SIXTY-three Ghanaian public servants from 14 institutions have started a three-month course in Colombian Spanish language and culture in Accra.
They are drawn from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI), Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Aviation and Ministry of Defence.
Others are from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, National Folklore Board, Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and Narcotics Control Board.
This is the sixth in the series of the “The Colombian Spanish Language course for Ghanaian Diplomats and Public Servants” introduced in February 2014 to consolidate bilateral relations between the two countries.
From the five editions, 150 Ghanaian Public servants have benefitted.
At the opening of the course on Monday, Mr Sammie P. Eddico, Supervising Director of the MFARI, in a speech read on behalf of the ministry, said the course was a manifestation of the cordial relations the two countries had.
He said the current global economy required multilingual interaction and cross-cultural understanding adding that the ability to communicate in other languages could help achieve professional and personnel career goals.
“As diplomats and public servants representing Ghana, the learning of a second language will not only help you to interact smartly with people from other cultures, but it will enable you to achieve greater diversity in your thinking, creativity and cognitive development,” he said.
Based on these, Mr Eddico urged the participants to make the best of the opportunity, saying “We are very proud of this relationship and our shared commitment to education and cultural exchange.
Claudia Turbay Quintero, Colombian Ambassador said Ghana was one of the 25 countries hosting the course, noting that it was not only about acquiring a second language but the opening of the mind to other culture.
Through this, she said the relations between the two countries would be depended adding that her country would continue to support initiatives to consolidate the relations.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR
