World Kiswahili broadcasting convention next Monday

The National Kiswahili Council will hold its second worldwide Kiswahili broadcasting media convention for four days beginning Monday.

The convention was held for the first time in 1980?s when Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam was marking its 50th anniversary.

The theme of the meeting this time will be `Kiswahili for Cooperation and Solidarity`.

Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Executive Secretary, Dr Anna Kishe, said the conference takes place on 12 to 15 November this year, at the Mwalimu Nyerere grounds along Kilwa Road in Dar es Salaam.

She said the aim of the meeting would be to sensitise other countries using Kiswahili in their broadcasting to increase the number of Kiswahili programmes and make proper use of the language.

She said the conference would share experiences on how Kiswahili language could be improved through electronic media.

Dr Kishe said that the convention would also help strengthen cooperation between the local electronic media and foreign media.

On the same day, the National Kiswahili Council would be marking its 40th years anniversary, she said.

She said since its establishment in 1967, the National Kiswahili Council had managed to improve the language within Tanzania and outside.

So far, there were 16 radio stations broadcasting in Kiswahili in Africa and 11 others outside the continent.

Participants to the conference would be radio and television presenters from different stations broadcasting in Kiswahili. Each station would be represented by two people, she said.

So far, about 21 local stations and 10 radio and television stations from outside had confirmed their participation.

Dr Kishe said there would also be exhibitions of Kiswahili books.

The University of Dar es Salaam would demonstrate to participants how Kiswahili could be used to surf in the internet.

Best radios and television in broadcasting Kiswahili would be given tokens of recognition, she concluded.