ACALAN is preparing for a significant 2026 as it marks its 20th anniversary. This year is focused on celebrations and planning for the future of the African Academy of Languages, which is part of the African Union and was created in 2006 in Mali. ACALAN aims to support the AU’s Agenda 2063 by promoting African values through the use of African languages in member states, helping them achieve better integration and conflict resolution.
The organization engages in various activities, including analyzing language policies, promoting culture, fostering peace through language, and offering technical assistance to countries on language matters. It also organizes events, trainings, and workshops, advocates for African languages in education, develops a linguistic atlas, and aids in the digitalization of these languages.
In 2026, ACALAN will focus on spreading AU policies in African languages to wider audiences and enhancing language use in education. The academy rebranded with a new website and social media presence, and it will begin operations in a new studio in March 2026. ACALAN will celebrate African Languages Week in February, aiming to increase the awareness and appreciation of African languages and their roles in identity, integration, and development. Additionally, it will hold strategic meetings on Kiswahili to implement the AU Assembly Decision /AU/Dec796 (XXXIV) on Kiswahili as a Working Language of the African Union and a Language of Wider Communication in Africa.