Conference on Punjabi language

LAHORE: Institute for Art and Culture (IAC) organised one-day conference on the importance of Punjabi language in education.

Leading linguists and scholars from national and international institutions and renowned universities addressed the event and highlighted the significance of mother language in promotion of knowledge and cultural studies.

The conference commenced with welcome remarks by IAC Vice-Chancellor Professor Sajida Vandal. She said that IAC gave supreme importance to the promotion and preservation of linguistic studies as language was a powerful instrument for culture and art. Initially, Punjabi is one mandatory language in the curriculum at IAC and it is encouraging that the faculty for languages has created interest amongst the students regarding their mother tongue.

The inaugural session was titled “The Importance of Mother Tongue in Education: The Case of IAC” in which Dr Anthony Capstick from Reading University, UK, Dr Harvinder Singh Bhatti, Punjabi poet and critic Prof Mushtaq Soofi and Dr Farooq Bajwa participated in the session as panel speakers and Naveed Alam moderated the session.

The speakers discussed the importance of Punjabi language in historical perspectives and pointed out various factors due to which it remained neglected in society and the educational system. They also presented suggestions regarding the establishment of a mother language centre at IAC.

The second session focused the role of technology in promotion of Punjabi language. Dr Gurpreet Singh Lehal from Patiala University, India, Sharon Corell from Summer Institute of Linguistics, USA and Dr Jamil Paul spoke about the technological innovations which were proving helpful in disseminating awareness regarding the promotion of mother languages. The conference was held as part of activities of International Mother Language Day at IAC.