Tanzania to host int'l language, culture festival

Tanzania is to host the International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC), which is meant to promote Swahili, the widely spoken language in east and central African region.

It is estimated that a total number of Swahili speakers vary widely, from 60 million to over 150 million. Swahili serves as a national language of four nations-- Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The festival is to be held in Tanzania's busiest commercial capital Dar es Salaam, according to the organizers.

Habib Miradji is one of the IFLC organizers from Kilimanjaro Dialogue Institute (KDI), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) that deals with intercultural and interfaith-based issues through dialogue.

"This unique festival will be held on May 28, this year, whereby 16 countries from across the globe are expected to take part," the organizers said.

He cited countries which are to be represented at IFLC as Tanzania, Rwanda, Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, and Morocco. Others are the U.S., Albania, India, Azerbaijan, Peru, France, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Ukraine and Romania.

"Apart from promoting Kiswahili, the festival will also promote African culture, economy, trade and tourist attractions," he said, schoolchildren will also showcase their talents.

Others issues include promoting regional peace and stability.

He said IFLC unites people, especially youth, of different nationalities and eradicates separations caused by race, religion, nationality, financial backgrounds and political differences which would otherwise bring about conflict and bloodshed.

"At the summit, the participants will also exchange views and experience... there will be professionals, journalists and academician, religious leaders, politicians." Endit