Afram Publications Limited has marked this year’s International Mother Language Day with a multilingual reading event at Theorose School in Tantra Hills, Accra, encouraging pupils to embrace and preserve Ghana’s indigenous languages.

The annual observance, celebrated globally on February 21, was proclaimed in 1999 by UNESCO to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

The day emphasises the importance of language in safeguarding cultural heritage, promoting sustainable development and fostering peaceful societies.

Speaking at the event on Monday, February 23, the Sales and Marketing Manager of Afram Publications, Dr Kwabena Ekremet, explained that the programme was organised to reinforce the value of mother tongues in education and national identity.

“It’s a UNESCO programme aimed at preserving our cultural heritage through languages,” he said.

“International Mother Language Day is used to promote our mother languages. We have so many languages in Ghana and across the world, yet it seems we focus on only a few that we study and use for most activities. Our languages are very important. We need to preserve them because they bond us.”

He shared a personal experience of travelling abroad and unexpectedly meeting someone who spoke his Ghanaian language, describing the excitement and sense of belonging it created.

“When you travel, and you meet someone who speaks your language, you feel excited. I once travelled outside Ghana, and someone greeted me in my language. I was surprised and happy because I did not expect to meet any Ghanaian there. That connection shows how powerful language can be,” he recounted.

The highlight of the celebration was a reading session during which pupils read aloud from Afram Publications storybooks in different languages, including English, Ga, Ewe and Asante Twi.

The exercise demonstrated both the richness of Ghana’s linguistic diversity and the challenges some pupils face when reading in their native tongues.

“We are not used to reading in our local languages, so sometimes it is difficult for the children. You could see that some of them struggle,” the Sales and Marketing Manager noted.

“That is why we organised this programme — to promote reading in our local languages, so that schools and parents will begin to buy these books and encourage their use.”

Particular attention was given to the book Small Went Walking, which has been published in multiple languages.

Physical copies are currently available in English, French, Ga, Twi and Ewe, while Dagari and Dagbani versions are available online, with plans underway to produce printed editions.

By publishing the same title in several languages, Afram aims to show that local languages can be used effectively in quality children’s literature, just as English and French are.

The Sales and Marketing Manager revealed that although Theorose School regularly purchases Afram’s English readers and storybooks, it has not traditionally bought many local language titles.

However, he expressed optimism that the event had generated renewed interest.

“Theorose buys our books every year — they buy a lot of our readers and storybooks. So we thought it was a good time to come here and hold this programme. From what I’m seeing, they are becoming interested in our local language books as well,” he said.

As part of the celebration, Afram Publications donated copies of the books read during the event to the school and pledged to supply additional readers free of charge.

The gesture was intended both as appreciation for hosting the programme and as practical support for expanding local language literacy within the school.

He noted that the outreach forms part of Afram Publications’ annual commemoration of International Mother Language Day.

Last year’s event was held at Victory Presbyterian School, with Theorose School selected as this year’s venue in recognition of its continued patronage of the publisher’s materials.