The Pendoring Indigenous Language Imbizo, which aims to celebrate the significance of indigenous languages in South Africa, is set to take place on November 19 at the UJ Arts Centre.
The event will bring together a diverse group of thought leaders, educators and tech innovators to explore the vital role that indigenous languages play in fostering cultural identity and social cohesion in a multicultural South Africa.
With a focus on technology, digital storytelling, and media, this year’s Imbizo emphasises the importance of preserving indigenous languages in the digital age.
This aligns with the broader mission of the 2024 Pendoring Awards: to celebrate and promote multilingualism, creativity, and innovation across South Africa’s linguistic landscape.
The 2024 Imbizo hopes to reflect the work of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages programme, a platform founded as the result of a UN resolution with the goal of preserving, promoting and uplifting indigenous languages throughout the world.
The 2024 Pendoring Imbizo is one of the events of this decade-long initiative, setting the tone for a conversation centred around the importance of indigenous dialogues. Although the event is freely accessible to the public, visitors will need to reserve a ticket.
Attendees of the Indigenous Language Imbizo can expect dynamic, thought-provoking sessions, including talks on AI and indigenous language preservation which will see industry experts discuss how artificial intelligence can support the documentation and revitalisation of indigenous languages.
Sessions will also be held discussing digital storytelling in indigenous languages which will explore how social media, podcasts, and online platforms are shaping the future of indigenous language preservation.
Visitors can also sit in on discussions of indigenous languages in South African media through which a panel will examine how South African TV, radio, and news platforms can create more space for indigenous languages.
The event will also feature presentations by finalists from the Indigenous Language Tech Challenge, highlighting innovative solutions for language preservation. The Pendoring Indigenous Language Imbizo is free to attend, but seats are limited.
Those wanting to secure their spot can do so by booking online at https://tickets.tixsa.co.za/event/pendoring-indigenous-language-imbizo. Following the Imbizo, all eyes will be on the prestigious Pendoring Awards, taking place on November 21.
As South Africa’s premier platform for promoting multilingual creativity in advertising and media, the Awards celebrate the power of language in storytelling and communication.
The Awards and Imbizo together are a reflection of Pendoring’s ongoing commitment to preserving and promoting indigenous languages across all sectors.
For more information, visit the Pendoring website at pendoring.co.za
The Pendoring Indigenous Language Imbizo is a proud partner of UNESCO, the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP), the Multilingual Language Services Office of the University of Johannesburg (MLSO), and SABC.
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