奴娇

大江东去，浪淘尽千古风流人物。
故垒西边，人道是三国周郎赤壁，
乱石崩云，惊涛裂岸，卷起千堆雪。
江山如画，一时多少豪杰！
遥想公瑾当年，小乔初嫁了，雄姿英发。
羽扇纶巾，谈笑间樯橹灰飞烟灭。
故国神游，多情应笑我早生华发。
人间如梦，一尊还酹江月。

TUNE: CHARM OF A MAIDEN SINGER

The endless river eastward flows;
With its huge waves are gone all those
Gallant heroes of bygone years.
West of the ancient fortress appears
Red Cliff where General Zhou won his early fame
When the Three Kingdoms were in flame.
Rocks tower in the air and waves beat on the shore,
Rolling up a thousand heaps of snow.
To match the land so fair, how many heroes of yore
Had made great show!
I fancy General Zhou at the height
Of his success, with a plume fan in hand,
In a silk hood, so brave and bright,
Laughing and jesting with his bride so fair,
While enemy ships were destroyed as planned
Like castles in the air.
Should their souls revisit this land,
Sentimental, his bride would laugh to say:
Younger than they, I have my hair turned grey.
Life is but like a dream.
O moon, I drink to you who have seen them on the stream.

来源：英语点津