CoLANGE Observes 2019 IMLD Celebration
The College of Languages Education (CoLANGE), Ajumako of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) in collaboration with the Bureau of Ghana Languages, Accra observed the 2019 International Mother Language Day (IMLD) at the Ceremonial Grounds, Ajumako Campus.
The IMLD, celebrated every year on 21st February, was held under the theme “Indigenous Languages Matter for Development, Peace Building and Reconciliation”. The Day is observed to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education.
Diverse cultural groups were in full display during the ceremony
Keynote Speaker and Dean, Centre for International Programmes (CIP), UEW, Prof. Yaw Sekyi-Baidoo in his Address, expressed worry over the yearly adherence of the IMLD without implementation of concrete measures to make the celebration worthwhile.
“Meetings of this nature year after year and talking about it is meaningless unless it is linked up with action after here which will enable the people who speak indigenous languages to know what to do and those who don’t speak to start speaking.
“My challenge is to move beyond the confines of academia and let academia just be the growing pot, the kitchen where the food is cooked but not where it is served. The service must be to the world and to the people who need to understand the things that we do.” The Dean, CIP said.
The College Registrar, CoLANGE, Mrs. Wilhelmina Tete-Mensah charged staff, students and the Ajumako community to champion the course of moving the activity beyond the walls of CoLANGE with the purpose of making a wider impact.
The Dean, Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education (FGLE), CoLANGE, Prof. Charles Owu-Ewie said the purpose of the gathering was to celebrate the 2019 Mother Tongue Day. “What we normally do is that you cannot talk about language without talking about the culture. So we blend our cultural week which we started last year with the Mother Tongue Day to display the language and the culture.”
Chairman for the occasion and Ag. Dean, Faculty of Foreign Languages Education and Communication, Dr. Andy Ofori-Birikorang appreciated professors and lecturers who have dedicated themselves to teach, promote and sustain Ghanaian languages. He extended his gratitude to the students studying Ghanaian languages and encouraged them to be proud of what they are studying. “When you learn mother tongue you learn about your culture, identity, wisdom, reasoning, maturity, diplomacy and sustainability.”
Speakers (from L-R) Dr. Andy Ofori-Birikorang, Prof. Yaw Sekyi-Baidoo, Mrs. Wilhelmina Tete-Mensah, Mr. Moses Abbleh and Prof. Charles Owu-Ewie
The ceremony forms part of the 2019 edition of the Cultural Week celebration of the FGLE. The Cultural Week celebration which started on Monday, 18th and ended on Friday, 22nd February, 2018 saw activities such as float, wearing of traditional attire, inter-departmental quiz competition, food fair, joint durbar and inter-departmental football competition.
Below are some highlights of the event.
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