SANEGBAA (A National Conversation) – International Mother Language Day 2020

International Mother Language Day is observed every year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It was created by UNESCO (the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization) in order to promote the dissemination of mother tongues and a fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue. It is in light of this that the Bureau of Ghana Languages has created an annual Ghanaian Languages Festival called SANEGBAA to commemorate the UNESCO International Mother Language Day. With a successful history, the Bureau of Ghana Languages is prepared to present yet another outstanding festival this year.

The 2020 SANEGBAA promises to be bigger and better than last year. The festival is again designed to begin with screening of films well produced in the Ghanaian languages. This will be followed up with a Master class by the ace actor and Chairman of Ghana Film Authority, Mr. David Dontoh, on the topic “Effective Use of Ghanaian Languages in Ghanaian movies”. Again, the festival will host the Music legend Amamdzeba Brew in a conversation on the use of Ghanaian languages in producing International standard music. This event will host participants to different traditional games, folk tales, folk music, riddle & proverb contest, exhibition/sales of materials produced in Ghanaian languages and workshops on how to write and read in the Ghanaian languages and end with a grand conversation on effective use of Ghanaian languages in journalism to prevent violence.

One of the outstanding segments of this year’s edition among many is the launch of a book of translated poems of Prof. Lade Wosornu into 11 studied Ghanaian Languages. The poems include Desert Rivers and The Master Brewer and the recently WAEC selected Raider of the Treasure Trove which has been translated into Ga, Dangme, Ewe, Fante, Ashanti Twi, Akuapem Twi, Dagaare, Dagbani, Nzema. This is the first of the Bureau of Ghana Languages ‘Literary Legends’ Works Translation Project geared at translating literary works of great Ghanaian authors into as many Ghanaian languages as possible and also used as a means of promoting multi-lingualism.

Performances for the day will include drama by the Obra Akan Drama group, poetry performances by different spoken word artistes, storytelling, puppetry, cultural dance performances among others.

Supporters of this year’s edition are the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO and Yumvita.

VENUE: The Premises of the Bureau of Ghana Languages behind the 37 Military Hospital, Kawukudi

DATE: 21^ST FEBRUARY 2020

TIME: 10:30 am

For more information kindly contact:  +233 244 174 908 or +233 571 174 908.