In accordance with the (16 May 2007) the United Nations General Assembly proclamation of the International Year of Languages in 2008, the Arabic Language International Council was established by the Arab universities association. The organization was formed within the framework of the UN's effort to promote Unity in diversity, and also in recognition of the UN's push for multilingualism as a means of promoting, protecting and preserving the diversity of languages and cultures globally, particularly in the paramount importance attributed to the quality of the organization's six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish).