swahili heritage month
JUL 12, 2026 2PM - 5PM
BRAMPTON CITY HALL
UMOJA NI NGUVU, UTENGANO NI UDHAIFU
Yes Youth and Women Can (YYWC) and its cadre of dedicated volunteers, was the proud organizer, initiator, influencer and project leader for the event Swahili Heritage Day held July 12, 2026 at the City of Brampton Municipal Offices and outdoor sitting area. The event was attended by many participants of Tanzania's large diaspora and members of other global communities including Brampton residents. Sauti za Africa founder and editor Yasin Mohamed was in attendance although extensive travel was needed for the day to and from the Region of Waterloo.
The event was opened with a dignified and very respectful flag raising ceremony where the flag of Tanzania was proudly raised on the flagpole. The Canadian national anthem followed by the Tanzanian national anthem and the anthem for East Africa touched many hearts in attendance.
Many dignitaries including the Mayor of Brampton Hon. Patrick Brown, Councilor Navjit Kaur Brar, Councilor Rod Power, Ambassador Mariam Adam as the CEO of YYWC, Hon Joseph Sokoine, the High Commissioner of Tanzania based in Ottawa, delegates from BAKITA which is Baraza la Kiswahili la Taifa, a government branch responsible for the promotion of development of the national language of Kiswahili and Yasin Mohamed, the founder and editor of Sauti za Africa radio program. The Hon Mayor made a pledge to increase the available space and services for next year for the purposes of the Swahili Heritage month in order to invite all 1000+ Swahili speaking residents of Brampton.
During his speech to the mayor, councilors and delegates attending the ceremony, Dr. Joseph Sokoine, Ambassador of Tanzania high commission based in Ottawa made a request that the City of Brampton look into creating a Swahili Cultural Centre in the near future to foster the Swahili language and promote an environment where Kiswahili can be easily delivered to the younger members of the crowd to enhance and continue the retention and growth of the Swahili culture and traditions.
Refreshments and food was provided by the kind and generous courtesy of the City of Brampton. We were blessed to have had such a beautiful venue and a memorable sunny day to celebrate the event both outdoor under the beautiful blue skies of the month of July and inside within the cool air conditioned spaces in the atrium of the City Hall.
The event was a resounding success without a doubt and next year's planning for a larger audience, gathering and associated events is well underway!
Go Transit stops at Brampton Innovation District stop and City Hall is barely 5 min walk from there.
Kindly watch video coverage and pictures available on this page.
This event is now completed!
EVENT COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY!! THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!
Photo Credit: YYWC Yes Youth and Women Can
Yes Youth and Women Can (YYWC), pamoja na kikosi chake cha wajitoleaji wenye kujituma, akiwepo mratibu, mwanzilishi, mshawishi na kiongozi wa mradi wa maadhimisho ya Siku ya Urithi wa Kiswahili yaliyofanyika tarehe 12 Julai, 2026 katika Ofisi za Manispaa ya Jiji la Brampton na eneo la wazi la pale nje ya ukumbi. Tukio hilo lilihudhuriwa na washiriki wengi kutoka diaspora kubwa ya Watanzania pamoja na wanachama wa jamii nyingine za kimataifa, akiwemo mkazi wa Brampton na mwanzilishi na mhariri wa Sauti za Africa, Yasin Mohamed, ambaye alisafiri kutoka Mkoa wa Waterloo kwa ajili ya tukio hilo.
Tukio lilifunguliwa kwa sherehe ya kupandisha bendera iliyofanyika kwa heshima na taadhima, ambapo bendera ya Tanzania ilipandishwa kwa fahari kwenye nguzo ya bendera.
Viongozi mbalimbali walihudhuria, akiwemo Meya wa Brampton Mheshimiwa Patrick Brown, Diwani Navjit Kaur Brar, Diwani Rod Power, Balozi Mariam Adam ambaye ni Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa YYWC, Mheshimiwa Joseph Sokoine, Balozi wa Tanzania nchini Kanada mwenye makazi Ottawa, wajumbe kutoka BAKITA—Baraza la Kiswahili la Taifa, taasisi ya serikali inayohusika na kukuza na kuendeleza lugha ya Kiswahili—pamoja na Yasin Mohamed, mwanzilishi na mhariri wa kipindi cha redio cha Sauti za Africa. Ikiwa jina la shirika lako haijatajwa hapo, naomba msamaha kwa sababu kulikuwepo mashirika mengi and watu wengi waliohudhuria kibinfasi ambacho inaleta changamoto kubwa kuwataja wote.
Mheshimiwa Meya alitoa ahadi ya kuongeza nafasi na huduma kwa ajili ya maadhimisho ya mwezi wa urithi wa Kiswahili mwaka ujao ili kuwaalika wakazi wote zaidi ya 1000 wanaozungumza Kiswahili katika Jiji la Brampton.
Katika hotuba yake kwa Meya, madiwani na wajumbe waliokuwepo, Dkt. Joseph Sokoine aliomba Jiji la Brampton lizingatie kuanzisha Kituo cha Utamaduni wa Kiswahili katika siku zijazo ili kukuza lugha ya Kiswahili na kuunda mazingira rafiki yatakayowezesha vijana kujifunza Kiswahili kwa urahisi, hivyo kuendeleza na kuhifadhi utamaduni wetu.
Vinywaji na chakula vilitolewa kwa hisani ya Jiji la Brampton. Tulibarikiwa kuwa na siku yenye jua zuri, iliyowezesha kusherehekea tukio hilo nje na pia ndani ya jengo la City Hall lenye kiyoyozi na mazingira ya kupendeza.
Sherehe hiyo ilikamilika vizuri sana.
Huduma ya Go Transit husimama katika kituo cha Brampton Innovation District, na kutoka hapo ni takribani matembezi ya dakika tano tu kufika City Hall.
Tafadhali tazama video na picha za tukio zilizowekwa kwenye ukurasa huu.
Getting prepared for flag raising ceremony
With Hon Ambassador Joseph Sokoine (middle) and Ms. Arafat Mustapha, official representative for ZACADIA (Zanzibar Canadian Diaspora Association) on far left
