Promote cultures, Japanese envoy urges Batswana

SHINGIRAI MADONDO
Correspondent | Thursday October 4, 2012 00:00

 

In his speech as guest speaker at the Domboshaba Festival of Culture and History last Saturday, Kobayashi expressed pleasure upon seeing the Bakalanga people taking an initiative and hoped the inventiveness was something that is widespread amongst various communities in Botswana.

'The beautiful cultures of Botswana are a priceless resource that can contribute meaningfully to economic diversification through tourism, arts and craft as well as increased employment opportunities. 'Language plays an important role in education and development.

It is the best way to disseminate vital information to all facets of our diverse societies, promoting knowledge and understanding of our day-to-day affairs and challenges,' said the ambassador. Kobayashi said language provides effective communication that enables people to have a common understanding of important issues and allows them to make informed decisions, contributing meaningfully to societies.

The 13th edition of Domboshaba Festival was held under the theme: Mother Tongue Instruction and Inclusive Education. He said the theme for the event highlighted the significance of language as a form of communication, social integration, education and development.

'Language is also a source of pride and embodies the world's rich tapestry of cultural diversity,' said the Japanese envoy. However, due to an array of factors, many languages around the world were increasingly under threat or at the risk of disappearing altogether, he added.

In this respect, Kobayashi said the various languages spoken in Botswana were not exceptions, saying it is the duty of speakers of the so-called minority languages to safeguard their existence through events like Domboshaba Festival.

Thelma Chaya, a senior culture officer in the Department of Arts and Culture at Masunga, said people's culture 'begins at household level firstly through transmission of a language and other necessities to children'. 'Be encouraged to appreciate that culture forms the identity of a person and that it will always be unique from people to people and society to society,' she said.

Most of all, Chaya said, language was at the heart of any culture.