Promote and safeguard local languages - Van der Westhuisen

He said this during the commemoration of the National Languages Day commemoration held in Middlepits last week. “Experts have advised that languages face the risk of disappearing should nothing be done to promote and safeguard them. The commemoration of the National Languages Day therefore is indicative of Government commitment to ensure that local languages do not disappear from our cultural heritage,” said Van der Westhuisen.

He also said the National Policy on Culture identified the preservation and promotion of languages as a vehicle for cultural expression, adding that Vision 2016 also encouraged Batswana to uphold the spirit of unity, tolerance and respect through the appreciation of each other’s languages and culture. He added that this was in line with UNESCO’s goal of adopting sustainable national language policies to achieve linguistic diversity and multilingualism.