The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) through its outreach unit, Centre for the Book in partnership with Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Es’kia Mphahlele Community Library, Gauteng Department of Education, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Pretoria, and Mzantsi Spelling Bee will celebrate International Mother Language Day (IMLD) in Kempton Park. IMLD was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999 and has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The date represents the day in 1952 when students, demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.

The theme for this year is “Towards Sustainable Future through Multilingual Education”. This theme is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education of the 2030 Agenda and emphasises the importance of appropriate languages of instruction, usually mother tongues, in the early years of schooling.

About 250 school learners from various schools around Ekurhuleni and other parts of Tshwane will form part of this momentous celebration. Learners will render items including news reading, poems, storytelling, Spelling Bee, and singing in their Mother languages.

Members of the media are invited as follows:
Nature of the event: Exhibition only
Date: Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Time: 10h00 to 14h00
Venue: Sammy Marks Square, Pretoria

Nature of the event: Formal programme with 250 school learners.

Date: Friday, 24 February 2017
Time: 9h00 to 14h00
Venue: Wynand Marias Hall next to Birchleigh Library, Kempton Park

To RSVP and arrange media interviews:
Muponisi Nkuna
National Library of South Africa
Tel: 012 401 9711
Cell: 083 471 0061

For media enquiries:
Jolene Shirley
Director: Communications, Marketing and Stakeholder Relations
National Library of South Africa
Tel: 012 401 9706
Cell: 083 465 2476