Canada’s province of British Columbia declared June 22 as Swahili Community Day.
This was in recognition of the contributions made by Swahili-speaking people from Eastern and South Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi, Zanzibar, Comoros and Democratic Republic of Congo.
This, the declaration noted, recognises the importance of multilingualism and multiculturalism by promoting international understanding and unity in diversity.
The theme of the Swahili Community Day also celebrated understanding, tolerance and dialogue, by embracing, exploring and enjoying the cultural heritage of the Swahili speaking community.
In June 2018, Vancouver’s Mayor, Gregor Robertson, proclaimed the week of June 22 as Swahili Community Day.
The inaugural celebration of this event took place at the Jambo Grill, an African Indian Restaurant on Kingsway Street in Vancouver.
