Barbados Government Endorses Global Afro-Creole Languages Week

The Honourable Trevor A. Prescod, Minister for Pan-African Affairs and Heritage, lends official support to the global celebration of Afro-Creole languages and their enduring role in preserving African heritage, identity and collective memory.

Bridgetown, Barbados – 4 August 2026 – The Government of Barbados has officially endorsed Afro-Creole Languages Week, an international initiative dedicated to celebrating, protecting and advancing Afro-Creole languages as vital expressions of history, identity and cultural heritage.

Founded by barrister, international legal advocate and United Nations Fellow Ifẹ́ Thompson, Afro-Creole Languages Week will take place from 1–8 September 2026, bringing together communities, educators, artists, researchers, policymakers and organisations from across the world. The initiative aims to advance language justice by promoting the recognition and use of Creole languages in education, public life and policymaking.

The initiative was formally announced by Ifẹ́ Thompson during a live interview on the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation’s flagship morning programme, “Good Morning Barbados,” on 6 August 2026.

Afro-Creole Languages Week recognises Afro-Creole languages as more than systems of communication; they are living archives of creativity and survival. These languages emerged from the experiences of enslaved African peoples who were forcibly displaced from their homelands and brought into societies where their own languages were often suppressed. Faced with the need to communicate across different African ethnic groups and with colonial authorities, enslaved communities created new forms of expression by drawing from African linguistic traditions while incorporating elements of European languages. These languages became powerful acts of survival and resistance, carrying the histories, identities and cultural knowledge of generations of African descendants.

Today, spoken by more than 200 million people across Africa, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Americas and beyond, Afro-Creole languages continue to carry the memories, traditions and knowledge of generations. They connect communities across borders, preserve ancestral heritage and ensure that the voices of African-descended peoples remain present in the global cultural landscape.

This year’s theme, “The Future Speaks Afro-Creole,” calls on communities worldwide to celebrate their shared linguistic heritage, strengthen the transmission of Afro-Creole languages to future generations and recognise these languages as dynamic African-rooted languages that continue to evolve and unite people across continents.

Barbados’ endorsement reflects the country’s broader commitment to preserving African heritage, strengthening cultural identity and recognising the contributions of African- descended communities. The Government of Barbados has repeatedly emphasised the importance of culture and heritage as foundations for education, national identity and community development. By supporting Afro-Creole Languages Week, Barbados affirms the importance of safeguarding linguistic traditions that have shaped Caribbean history and continue to influence global cultural expression.

The Honourable Trevor A. Prescod, Minister for Pan-African Affairs and Heritage, said:

“Afro-Creole Languages Week and its mission to advance language justice have the full endorsement and support of my office. Accessing and preserving our linguistic heritage is a fundamental right. Meeting with the founder inspired new perspectives for our regional work, and I look forward to actively participating in this brilliant week.”

The endorsement from Barbados forms part of a growing international movement recognising the importance of Afro-Creole languages. Afro-Creole Languages Week is also supported by the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, the High Commission of Barbados, the Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Presidency of Ghana, and the International Decade for People of African Descent.

Together, these partnerships reflect a shared commitment to advancing language justice, protecting cultural heritage and ensuring that Afro-Creole languages continue to thrive, not only as reminders of the past, but as languages of the present and voices of the future.

As communities around the world prepare to celebrate Afro-Creole Languages Week, the initiative invites everyone to recognise the power of language as a source of identity, belonging and connection. The future speaks Afro-Creole, and its voice continues to grow across generations and borders.

About Afro-Creole Languages Week:

Afro-Creole Languages Week is a global initiative dedicated to celebrating Afro-Creole languages, advancing language justice and promoting their recognition in education, public life and policy. Founded by Ifẹ́ Thompson, the initiative brings together communities, institutions and advocates worldwide to honour the linguistic heritage and cultural contributions of Afro-Creole-speaking peoples.