Speech for University Culture Day
Asalamu Aleikum Waramtulla Wabarakatu..
Esteemed Rector, respected faculty, honored guests, and my dear students,
Good morning!
Today is a special day as we get to celebrate the Somali culture.
The Importance…
Culture is very important in every society, in the Somali setting – culture not only means stories, poems, games,songs but so much more.
Imagine hearing fun and exciting stories from our grandparents about our brave ancestors and all the amazing adventures they had, or spending a night at a traditional homestead during a wedding celebration with the unique beat of the drums filling the air and beautiful songs being sung that make you want to get up and dance.
The poetry as well is not just mere words but they tell of the rich Somali history and share nuggets of wisdom that has been passed down from generation to generation.
The games too add a sense of belonging as they seek to bring both the young and old together to enjoy sports and have fun in the various ancient leisure activities.

Somali culture therefore teaches us values such as respect, community, and resilience. This way of life makes us become better people and the lessons we learn from them stay with us forever no matter where we go.

I want to touch briefly on – the Role of English in Nurturing Somali Culture:
English helps Somali people share their culture with the world.
Imagine a Somali poet sharing their poem online and getting fans in countries from all over the world. This educates the masses who are ignorant regarding other cultures.
In addition, a Somali student can write a blog in English about the delicious Somali cuisine, and people all over the world can learn to not only cook but appreciate mouthwatering dishes like oodka, ambulo and injera.
English also helps Somali people find new opportunities, like studying overseas or working for an international organization abroad. The list of advantages are endless, basically learning English is like having and enjoying the best of both worlds.

A common misconception about the English language is that learning English means forgetting the Somali language or culture .
But I am here to tell you that’s not the case and here’s an example…
you can talk to your grandparents in Somali and learn about your family history, and then write an essay in English about what you learned.
Or you can help translate important information, like traditional medicinal herbs, so that everyone in the modern community not only understands but also benefits from the past healing methods that our forefathers used for preventing and curing diseases.
Thus learning English links the old and the new and bridges the gap between the young and old generation or narrows the gap between the modern and ancient Somali customs.

In Closing…
In our ever-changing world, it’s vital to preserve our Somali culture.
As we connect with people from different backgrounds, our traditions keep us grounded. They remind us of our identity and our roots.
Sharing Somali culture through English helps others understand and appreciate it, whether it’s through poetry, stories, games or music, we must keep these traditions alive for future generations.

So…
Let’s honor the Somali heritage by finding ways of using the English language to share and spread this beautiful culture and tradition to the entire world.
By preserving the wonderful Somali culture, we enrich not only our local community here in Mogadishu but the entire world.
Thank you, and enjoy the rest of the day! Asaalam Aleikum.