S0321-50750000617-4-1

Article

Published

Issue 7

64-66

The 50th anniversary of the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar is a historic event not only for these two states, but for all of Africa: it is the only union state on the continent, which survived. Unlike most other African countries over the half century there was not a single internal ethnic conflict in Tanzania - and this is despite the fact that people of 120 nationalities are living in the country: large and small, many of whom have their languages, traditions and religion. But all of them share a common language - Swahili.The author knows well Tanzania. For the first time he came to Zanzibar in the distant 1965, a year after the formation of the union state. Together with his fellow student he was sent to the island as an interpreter of Swahili in the first group of Soviet military specialists. Later, in 1978-1982 he worked in this country as a head of the Bureau of the Novosti Press Agency (APN). That gave him a chance to travel all over the districts, which could be reached by car. Knowledge of Swahili gave the author the opportunity to communicate with representatives of the various segments of the population - really unique opportunity. Few Europeans could boast of such an opportunity!

01.07.2014

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