
The language
The Bengali language, also known as Bengali, is the official language of Bangladesh and a recognized regional dialect in India.
It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language group. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Vedic languages spoken in India in the 2nd millennium BC. Over the centuries, Old Bengali (also known as “Old Bengali”) developed, which was strongly influenced by Sanskrit.
Over time, the Bengali language has absorbed many influences from other languages such as Persian, Arabic and English.
From the 18th century onwards, New Bengali developed, which is the modern form of the language. This phase was characterized by the standardization of grammar and vocabulary as well as the introduction of printing, which contributed to the spread of the language.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Bengali language experienced a renaissance, particularly through the works of authors such as Rabindranath Tagore, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.
With over 230 million native speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Around 2500 native speakers live in Dresden.
Script
The Bengali script is based on the Brahmi script, which originated in ancient India and developed into various regional writing systems over time.
The Bengali script was developed in the 11th century by the poet and scholar Siddhamati in Bengal. Over the centuries, it continued to evolve, absorbing influences from other scripts such as the Gupta script and the Siddham script. These influences led to a characteristic curved shape and round letters, which distinguishes it from other Indian scripts. In the Middle Ages, Bengali script was increasingly used for literature and administration. The first literary works in Bengali were written during this period. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Bengali script underwent standardization and modernization to meet the needs of printing technology and education. This led to the creation of educational materials and printed works in the Bengali language.
Dresden spricht …
Workshops, tours, writing and printing workshops under the motto “Dresden speaks many languages”

Period
03-12.2024
Porject coordination
Yvonn Spauschus (Projektleitung)
Yulia Vishnichenko · Moussa Mbarek · Nadine Wölk · Rosa Brockelt · Yuliya Firsova · Martin Mannig (workshop leader)
Rosa Brockelt · Rosa Hauch · Falk Goernert · Birthe Mühlhoff (moderation, documentation)
Adina Rieckmann · Lydia Hänsel (tourguides)
Inge · Mahsa · Karin (voluntary help)
Cooperation partners
JugendKunstschule Dresden – Standort Passage, Omse e.V., Nachbarschaftshilfeverein, Stadtteilverein Johannstadt e.V., Malteser Hilfsdienste e.V., Jugendhaus LILA as well as Chinesisch-Deutsches Zentrum e.V., Lebenshilfe Dresden e.V., GEH8 Kunstraum und Ateliers e.V., Umweltzentrum Dresden – ABC Tische and many more
Supported by
The project is funded by the State Ministry for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion. This measure is co-financed with tax funds on the basis of the budget passed by the Saxon state parliament within the framework of the state programme Integrative Maßnahmen.
