Why am I seeing squares instead of the desired language characters?

Why am I seeing squares instead of the desired language characters?

Whenever squares are shown instead of the desired characters, it is a sign that a required font is not been used. The right font may not be installed in the system or the wrong font, which does not contain the required characters, is assigned to the text.

To solve the problem, first ensure that the required font is installed in the system. Second, set the locale and fonts in Tools-Options-Language Settings-Language and Tools-Options-OpenOffice.org Writer [Drawing, Impress, etc]-Basic Fonts (Western, Asian).