29th November 2022
Amb. Nyule Ngumbao, Deputy Head of Mission, joined participating members of the African Diplomatic Corps as a Judge of the 32nd Swahili Speech Contest that was held on 27th November 2022 at Soka University, Tokyo.
The theme of this year’s contest was “Ufunguo wa dunia yenye Amani umo kiganjani mwako” that saw 3 participants showcase their mastery of the Swahili language through their individual presentations to the attending judges and visitng members of the public.
As a component of the cultural pillar of Kenya’s Foreign Policy, Swahili language is appreciated the language of Ubuntu with a growing global audience. The announcement by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designating 7th July as World Kiswahili Language Day and the adoption of Swahili as an official working language of the African Union in February 2022 are some of the milestones achieved towards promotion, preserving and celebrating the diverse African heritage.
The contest is organized annually by the Pan African Friendship Society of Soka University and is aimed at promoting cross cultural understanding and exchanges while carrying on the principles and ideals of the founder of Soka University, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda.