Arabic is one of the world’s most important languages and has been rated as one of the four most commonly spoken. It is the official language of 350 million people who enjoy a wide diversity of religious, economic, political and cultural backgrounds and perspectives. It is also one of the official languages of the United Nations. Arabic’s one billion Muslim speakers also recognise the significance of its traditional religious heritage.

The last two decades has seen an increasing demand from speakers of other languages to learn Arabic for a variety of reasons, including enhancing awareness of Arab culture and its rich heritage, or for purposes where the language is used in political, economic or other professional arenas.