Advancing Multilingualism at UCT

The first quarter of 2026 marked a vibrant and impactful period for language-related initiatives at the University of Cape Town, led by the Multilingualism Education Project (MEP). A series of events and collaborations highlighted the importance of multilingualism in education, research, and society.

In celebration of International Mother Language Day, UCT hosted its own institutional event on 27 February 2026, bringing together staff, students, and partners to reflect on the role of language in inclusion and transformation. Earlier that week, on 21 February, MEP also participated in a spelling bee hosted by the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), where Grade 4 learners showcased their IsiXhosa and Afrikaans language skills in an engaging and educational competition.

The quarter also featured an international collaboration, as MEP hosted Prof Pedro Alvarez Mosquera from the University of Salamanca. He led a workshop focused on the development of open-access multilingual teaching and learning materials, contributing valuable global perspectives to local language advancement efforts. 

In March, recognised nationally as Human Rights Month in South Africa, the MEP Director participated in a Linguistic Human Rights Public Lecture hosted by PanSALB. The event featured Chief Justice Maya, reinforcing the critical link between language and human rights in the country’s constitutional democracy.

The quarter concluded on a celebratory note with the UCT IsiXhosa Literary Competition Award Ceremony held on 27 March 2026. The event honoured the creativity and linguistic excellence of student writers. Congratulations were extended to the top three winners: Thenjiwe Ntwana (1st place), Sibongiseni Gwarubana (2nd place), and Thanduxolo Fatyi (3rd place), for their outstanding IsiXhosa short stories.

These activities collectively underscore MEP’s continued commitment to promoting multilingualism, fostering collaboration, and advancing language development across institutional and national platforms.