LOBAMBA – A workshop aimed at preserving and promoting SiSwati on digital platforms brought together students, academics, and cultural stakeholders at King Sobhuza II Park this week.
The event, a Wikipedia Editing and Translation Workshop, was organised in partnership with the Eswatini National Commission for UNESCO, the University of Eswatini (UNESWA), the Eswatini National Trust Commission, and the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources. The initiative aligns with UNESCO’s Decade of Indigenous Languages, which calls for urgent steps to safeguard linguistic diversity.
Participants included representatives from the Eswatini National Library and Archives, Babukisi, members of the SiSwati Language Board, civil society groups, and students from UNESWA, Ngwane Teachers’ College, and William Pitcher Teachers’ College.
Attendees received training on how to contribute SiSwati content to Wikipedia and translate existing articles, equipping them with digital tools to protect and grow indigenous knowledge online. The goal is to boost the visibility of SiSwati and local culture across global platforms, ensuring future generations have access to accurate, locally produced content.
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