UN Russian Language Day Date in the current year: June 6, 2024

The date of June 6 was chosen to commemorate Alexander Pushkin, a prominent Russian author who was born on this day in 1799. Pushkin is widely regarded as the greatest Russian poet of all time and is considered to be the founder of modern Russian literature.

Pushkin published his first poem at the age of 15, while studying at the Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo near Saint Petersburg. Many of his works are considered masterpieces. Pushkin's greatest works include (but are not limited to) the novel in verse “Eugene Onegin”, the drama “The Stone Guest”, the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. His literary legacy includes prose as well, for example, a series of short stories entitled “The Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin” and the historical novel “The Captains Daughter”.

Russian Language Day is an official nationwide observance in the Russian Federation. It was established by President Dmitry Medvedev in 2011. June 6 had been previously celebrated as Pushkin's Day since 1998.