Ambassador of Tanzania on IU campus today

IU will welcome Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar, the United Republic of Tanzania’s ambassador to the United States, to campus today.

During her visit, which will span through May 2, Maajar plans to meet with students and faculty, including Tanzanians, who currently study and live in Indiana.

The Swahili, Turkish and Chinese Language Flagship programs in the College of Arts and Sciences are sponsoring her visit to IU.

“We are honored that the ambassador has chosen to visit Bloomington,” said David Zaret, the IU vice president for international affairs. “Tanzania and its national language, Swahili, have been areas of continuing interest for IU faculty and students as part of IU’s long-standing commitment to African studies.”

IU was selected in 2010 to be home to a Swahili Language Flagship program. With that addition, IU became the only university in the country to house three language flagship programs.

“The Swahili Flagship program at IU is the only one of its kind in the country and provides students with a wonderful opportunity to reach a superior level of proficiency in their majors through one-on-one language partners and a year-long study abroad at the State University of Zanzibar,” said Alwiya Omar, clinical professor of linguistics and the program’s director, in a press release.

Maajar became ambassador in July 2010. She previously served as Tanzania’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom.

She has a background in law and business, formerly working as a legal advisor for the Central Bank of Tanzania and as a business manager at Coopers & Lybrand, a forerunner to PricewaterhouseCoopers. She is also known for advocating for women and children in the law system, serving as a member and 2001-03 chairwoman for the Tanzanian Women Lawyers Association.

— Matthew Glowicki