By Charles Mkoka
Tanzania’s Minister of Culture, Arts, and Sports, Damas Ndumbaro, recently spotlighted Swahili’s global reach, noting that over 100 new Swahili language centers worldwide have boosted both the language's prominence and cultural respect. This expansion has opened diverse job opportunities in fields like translation, education, and interpretation, underscoring Swahili’s significant economic and cultural impact.
"Without Swahili, even writers would lack a voice," Ndumbaro emphasized, underlining the importance of journalism in honoring and promoting Swahili heritage. He added that Swahili's growth strengthens Tanzanian identity, with arts, music, and film showcasing Swahili worldwide.
Kiswahili’s formal integration into global platforms, including SADC, the African Union, and the United Nations, has further propelled it across continents. Ndumbaro praised Unesco’s 2021 decision to establish July 7 as World Swahili Language Day, celebrated globally, including at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
Now spoken by over 500 million people, Swahili ranks as the seventh most spoken language in the world. "Swahili is taught in more than 1,400 media outlets and over 100 universities worldwide," Ndumbaro noted, celebrating the language’s role as a unifying force for African liberation and identity.
This influence will be on display at the upcoming Swahili Language Festival in Havana, Cuba, from November 7-10, where President Samia Suluhu Hassan will serve as the guest of honor, joined by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The festival, themed "Swahili: Your Language," will gather 600 participants from Swahili-focused organizations, universities, and cultural institutions worldwide, reflecting robust global interest with over 1,500 applications.
Festival events will include workshops, presentations, and the launch of a Swahili-Spanish proverb book by the Swahili Council of Tanzania (Bakita) and a Swahili-Spanish dictionary from the University of Dar es Salaam. Also debuting is the Kilimanjaro Kiswahili Services AI platform, designed to make Swahili accessible while promoting Tanzania's tourism.
The celebration will include cultural performances, Swahili Night featuring traditional cuisine, dances, regional music, storytelling, and a Khanga Fashion Festival. Ndumbaro emphasized khanga’s cultural resonance, describing it as a Swahili emblem from birth through life—symbolizing the language’s deep roots in Tanzanian culture and showcased this year at Alliance Francaise in Dar es Salaam.