Title: International Decades of Indigenous Languages (IDIL) - related Celebration
Speaker: Ester Dina Sihombing and Jaco Du Toit of UNESCO
Abstract: Boosted by the successes of the IYIL2019 and impelled by the need for further concentrated actions, the UN General Assembly has designated the 10-year period running from 2022 to 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL2022-2032) with UNESCO serving as the lead agency for the initiative. Working with Member States and all stakeholders, including indigenous groups, educators, experts, and government agencies, UNESCO has embarked on a Global Action Plan with the purpose of preserving all imperiled languages or revitalizing nearly extinct ones, for posterity with the help of digital media and other documentation tools. The sharing session aims to inform and raise public awareness about activities initiated by UNESCO Jakarta related to IDIL2022-2032.

At the heart of IDIL proclamation is the awareness that the world is home to a wonderful diversity of languages, each of which reflects the unique cultural traditions, shared histories, and collectively held beliefs of its speakers. A language is more than just a means of communication; it is also a rich depository of traditional ways of seeing and understanding the world, which makes each indigenous language a reflection of various beliefs, practices, and customs that connect its speakers to their collective past.
Presented at: Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2023-08-18 07:30 to 07:50 UTC