First ever Urdu language training centre inaugurated in Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD, Oct 30 (APP): The first ever Urdu Language Training
Centre in Sri Lanka was inaugurated on Friday at an impressive
ceremony held in Colombo.
The Minister for National Dialogue Mano Ganesan was the chief
guest at the inauguration ceremony.
The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Major General
(retd) Syed Shakeel Hussain, State Minister of National Integration
and Reconciliation, A.H.M. Fowzie, Sri Lankan government ministers,
ambassadors, senior government officials, think tank representatives
and parents and friends of the students also attended the event,
said a press release received here.
The Urdu Language Centre has been established by the High
Commission of Pakistan as part of Pakistan Culture, Education and
Urdu Language Learning Centre that would be imparting language
training to Pakistani, Sri Lankan and other expatriate students.
The Urdu Centre has been named after Baba-e-Urdu Maulvi Abdul
Haq in view of his vision and extraordinary contribution towards
development of the modern Urdu language.
The Centre will provide free of charges Urdu language
education to the students as the expenditures of the training would
be borne by the Pakistani government. The students would only be
required to pay through their hard work and dedication.
While addressing the gathering, Pakistan’s High Commissioner
in Sri Lanka Major General (retd) Syed Shakeel Hussain underscored
that Urdu enjoyed the status of being the mother tongue of millions
of people who were residing in all parts of the world. Urdu also
enjoyed the status of being the national language of Pakistan.
Shakeel Hussain underlined that Urdu language training would
promote better understanding of Pakistan and its culture in Sri
Lanka.
He added that Urdu language training would not only assist the
Sri Lankan students who go to Pakistan for various educational
scholarships and advance learning programmes but would also prove to
be a useful skill for the business community.
The chief guest said that Urdu Centre would be beneficial for
all Sri Lankan communities to learn Urdu language and observe
Pakistani culture closely.
He emphasized that Pakistan has remained a close friend and
partner of Sri Lanka and has helped Sri Lanka in times of crisis
throughout its history.
The event also features several cultural performances by
Pakistani and Sri Lankan students, which was thoroughly admired by
the participants.
The first Urdu language class for Pakistani and Sri Lankan
students was held on August 6, 2015 at Pakistan High Commission,
Colombo. The classes are continuing since then and the numbers of
students is increasing gradually.
Historically, Urdu language developed and evolved after 8th
century A.D in the subcontinent region. Urdu acquired status of
lingua franca of the sub-continent during approximately 1000 year
long Muslim rule over India.