SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s resolution to explore introduction of Arabic as a foreign language option in school has been adopted by the Senate.
“Arabic is spoken in the homes of hundreds of thousands of Illinois families,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “These students deserve the opportunity to develop and formalize their heritage language in our public schools.”
According to the United Nations, Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, spoken by more than 400 million people and is one of the UN’s six official languages. According to Bloomberg Business, Arabic is one of the most useful languages for business in the world, potentially opening opportunities for students who learn to speak it.
"Arabic is a language the federal government itself recognizes as critical to our national future,” said Guzmán. “This resolution is a statement that Illinois is prepared to lead.”
Senate Joint Resolution 50 has been adopted by the Senate.
