TLC COMMEMORATES 20 YEARS OF TAMIL LANGUAGE PROMOTION

The Tamil Language Council (TLC) launched its 20th anniversary commemorative publication titled “Our Journey (2000 – 2020):

Love Tamil, Speak Tamil”, which documents the TLC’s strategic collaboration with community partners to promote the active use of the Tamil language in Singapore.

TLC member and the Chairman of the Resource Sub-Committee, Mr Azhagiya Pandiyan worked closely with a team of researchers to complete the project over one and half years. “Our Journey” captures the impetus for the TLC’s formation, the vision and aspirations of the pioneers and some of the major initiatives and milestones achieved.

It also provides a brief insight into the history of Tamil language education and Tamil newspapers in Singapore, highlights the many partners and individuals who have supported the promotion of Tamil in the community. Backed by extensive research and oral interviews, “Our Journey”, published in Tamil and English over 128 pages, will be cherished by our community partners and key stakeholders.

In his foreword, Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Transport and Minister-in-Charge of Trade Relations, Advisor (2000-2016) to the Tamil Language Council and Guest-of-Honour at the launch of the commemorative publication, notes, “The task of ensuring that a language is preserved and continues to flourish is never-ending. The Tamil language and community in Singapore have come very far. To sustain its continued relevance and vibrancy in Singapore, we must imbue our young with a life-long interest in our Mother Tongue, for they are the future guardians of our language.

” Mr S Manogaran, Chairman of the Tamil Language Council, says, “For 20 years, the Tamil Language Council has worked hard to promote the Tamil language in Singapore. We have nurtured the Tamil Language Festival into a much-anticipated annual highlight for the community, with support from the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee, Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism and National Translation Committee. The support of donors and grants enabled capacity building programmes that benefitted especially the young in their language appreciation journey.” For an online copy of the publication, please visit https://www.tamil.org.sg/en/about/tamil-language-council-20th-anniversary-commemorative-publication (URL is live only from 11am on 5 September 2021). Copies for reading and borrowing will be available at all public libraries. For other enquiries, please contact: NHB_TamilLanguageCouncil@nhb.gov.sg

Source: Tamil Language Council