Like in many parts of the world, Mali celebrated the annual International Mother Language Day on February 21 in Bamako. The event organized by the Ministry of Education brought together educators, students, and others interested in promoting the use of the 13 native languages across Mali. While this year's theme focused on the production of printed learning materials and books in these languages, there still remains a strong interest in how technology can play a role in revitalizing these languages.

International Mother Language Day in Bamako, Mali

Boukary Konaté, a blogger that writes and tweets (@fasokan) in French, English, and his native Bambara, spoke about the day's events and his hopes for the role of technology in promoting the use of these languages online.