AU celebrates inaugural African Languages Week
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Executive Secretary of African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) Africa Union, Dr Lang Fàfa Dampha, has said that the objective of the inaugural edition of the African Languages Week was to demonstrate the indispensable role of African languages in the integration and sustainable peace and development of Africa. Dr Lang Dampha, who stated this in a release, noted that it would also promote the dynamics of African philosophies of life through the empowerment and use of African languages.
The week long celebration runs from January 24 to 30, 2022
The Executive Secretary opined that the celebration of African Languages Week would also be used to increase awareness and appreciation of African languages by looking at pragmatic ways of empowering and rendering them relevant to the lives of Africans.
“The African Languages Week is also geared to taking stock on how African languages are faring in the world of global languages so as to see where we stand in our language development endeavors.
“It is also a way of developing linguistic cooperation and exchange, and assessing the necessary and vital work of developing the languages and the work that still needs to be done.
“The commemoration will also determine ways and means of making African languages more functional, acceptable and part of the development discourse of Africans and African global citizenship,” he said.
Dampha explained that various activities were designed around making the African Languages Week 2022 a wonderful celebration, saying that ACALAN’s working structures in the AU member states would be expected to play a leading role in this regard.
He added that members of the African Languages Week Coordinating Committee, policy makers, resource persons, experts in African languages and key stake holders would take part in the activities.
“Representatives of the various Departments and Directorates of the African Union Commission and African Union Member States will also participate in including representatives of the Assembly of Academicians of ACALAN, Members of
ACALAN’s Secretariat and working structures, as well as members of the African Diaspora and institutions of culture and languages worldwide.
“Following the launch of the week, meetings will take place on 25 and 26 February in virtual plenaries and breakout sessions owing to the Covid pandemic to chart the path forward,” he said.
The Managing Director of CEOAFRICA, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, a member of African Languages Week Coordinating Committee (ALWCC), appreciated the Ministers of Culture of member States for endorsing the January 24 to January 30 of every year for African Languages Week .
He commended the ACALAN secretariat led by Executive Secretary, Dr Lang Fàfa Dampha for initiating this historic week calling on all Africans to support the use of African languages in all domain of life.
