KABRAZEN PODCAST CELEBRATES WORLD KISWAHILI LANGUAGE DAY 2023
THEME: UNLEASHING KISWAHILI’S POTENTIAL IN THE DIGITAL ERA
In celebration of the 2023 World Kiswahili Language Day, KaBrazen podcast presents the first bilingual children’s podcast in English and Kiswahili produced and developed in Nairobi, Kenya featuring digital stories of brazen African women. Launching this upcoming series is the KaSpecial: Celebration of World Kiswahili Day 2023 which is a special bilingual episode of the KaBrazen podcast which is presented in English and Kiswahili.
Listen to a preview:
Directed and produced by Kenyan content house, The LAM Sisterhood (Laura Ekumbo, Aleya Kassam and Anne Moraa), this release is hailed as one of the continent's most pioneering podcast innovations as it aims to celebrate and appreciate the Kiswahili language which is spoken by nearly 300 million users around the world by bringing engaging African female hero stories to children using the podcast digital format.
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The United Nations General Assembly, through its resolution 71/328 of 11 September 2017, on multilingualism, welcomed implementation of a day dedicated to each of its official languages in order to inform and raise awareness of their history, culture and use, and encouraged the Secretary-General and institutions such as UNESCO to consider extending this important initiative to other non-official languages spoken throughout the world.In that regard, the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO adopted resolution 41 C/61 that recognized the role the Kiswahili language plays in promoting cultural diversity, creating awareness and fostering dialogue among civilizations and noted the need to promote multilingualism as a core value of the United Nations and an essential factor in harmonious communication between peoples, which promotes unity in diversity and international understanding, tolerance and dialogue. The resolution proclaimed 7 July of each year as World Kiswahili Language Day. Kiswahili is the first African language to be recognized in such a manner by the UN.
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KaBrazen Podcast is a production by the LAM Sisterhood. Its mission is to fill the world with stories for African women to feel seen, heard and beloved.
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The ACP-EU Ignite Culture programme is a project that promotes cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP) regions. The programme provides financial and technical support to cultural entrepreneurs, artists, and creative businesses, to develop innovative and sustainable business models, products, and services. In Eastern Africa, it is implemented by the British Council and HEVA Fund with technical support from the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States and funded by the European Union. This Grant has enabled Kiswahili production, marketing and distribution of the first season of the KaBrazen Podcast.
KaSpecial: Celebration of World Kiswahili Day 2023.
This incredibly interactive, educational and celebratory podcast episode airs on Friday 7th July 2023 on all podcast platforms in celebration of World Kiswahili Language Day
“We celebrate all the languages and stories that exist in the world and we cannot wait to take you with us on this special, adventurous KaBrazen journey in Kiswahili!” says Laura Ekumbo of The LAM Sisterhood who co-developed KaBrazen podcast and voices Aunt Shishi, the English language storyteller.
Listeners can look forward to an engaging episode filled with inspiring and insightful words from the KaBrazen podcast hosts in English and Kiswahili. In addition, for audiences looking to learn more about multilingual children’s podcasting or attend a future live performance of the KaBrazen podcast, they will have an opportunity to sign up here. Event slots are limited, thus interested parties are encouraged to sign up early.
Learners and educators of the Kiswahili language can appreciate the multilingual episode for their classrooms and other learning settings. Presented by the world renowned The LAM Sisterhood, sound engineered in Nairobi at Za Kikwetu Production studios, the story of Mekatilili wa Menza, a fearless Kenyan woman leader will inspire, engage and entertain in a bite-size episode in honor of World Kiswahili Language Day.
“I am happy to be a part of KaBrazen because it feels like breathing life into something that is uniquely ours as Africans. That through the stories we tell, little ones all over the world will hopefully draw inspiration to courageously be whoever they choose to be. And out of the endless why(s) that life throws at me, leaving a mark in their lives through KaBrazen counts for something” says Afrikan Nduta, a Kenyan creative and Kiswahili voice artist who voices Tata Nduta who is the Kiswahili narrator for the KaBrazen podcast.
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This much-awaited event has also brought about a major collaboration for both KaBrazen Consortium and ACP-EU Ignite Culture, as KaBrazen Consortium partnered with ACP-EU Ignite Culture grant makers. For them, supporting this podcast made for the perfect partnership. KaBrazen podcast has partnered with Za Kikwetu Productions and Africa Podfest to form the KaBrazen Consortium. KaBrazen Consortium was competitively selected for the ACP-EU Ignite Culture 2022-24 Grant.
The ACP-EU Ignite Culture programme is a project that promotes cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP) regions. The programme provides financial and technical support to cultural entrepreneurs, artists, and creative businesses, to develop innovative and sustainable business models, products, and services. In Eastern Africa, it is implemented by the British Council and HEVA Fund with technical support from the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States and funded by the European Union. This Grant has enabled Kiswahili production, marketing and distribution of the first season of the KaBrazen Podcast.