Looking back at Year 2 of the International Decade of Indigenous languages

In 2022, UNESCO launched the Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032). The mission: to maintain, revitalize and support Indigenous languages worldwide.

Just over a year ago, we wrote in this space about what is endangering Indigenous languages, why they matter for sustainable development and human rights, and how the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) is working with Indigenous people, communities and organizations to help maintain and revitalize them. (See Mobilizing to preserve, revitalize and promote Indigenous languages.)

Now, we’d like to recap key activities undertaken by CCUNESCO in the second year of the Decade of Indigenous Languages.

But first, a reminder of what makes this mission so critical: Indigenous languages are pillars of identity and culture. When one goes dormant, an entire way of seeing and interacting with the world goes with it- not to mention valuable and much-needed knowledge about the environment and sustainability. Unfortunately, nearly 40 per cent of existing languages are at risk of going dormant, and many of those most at risk are Indigenous. CCUNESCO, with the support and guidance of its working group on the International Decade of Indigenous Languages remains engaged and committed to supporting national and international efforts to protect, maintain and revitalize these languages.

Understanding languages as pathways to sustainable development

In June, we attended KWE! Fest to present workshops on pathways to sustainable development that harness Indigenous languages and knowledge. Taking place annually in Quebec City, KWE! is a major cultural event that provides opportunities for non-Indigenous and Indigenous people to connect, learn, and share; and in doing so, it contributes to raising awareness of the needs and realities of First Nations and Inuit peoples.

In May, CCUNESCO and Acfas collaborated with Indigenous partners to examine the links between linguistic diversity and sustainable development. Acfas is a non-profit organization that contributes to the advancement of the sciences in Quebec, within francophone Canada and on the international level. The session led by CCUNESCO featured panellists Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine and Nigel Crawhall, and was part of its 90^th Congress—a week of events, colloquia and discussions attended by some 6,000 Canadian and international participants.

In November, we published an article by Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine titled Ărramăt - Indigenous perspectives on sustainable development. The article explains the ties between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Indigenous languages based on examples from SDG 3 (good health and well-being for all) and SDG 4 (quality education). The article also looks at the central role that Indigenous women play in transmitting traditional Indigenous knowledge through language.

Advocating for language rights

In the spring, CCUNESCO's working group on Indigenous languages responded to Justice Canada's call for recommendations for the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act. Through a roundtable discussion in conjunction with Archipel, an Indigenous-owned and women-led research and consulting company, the working group developed recommendations on how to implement articles from the Declaration relating to languages and culture. Equity, health, media and technology, education, the public sphere, and reporting were some of the themes on which the recommendations centered.

In September, CCUNESCO participated in the first-ever Forum on the Linguistic Rights of First Nations in Quebec. Organized by the Comité régional sur les langues ancestrales, the forum aimed to mobilize knowledge and foster knowledge-sharing among First Nations with respect to inherent rights, including language rights. It was attended by leaders and chiefs of First Nations governments as well as Indigenous language advocates and was a chance for people to share their visions of how best to protect and revitalize Indigenous languages.

Recognizing cultural carriers

Cultural carriers are people—including Elders, knowledge keepers and traditional educators—whose role in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities supports the preservation and sharing of Indigenous worldviews, cultural practices and traditions through art and creative practice. In 2023, the Canada Council for the Arts, in collaboration with CCUNESCO, recognized four individuals from different Nations across Canada for their work in Indigenous language maintenance, reclamation, revitalization and education. For more information about the recipients of The Honorary Recognition for Cultural Carriers, see the Council’s blog post, Celebrating a love of Indigenous languages.

Supporting Indigenous media

In April, CCUNESCO co-organized two side events at the 22^nd UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: one focusing on the relationship between Indigenous languages, culture, human and territorial health (in partnership with University College of the North’s Speak Indigenous initiative) and another that zeroed in on the right of Indigenous people to establish their own media in their own languages. CCUNESCO partnered on these side events with UNESCO, Grist, the Indigenous Journalists Association, and Whakaata Māori (Māori Television). The events were covered by CBC.

Building international cooperation between land defenders

In August, CCUNESCO participated in a cultural exchange in the Nemaiah Valley of interior British Columbia between the Tŝilhqot’in Nation (pronounciation: sill-ko-teen) and a Sámi delegation from Sweden. The Sámi are Indigenous people living in the region of Sápmi, which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. During the gathering, Indigenous representatives from both Nations discussed commonalities and challenges posed by outside development initiatives such as mining and logging. The Commission also facilitated a workshop about the connections between language and land and how Indigenous languages can guide development and conservation policies. The Sámi and Tŝilhqot’in Nation plan to continue their cooperation, learning and exchange. View the documentary writen and directed by Helen Haig-Brown about the exchange.

Learning from knowledge keepers

Finally, near the end of 2023, CCUNESCO produced a video entitled Reflections on the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. Filmed at the launch of the International Decade in Ottawa, it features interviews with six prominent Indigenous people in Canada from various backgrounds and nations. Among other things, the interviewees talk about the relationships between language and land and how Indigenous languages can help find solutions to living in harmony/or sustainably with Mother Earth.

Let’s keep the momentum going! We’ve made progress in the first two years of the Decade, but we know there’s still so much more to do. That’s why in Year 3, we’re going to harness our energy and efforts with the help of our amazing working group to continue raising awareness of the importance of Indigenous languages, sharing knowledge, mobilizing resources, and collaborating with Indigenous people, communities, and organizations to support the protection, maintenance, and revitalization of Indigenous languages. We’re excited to see what we can accomplish together in the coming year!