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Midlands Bureau

THE UNESCO National Commission for Zimbabwe has appointed Professor Wiseman Magwa who is a Language Professor at the Midlands State University (MSU) to be Zimbabwe’s focal person on the Global Task Force (GTF) for indigenous languages.

“Professor, you have been nominated by the Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO to be Zimbabwe’s Focal Person on the Global Taskforce for Indigenous languages. You might recall that in 2020, the Natcom reached out to you regarding this issue, and your CV was subsequently submitted to UNESCO. I wish you a fruitful time in the Taskforce,” reads an appointment letter from Ms Margaret Chirapa, secretary general of Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2019, set aside the period 2022-2032 as the international decade of indigenous languages (IDIL) and invited UNESCO to serve as the lead agency for the international decade.

Subsequently, an international governance mechanism called GTF was established to provide strategic direction and oversight in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of progress made towards the attainment of the objectives of the IDIL.

The GTF as an international governance mechanism ensures equitable participation of all stakeholders in the IDIL and provides advice and guidance on planning and implementation of the Global Action Plan.

The Task Force has a steering committee made up of 19 representatives from UNESCO member states.

The steering committee is therefore a part of the GTF which provides strategic direction and guidance to the organization of IDIL 2022-2032.

Following the rotation principle among the members of the steering committee members are only appointed for a tenure lasting three years.

Zimbabwe as a member of the steering committee for the current tenure of three years has appointed Professor Magwa to represent the country as a language expert and focal person in the GTF steering committee which has a responsibility to advise at the global level issues to do with goals, objectives and desired outcomes and outputs of the IDIL.

Simply put, the GTF provides strategic direction and oversight in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the Global Action Plan for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

Prof Magwa is the former executive director of the MSU National Language Institute and former Vice Chancellor of the Reformed Church University.

He is currently the national spokesperson and board member of the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) and a member of the National Language Advisory Committee (NALAC).

Prof Magwa has published extensively with a total of 30 books and 102 published articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers.