MOE recognizes people for efforts promoting ‘bentu’
By Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter
The Ministry of Education (MOE) on Friday held a ceremony in Taipei in honor of International Mother Language Day to recognize individuals and groups for their efforts promoting bentu (本土, “local” or “native”) languages.
The ministry has presented awards for outstanding contribution to the promotion of bentu languages to 156 people and 37 groups since the award’s inception in 2008, it said in a statement.
The awards are aimed at recognizing language diversity, respect and coexistence, and realizing the protection and equality of different languages, it said.
This year, eight people and two groups were selected to receive the honor, while a new category was created to highlight those who have dedicated their lives to passing down bentu languages, it said.