Since 2022, according to the unanimous decision of UNESCO, July 7 is celebrated in the world as the International Swahili Language Day. The article deals with a brief history of the Swahili language and its formation as a language of interethnic communication in the 19th century. In German East Africa, from the end of the 19th century, the Swahili language was officially used by the colonial administration to communicate with local officials. Until the middle of the 20th century, the English colonial administration also resorted to the Swahili language to carry out its colonial policy.

In 1930, the East African Inter-Territorial Language Committee (Swahili) was created, the purpose of which was to normalize the Swahili language and enrich it terminologically. In the 1930s, Soviet linguists began to study the Swahili language, and in 1934 the teaching of Swahili began at the Leningrad State University.

The rapid development of the Swahili language is manifested after the independence of the East Africa countries. Much credit for its development belongs to the Institute for Swahili Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam and the National Swahili Councils in East Africa. Public organizations for the promotion of the Swahili language in various states of Africa and beyond carry out their activities in coordination with academic institutions. Events on the occasion of the celebration of Swahili Day were held in many countries of the world, including Russia.