Celebrating Mother Language Day
THEATRE in The Park, Harare will be a hive of activity this weekend as Chipawo joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Mother Language Day. This year’s festivities, themed “Towards sustainable futures through multilingual education”, will be held on February 25 and 26, with support from Unesco and the United Nations Information Centre.
Chipawo manager Chipo Basopo said the theme dovetailed well with Zimbabwe’s new education curriculum for primary and secondary schools.
The new curriculum promotes the use of local national languages from the earliest levels of formal education.
“It promotes the quality of education and learning achievement by laying emphasis on understanding and creativity, thereby creating sustainable futures for all based on Unesco’s Global Monitoring Report on Education 2016 theme,” said Basopo.
She explained that the annual celebrations helped give children a sense of identity.
“The celebrations have also given children pride to be able to express themselves in their mother tongue. Apart from that, children are able to value and hold onto our mother languages and learn from others as well.”
Basopo went on: “The children will on the 24th stage a Spanish play translated into Shona, titled ‘Mutambo Wapanyika-Tichatongwa’, by Pedro Calderon de la Barca. The play is about experiences one goes through in life; the different roles we play in the early world — how do you play them and in what ways do we play these roles? The play showcases the depth of the Shona language . . .
“The following day, the children will present traditional dances, traditional songs, totemic praises, children’s games, song, debates and discussions as well as a play that touches on the Sustainable Development Goals.”
There will also be workshops and a discussion on the importance of the significance of International Mother Language Day.
“Unesco regional director, Professor Hubert Gitzjen, and officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will be among the panellists at the event,” added Basopo.
Chipawo centres expected to be part of the two-day event are Norton, Chitungwiza, Harare, Domboshava and Bindura.
International Mother Language Day was launched on October 26, 1999 by Unesco at the Paris Conference following appreciation that languages were the best vehicles for mutual understanding and tolerance.