INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY CELEBRATED AT WIGSTON LIBRARY, LEICESTERSHIRE
(Samaj Weekly)- International Mother Language Day celebrations held at Wigston Library in Leicestershire on Saturday 24th February was well attended and successful in which the first citizen of Oadby and Wigston and its leader, radio and tv presenters, singers, newspaper reporters and young people took part. Celebrations began with the Sikh prayer by Giani Jaswinder Singh.
The Mayor of Oadby and Wigston Councillor Rosemarie Adams pointed out that Punjabi Listeners Club has organised various programmes since its formation on 9 September 1995 such as a national level Punjabi language conference and Punjabi writing competition for young people. The mayor especially thanked Mr. Virk for putting so much personal time and effort in organising today’s event. As Mayor of the Borough, it is a pleasure to see how much hard work and dedication is put into making our Borough a great place to live and work. The Oadby and Wigston community has many different languages spoken within it and its great to know that we are such a diverse Borough living together as colleagues, teachers, mentors, and most importantly as friends.
Fran Wills of Leicestershire Libraries was unable to attend due to prior engagement sent the following message “Language shapes us as human beings throughout our lives and helping ensure multi-lingual education is a corner stone of our society is an important way to ensure that we continue to learn and develop a understanding of our world. Our mother tongue or first language, shapes who we are and how we respond to the world around us. Our language, both the written and spoken word, is the way we capture our learning and share it with the generations to come. Today you are surrounded by books that capture this learning , all of which are freely shared with those that wish to explore.
Learning another language provides a unique way to gain a better understanding of people from different places, it is also proven that bilingual people are more creative , perspective and can concentrate for longer. It is also true that hearing and reading your mother tongue , especially when far from home, is much more than a way to communicate information and ideas. It connects you powerfully and emotionally to your roots and feeds your soul. It is best to remember a quote from Nelson Mandela” If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language , that goes to his heart.”
Indy Samra founder of Apnapan Cancer Support Group has helped countless people and has translated leaflets into Punjabi language to assist those whose first language is Punjabi read her own written poem about Mother tongue.
MOTHER TONGUE by Indy Samra
Uprooted and made homeless.
With only a handful of belongings during India’s partition
Journeying to the other side of the border
The Invaluable possession one took was the mother tongue.
Sarhad Paar, Hamesha Mere Naal
Across the oceans to pastures new
The land is strange and alien.
My enthusiasm overflows within
Whenever I meet souls from my soil
As we enjoy a chat and share banter
Samundaro Paar, Hamesha Mere Naal
As time goes on
Settling in this land and embracing it as my home
It has been challenging and difficult at times.
Wondering why am I destined on this path
My mother tongue is mine for eternity.
This gives me comfort and brings me peace.
Maa Boli, Hamesha Mere Naal
It is heart breaking and saddens me to see.
The mother tongue slowly dwindling away.
Nurture and encourage preserving it.
This is inheritance from our ancestors.
Let’s take responsibility and pass this on for future generations.
Sambaal Ke Rakho Apni Maa Boli
Gurpreet Kaur BBC Radio Leicester’s Punjabi Programme Presenter 1992 to 2012 said she was grateful to God that she was chosen as the first Punjabi Programme Presenter. She read a song from Punjabi Song writer Harbans Sinh Jandu LittranWala about Punjabi Language. Audio messages from Dr. Jagtar Dhiman , Officiating Vice Chancellor Guru Kashi University Punjab India and Bhangra King Channi Singh of Alaap Group were played which were very much appreciated by all.
Famous Punjabi singer Daljit Neer appealed to Punjabi writers and singers to write and sing songs that can be listened to in front of family members. He sang a song by Baba Nazmi. Harbhajan Singh Gawera from Guru Amar Das Gurdwara said these type of events are very important and we must do much as possible to promote our mother language Punjabi. The event provided activities for young people to connect with their language and roots.
Councillor Zuffar Haque shared his views about the language difficulties faced by his grandfather who came to UK in 1919 and his father who came to Leicester in 1950s and stressed Oadby and Wigston is better place to live where lots of different communities live happily side by side. Councillor Geoffery Kaufman was pleased to be invited and said that his language Hebrew faced similar issues as Punjabi Language.
Leader of Oadby and Wigston Samia Haque presented trophies to Kulbinder Singh Rai, Shinder Kaur Rai, Sangita Vig, G. Kaur Polly and Indy Samra for Services to Punjabi Language and Punjabi Goody Bags to the children. The Mayor, Leader and Councillor Kaufman were presented with A3 size colour laminated posters of ‘WELCOME’ in 75 languages. Every person who attended was given a box of chocolate. The celebrations were recorded by PTC NEWS International and shown on television on Sunday 25th February.
Event organiser Tarlochan Singh Virk, Co-Ordinator of Punjabi Listeners Club thanked Wigston Library and everyone for attending. Words of love are best said in one’s mother tongue language and each person on planet Earth should be proud of their Mother tongue language. Mother tongue loves you just like your mother. We should write notes, shopping lists, to do lists, small letters in mother tongue language. If we start to send messages in our mobiles in mother tongue language then we are doing our part in keeping our language alive.
