Today, 16 November is the "day of the Icelandic tongue" (dagur íslenskrar tungu). It is a festival celebrated each year on this day in Iceland. This date was chosen to coincide with the birthday of the Icelandic poet Jónas Hallgrímsson.
In Autumn 1995, the Icelandic Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Björn Bjarnason, suggested that one day a year should be proposed to celebrate the Icelandic language, which has been well-preserved in its original form over the centuries, unlike most other languages; and the efforts to preserve this unique symbol of the country.
The goal of the day of the Icelandic tongue is to remind us of the importance of Icelandic language and to rejoice and celebrate its history, present and future.