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Tamil Language Festival – April 15th, 2013
Photo Courtesy: Tamil Language Council
Singapore, a multi-racial country in South East Asia is currently celebrating ‘Tamil Language Festival’. The Tamil Language Council has to be lauded for its efforts in spearheading the Festival with its partners for the seventh year that can create more avenues for all sections of the Tamil Society to celebrate and enrich the language and to ‘Love Tamil and Speak Tamil’.
Tamil Language Council was formed in 2000 under the auspices of MICA (Ministry for Information, Communication and Arts). It comprises representatives from the education sector, major community organisations, arts groups and the Media.
A key partner for the Tamil Language Festival is MOE’s(Ministry of Education) Tamil Language and Learning Promotion Committee (TLLPC) that was set up in 2006. TLLPC’s strategic focus is to promote the speaking and learning of Tamil among students.
The month-long festival was officially launched on Saturday, 30 March 2013 by Mr S.Iswaran, Minister in the Prime Minister’s office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade and Industry.
Mr S.Iswaran said that for the growth of the Tamil language, the Government is committed to allocate the necessary resources. He also said that he was heartened by the enthusiasm shown by the various segments of the community to make the Tamil Language Festival a success. He also said that he was pleased to know that many partners through their innovative ways are doing their part to make Tamil come alive.
More organisations have been showing keen interest to be a part of the festival. This is more evident in the programs that have been lined up this year.
“There are so many exciting activities taking place this year and we want as many people to take part and benefit from these programs,” said Mr Rajaram, Chairman of the Tamil Language Council. “Through this outreach, we want to reach everyone, from young children to grandparents, as there is something for everyone to enjoy and learn. These activities are also excellent opportunities for the community to immerse themselves in an environment where Tamil is spoken and heard. ”
Mrs Valli, a mother of two children said, ‘All weekends this April have already been marked in our calendar for the Tamil Feast that is being offered to us’. ‘Even in Tamil Nadu it is difficult to plan and promote a good Tamil program. Against this backdrop, we are very much delighted to know that in Singapore, there is a month long festival being organised to make the Tamil language live!
Aravindh, a secondary student, said that ‘many programs and in particular the debate has motivated me to speak good Tamil and to pronounce well.’
Mr Lakshmanan, an octogenarian said, ‘it is a good feeling to listen to the speeches that revolves around the culture of the Tamil during this Festival’
An aspiring writer found the workshops very useful and inevitable.
Hence Tamil Language Festival which comprises programs of various sort has undoubtedly kindled the spirit of the language among the Tamils of Singapore.