International Year of Indigenous Languages

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International Year of Indigenous Languages
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ObservancesUnited Nations
Related to International Mother Language Day

The International Year of Indigenous Languages was a United Nations observance in 2019 that aimed to raise awareness of the consequences of the endangerment of Indigenous languages across the world, with an aim to establish a link between language, development, peace, and reconciliation. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

History

On 19 December 2016 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages based on a resolution of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (Resolution 71/178). [3] [7] [6] The General Assembly resolution requested the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as the lead UN agency for coordination of the year. [1] [2] [5] [8]

Aims

The International Year of Indigenous Languages aimed to focus attention on the risks confronting indigenous languages, especially those significant for development, reconciliation, good governance and peace building. It aimed to improve quality of life, wider international cooperation and visibility and strengthened intercultural dialogue to reaffirm the continuity of indigenous languages and cultures. [2] [7] [9]

The year planned to carry out activities which took form in three thematic areas, encompassing both the 2010 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Involvement in the year was available to indigenous peoples, UN system organisations, countries, academia, public and private bodies and the media. [4] [5] [6] The thematic areas were:

The year had five main intervention areas: [2] [6]

  1. Increasing understanding, reconciliation and international cooperation
  2. Creation of favourable conditions for knowledge-sharing and dissemination of good practices with regard to indigenous languages
  3. Integration of indigenous languages into standard-setting
  4. Empowerment through capacity-building
  5. Growth and development through elaboration of new knowledge

See also

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References

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