A celebration of the culture and history of Bangladesh to mark International Mother Language Day.
The Project
This is a project in partnership with the Bangladeshi Welfare Association, together with other Bangladeshi groups based in Portsmouth. The Bangladeshi community in the city is estimated at 6,000 – 10,000 but is quite isolated from the mainstream and almost invisible in public life.
Bangla is the official language of Bangladesh. The people of former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, defended their language when the Pakistani government imposed Urdu as the state language in 1952. On 21 February 1952 there were violent riots and this date is commemorated and remembered by the people of Bangladesh both at home and all over the world.
In 1999 21st February was declared International Mother Language Day by UNESCO.
The event at the New Theatre Royal on 20 February 2011 will celebrate the culture and history of Bangladesh with performances by poets, musicians and dancers. A prominent female member of the Bangladeshi community in Britain will open the event. The performances will be in Bangla, Sylheti and English, it will act as a focus for other activities. These will include: a seminar on women in public life with local Bangladeshi women; a series of workshops for young people to develop dance, music and poetry performances.
Funded by Portsmouth City Council’s Safer Portsmouth Partnership.
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