The third edition of World Kiswahili Language Day was celebrated on July 5th, 2024, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris under the theme "Kiswahili: Education and Culture of Peace."

• Kiswahili is one of the most widely used languages of the African family, and the most widely spoken in sub-Saharan Africa.
• It is among the 10 most widely spoken languages in the world, with more than 230 million speakers.

History

• The General Conference of UNESCO, at its 41st session of the General Conference in 2021 adopted resolution 41 C/61 that recognized the role the Kiswahili language plays in promoting cultural diversity, creating awareness and fostering dialogue .
• The resolution proclaimed 7 July of each year as World Kiswahili Language Day. Kiswahili is the first African language to the recognized in such a manner by the UN.