The University of Ghana (UG) on Thursday, July 7, 2022 received an award at the First World Kiswahili Day Celebrations held at the Julius Nyerere Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for “being the first University to teach Swahili in Africa”.
The University was recognised for its vital contribution to the development of Kiswahili in Africa through its Kiswahili Section of the Department of Modern Languages. UG has consistently taught courses in the Kiswahili language, literature, and culture since 1964 and it has produced many distinguished Kiswahili scholars who are contributing to the development of the language all over the world. The University is immensely proud of the Kiswahili Section on the receipt of this award.
The award received by the University of Ghana
The Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H. E. Dr. Philip Mpango who presented the award also recognised the commitment of the first President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for his aspiration to unify Africa through one continental language - Kiswahili.
Ghana, through its premier University, was the first nation in Africa to teach Kiswahili at the university level. Two other institutions which received awards along with the University of Ghana were the Humboldt University in Germany which was the first institution in the World to teach Kiswahili and the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which has promoted the use of Kiswahili in many significant ways. On November 23, 2021, UNESCO declared the 7th of July to be marked as World Kiswahili Day. Kiswahili is the only African language declared by the United Nations to be celebrated on a specific day every of the year.
