During its inaugural Session on the 20^th and 21^st of last June, the Interim Governing Board of ACALAN validated the Regional Symposia on “National Policies: the role of cross-border languages and the place of lesser used languages in Africa “, co-organised with UNESCO, in partnership with OIF (French International Organisation), Swiss Cooperation, as well as other Institutions and which must contribute, among others, to the establishment of the working structures for the Academy. It took note of the West African Regional Symposium which was held in Bamako from the 16^th to the 17^th of May 2006 (read the general report; the programme; and the speeches at the opening ceremony: - speech (french) of Mr Adama Samassékou, President-Interim Executive Secretary of the Academy; - speech (french) of Mr Amidou Maïga, Projects Officer (OIF). For more details, just click here .

The newly fixed dates for the four other symposia will be communicated to the various countries.

For your information, I would like to give you a brief historical survey.

UNESCO and the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) have actually decided for some time, to conjugate their efforts in order to reinforce the development and promotion of African languages. They are thus organizing a series of Symposia in the different regions of Africa on the following topic: “National Policies: the role of cross-border languages and the place of lesser used languages”.

This decision has been formalized through a draft resolution initiated by ACALAN and submitted by Benin at the 33rd Session of UNESCO’s General Conference. This project, supported by Mali, Namibia, Island, and Tanzania was adopted by the General Conference.

Following this draft resolution, UNESCO’s General Conference has invited the Director General to organize under ACALAN’s supervision five (5) symposia in various areas of Africa, “considering the importance, the role and the contribution of African languages in family and school education in general and in the promotion of a literate environment, of democracy, and good governance, in particular, greatly looking forward to innovative experiences of using African languages in education in general and considering the necessity to support and make operational  national and sub-regional  policies aiming at strengthening the promotion of national languages and particularly cross-border and  lesser used  languages”.

You will find below all the documentation related to the Symposia:

• Background note of the Symposia
• Objectives and expected outcomes of the Symposia

You can also download the questionnaires and the reply form to be completed by all the countries according to regions:

• Form and questionnaire 1 and 2 for the Southern African Region;
• Form and questionnaire 1 and 2 for the Eastern African Region;
• Form and questionnaire 1 and 2 for the Central African Region;
• Form and questionnaire 1 and 2 the Nothern African Region.

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