Port Harcourt Museum recently joined the rest of the world to mark International Mother Tongue Day in an effort to create awareness on the importance of speaking in our motehr tongue and ensuring its preservation.

The International Mother Tongue Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to pursue the sustainability and promotion of all languages used by people of the world.

Language is the most potent instrument of actualizing cognitive development and transmitting knowledge, of tangible and intangible heritage inherent in our cherished cultural values. The Curator, Mr. Fadamijo Omolayo in his opening remark attributes language as a key factor for ensuring co-existence in a nation, and he called on the various stakeholders to partner with the museum to promote our cultural heritage.

Some of the dignitaries in attendance were HRH (Prof) Theophilus J. T. Princewill (JP), Amachree XI, Amayanebo of Kalabari, Chairman, River State Council of Traditional Rulers with other notable and invited Secondary Schools within the state.

There was paper presentation by Dr. (Mrs) Briye Iballa Amadi of the River State University of Education, titled "SUSTAINING THE KALABARI LANGUAGE IN THE FACE OF CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL INFLUENCE". The programme ended with presentation of prizes to deserving schools that won in various arts competition.