The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Minister Nathi Mthethwa invites the members of media to the launch of the international decade of indigenous languages roadmap. The launch will take place on Tuesday, 11 October 2022 at Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History.

Hosted in partnership with the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History, and Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the purpose of the launch is to map out a plan of action that should guide in the development and promotion of our indigenous languages as prescribed in the International Decade of Indigenous Languages objectives.

United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2022-2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. In proclaiming this Decade, the international community is recognising that indigenous people represent a distinct group whose human right to language should be promoted and protected.

As part of thelLaunch, Minister Mthethwa will also officially handover the N|uu and Nama dictionary to the 89-year-old Ouma Katrina Esau, one of the remaining fluent speakers. Considered the original language of Southern Africa, N|uu and Nama are widely recognised by the UN as a critically endangered language.

Source: Government of South Africa