Speaking at the commemoration, the President said, "The writing down of the Somali
language 42 years ago is one of the most important milestones in the history of
Somalia. Our language links all Somali people in Somalia, across the Horn of Africa
and throughout the world.

"Developing and continuing to use a mother tongue is very important. Nations like
China and Japan have deliberately educated their people in their own languages,
which has had a huge positive impact politically, economically and
development-wise.”

The President underscored the importance of the Somali language by instructing all
Somali institutions to use Somali as their official language of communication,
saying, "We need to protect and promote our language. From this point on, all
internal documentation should be drafted in Somali, rather than another foreign
language.” The President said that the use of foreign languages in government
offices should be used appropriately, for example, for external communication
purposes with foreign institutions, countries and partners.

The President announced the creation of a regional language academy for preserving
and progressing the Somali language: "Soon we will lay the foundation of the
building of a new regional Somali language academy in Mogadishu to serve all the
Somali people living in this region. I would like to thank President Ismail Omar
Gelle of Djibouti for promoting the Somali, and supporting the establishment of the
regional language academy to be opened in Somalia- acknowledging that our country is
the mother of developing and promoting the Somali language.”

The President also urged the preparation and implementation of a national Somali
language curriculum, adding that efforts to realize these initiatives are underway.
"We need to have our own curriculum in Somali language. As you know, the program of
developing and modernising our curriculum was affected by the civil war. Now the
time has come to realise our dreams of having a national curriculum in our language;
a curriculum that will prepare the next generation to support the Somali-led and
owned development of our country.”

The President called for the re-building and celebration of historical and cultural
monuments, including museums, libraries and national commemoration monuments
destroyed during the civil war.

ENDS

Daud Aweis

Spokesman,

Office of the President

Federal Republic of Somalia

Email: daweis@presidency.gov.so