diff --git a/happening.py b/happening.py
index 1ae82212e..1787ee903 100644
--- a/happening.py
+++ b/happening.py
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ from utils import get_status_number
 from utils import get_full_domain
 from utils import text_in_file
 from utils import remove_eol
-from utils import is_arabic
 from filters import is_filtered
 from context import get_individual_post_context
 from session import get_method
@@ -289,9 +288,6 @@ def get_todays_events(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
                 if content:
                     if not _event_text_match(content, text_match):
                         continue
-                    if content_language != 'ar':
-                        if is_arabic(content):
-                            content_language = 'ar'
 
             public_event = is_public_post(post_json_object)
 
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 0768dafc3..e5e0286c9 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ from follow import clear_followers
 from follow import send_follow_request_via_server
 from follow import send_unfollow_request_via_server
 from siteactive import site_is_active
-from utils import is_arabic
 from utils import remove_inverted_text
 from utils import remove_square_capitals
 from utils import standardize_text
@@ -7639,16 +7638,6 @@ def _test_reply_language(base_dir: str) -> None:
     assert not get_reply_language(base_dir, post_json_object)
 
 
-def _test_is_arabic() -> None:
-    print('is_arabic')
-    test = "Some English. هذا نص عربي"
-    assert is_arabic(test)
-    test = "Some English"
-    assert not is_arabic(test)
-    test = ""
-    assert not is_arabic(test)
-
-
 def run_all_tests():
     base_dir = os.getcwd()
     print('Running tests...')
@@ -7666,7 +7655,6 @@ def run_all_tests():
     _test_checkbox_names()
     _test_thread_functions()
     _test_functions()
-    _test_is_arabic()
     _test_reply_language(base_dir)
     _test_emoji_in_actor_name(base_dir)
     _test_uninvert()
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index afb505102..a3f4723df 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -219,23 +219,6 @@ def get_content_from_post(post_json_object: {}, system_language: str,
     return standardize_text(content)
 
 
-def is_arabic(content: str) -> bool:
-    """Returns true if the given text contains arabic
-    """
-    if not content:
-        return False
-    result = re.sub(r'[^0-9\u0600-\u06ff\u0750-\u077f' +
-                    '\ufb50-\ufbc1\ufbd3-\ufd3f\ufd50-' +
-                    '\ufd8f\ufd50-\ufd8f\ufe70-\ufefc\uFDF0-\uFDFD]+',
-                    ' ', content)
-    if result:
-        result = result.strip()
-        # more than a third of the content
-        if len(result) > len(content) / 3:
-            return True
-    return False
-
-
 def get_language_from_post(post_json_object: {}, system_language: str,
                            languages_understood: [],
                            content_type: str = "content") -> str:
diff --git a/webapp_calendar.py b/webapp_calendar.py
index 2e27a5406..5d34883d8 100644
--- a/webapp_calendar.py
+++ b/webapp_calendar.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ __module_group__ = "Calendar"
 import os
 from datetime import datetime
 from datetime import date
-from utils import is_arabic
 from utils import get_display_name
 from utils import get_config_param
 from utils import get_nickname_from_actor
@@ -231,7 +230,6 @@ def _html_calendar_day(person_cache: {}, translate: {},
                                 event_place = event_map
 
             # prepend a link to the sender of the calendar item
-            orig_event_description = event_description
             if sender_name and event_description:
                 # if the sender is also mentioned within the event
                 # description then this is a reminder
@@ -259,9 +257,6 @@ def _html_calendar_day(person_cache: {}, translate: {},
                     translate['Delete this event'] + '" src="/' + \
                     'icons/delete.png" /></a></td>\n'
 
-            if event_language != 'ar' and orig_event_description:
-                if is_arabic(orig_event_description):
-                    event_language = 'ar'
             is_rtl = language_right_to_left(event_language)
 
             event_class = 'calendar__day__event'