Every year on July 7, the world celebrates Kiswahili Day, an occasion designated by UNESCO in 2022 to honor Kiswahili as a powerful symbol of African identity, spoken by more than 350 million people globally.
In Africa, Kiswahili is recognized as a cultural bridge that unites the continent. In 2019, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) declared it the only African language to hold official status within the bloc.
Today, countries including South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, and Ethiopia have incorporated Kiswahili into school curricula as part of an effort to bring Africa together—a vision first articulated by Tanzania’s founding father, the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, in the 1960s.
Under President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania’s Sixth Phase Government is advancing this vision with new initiatives to promote Kiswahili, including the ambitious concept of “commoditizing Kiswahili” to enhance its global reach and influence.
On July 6, 2023, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa urged government ministries responsible for Kiswahili to fully implement strategies for promoting the language at home and abroad. “Create opportunities for Tanzanians to teach Kiswahili in various countries around the world. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that Kiswahili grows and develops,” Majaliwa stated.
One of the government’s key initiatives for spreading Kiswahili globally is the establishment of an International Kiswahili Symposium, marking a milestone in this mission.
Held for the first time in Havana, Cuba, the symposium underscores Tanzania’s commitment to sharing Kiswahili with the world.
At the symposium’s opening, Tanzania’s Minister of Culture, Arts, and Sports, Dr. Damas Ndumbaro, explained the choice of Cuba for this historic event.
“Tanzania played a central role in Africa’s liberation movements, where Kiswahili was a unifying language. As we now strive for economic liberation across Africa and seek closer ties with the Caribbean, we believe Kiswahili will enhance communication and cooperation in integration, trade, tourism, and investment across Africa,” he noted.
Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, also encouraged Tanzanians to embrace the growing opportunities Kiswahili’s expansion brings.
“With approximately 350 million speakers today and growing, we must proudly carry this torch,” Kombo emphasized.
The launch of the symposium in Cuba also featured the debut of a Spanish-to-Kiswahili Dictionary, a guide for daily expressions in both languages, and the unveiling of a statue of Tanzania’s founding father, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
These events highlight the historical ties between Tanzania and Cuba, founded by Mwalimu Nyerere and the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro.