
Kiswahili Language Day Celebrations: NMK Calls For Promotion of Swahili Culture.
The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) has announced that it is preparing for the world Kiswahili Language Day celebrations, which will take place on July 7, 2023.
The day has been set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to celebrate the Kiswahili language, which is a Bantu language with Arabic influences.
Kiswahili is the first African language to be recognized in this manner by the United Nations. It emerged from the contacts of Arabian traders with the inhabitants of the east coast of Africa over many centuries.
The Acting Director General (DG) of NMK, Stanvas Ongalo, has launched a series of curtain-raiser activities in the run-up to the celebrations, which will be held at the Swahili Pot Hub in Mombasa County.
Ongalo highlighted the importance of Kiswahili as one of the official languages of the African Union (AU), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and East African Community (EAC).
He said that the language is an indispensable tool in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and facilitating regional integration. The annual festival would be a stage to showcase the time-honored Swahili culture and heritage.
NMK will collaborate with local Community Based Organizations and the Mombasa Old Town community to organize lavish celebrations on July 7, 2023, at the NMK Heritage Training Institute (NMKHTI) formerly Swahili Culture Centre.
The aim is to highlight the importance of Kiswahili language globally and to revive dying traditional Swahili cuisine and handicrafts.
The mission of the annual celebration is to promote the use of Kiswahili language as a beacon for unity, peace and enhanced multiculturalism.
Ongalo emphasized that Swahili is among the 10 most widely spoken languages in the world, with more than 200 million speakers mostly in Africa and the Middle East.
Over the centuries, this Bantu language has emerged as a common form of communication in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to the Middle East. Swahili speakers are spread out in more than 14 countries.
The NMK is excited that Swahili has become the first African language to be honored by the United Nations.
The international day would be celebrated by all stakeholders, recognizing the global relevance of Kiswahili as a language of global communication and one that is growing in stature.
The theme for this year’s event would be “Kiswahili for Peace, Cohesion and Integration” by embracing, exploring, and enjoying the cultural heritage of the Swahili speaking communities.
The Swahili Heritage Training Institute Coordinator, Khalid Kitito, says the annual festival would be marked in a big way and would bring together Swahili speakers and enthusiasts.
The weeklong celebrations will showcase the richness of the Swahili language and culture, celebrating Swahili arts, cuisine, crafts, henna paintings, poetry, music, and literature.
The festival provides an opportunity for Swahili speakers and enthusiasts to come together to network and celebrate their shared love for the language and culture.
Dr. Ahmed Yassin, a researcher with NMK, says that the original dialects of Kiswahili are fast getting lost, hence they should be reclaimed and revived fast. He emphasized the need to promote unity in diversity, understanding, tolerance, and dialogue.
There are three important dialects of Kiunguja, spoken in Zanzibar and in the mainland areas of Tanzania; Kimvita, spoken in Mombasa and other areas of Kenya; and Kiamu, spoken on the island of Lamu and adjoining parts of the coast.
Kiswahili Language Day Celebrations: NMK Calls For Promotion of Swahili Culture.