As the world observes International Mother Language Day on 21 February, Imisebe reflects on its efforts to promote and preserve cultural heritage. For over a decade, Imisebe has been a leading advocate for the preservation of mother tongues, undertaking various initiatives to ensure that our native languages are safeguarded for present and future generations.

From the creation of high-quality educational materials in siSwati that effectively address the needs of learners and facilitate teaching for educators, to the establishment of the pioneering digital siSwati spelling bee known as Sibitelo Nemisebe, Imisebe has consistently fulfilled its mission to promote and preserve our mother tongue. This spelling bee competition was designed to encourage the use of the language in the digital age.

The inaugural siSwati Spelling Bee competition was won by Swazi National High School in Manzini in 2023. In 2024, Big Bend High School from the Lubombo Region rose to champion status after defeating Gamula High School in the finals. In 2025, Siphocosini High School emerged victorious. Last year, we also organized the siSwati spelling competition for private schools, where Sifundzani High School emerged victorious in the private category.

In addition to promoting the use of our native language in the digital sphere, the competition also advanced the groundbreaking monolingual dictionary, Umphandza, which was introduced in 2022 by former Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku. The initial edition of the dictionary was developed for high schools, and we have since produced a version for primary schools. Our primary objective is to ensure that every liSwati has access to a copy of Umphandza. Furthermore, our publications are now accessible in digital stores as eBooks.

Beyond developing educational materials, Imisebe actively supports cultural events aimed at promoting both culture and the siSwati language, which are typically hosted in schools across the nation. We have also consistently partnered in organizing the annual Miss Heritage event hosted by the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture since its inception. We take pride in contributing to the pageant’s mission of preserving our cultural heritage.

We remain dedicated to joining Their Majesties and Emaswati in ensuring that the siSwati language continues to be practiced, celebrated, and preserved.