IMAGE 1 THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES MOBILIZING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO PRESERVE, REVITALIZE AND PROMOTE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGESPublished in 2021 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France © UNESCO 2021 ISBN 978-92-3-100484-1 This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (http://en.unesco.org/open- access/terms-use-ccbysa-en). The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. The present licence applies exclusively to the texts. For the use of images, prior permission shall be requested. Cover photo: Member of Indigenous Community, Honduras. A portrait of a member of the Indigenous community in “Copán Ruinas”, Archaeological Site (UNESCO World Heritage site), during Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Honduras. Credits: UN. Source: https://www.flickr. com/photos/un_photo/23157975970 Graphic design: Katharine Mugridge and Marie Moncet Cover design: Katharine Mugridge Illustrations: Katharine Mugridge and Marie Moncet Typeset: Katharine Mugridge and Marie Moncet Printed by: UNESCO Publishing Printed in Paris, FranceTHE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES MOBILIZING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO PRESERVE, REVITALIZE AND PROMOTE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGESContents INTRODUCTION 7 RATIONALE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR 11 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK OF IYIL2019 13 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE IYIL2019 14 KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE IYIL2019 16 THEMATIC AREAS OF ACTIVITIES 17 GUIDING FRAMEWORK 18 A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIP 18 GLOBAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY 19 OVERVIEW OF MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS 23 GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE IYIL2019 24 TAKING STOCK TO MOVE FORWARD 25 STRATEGICALLY POSITIONING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN THE GLOBAL AGENDA 27 TOWARDS RENEWED MOBILIZATION THROUGHOUT THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES (2022-2032) 28 4 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesOVERVIEW OF IYIL2019 ACTIVITIES 32 SCOPE AND REACH OF ACTIVITIES 34 ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITIES 35 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVITIES 36 A SELECTION OF FLAGSHIP CROSS-NATIONAL INITIATIVES 38 EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA 39 SANA 2019 - ESTONIA, LATVIA, AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 40 THE SÁMI PARLIAMENTS IN FINLAND, NORWAY AND SWEDEN 41 AFRICA 42 SADILAR - SOUTH AFRICA 43 LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 44 ONLINE INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL (OIFF) 45 FOURTH ANDEAN PEACE MEETING (ENCUENTRO ANDINO DE PAZ) - INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PEACE THROUGH EDUCATION 45 ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 46 DROPS LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLICATION: INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE JOURNEY IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION 47 THE 17TH INTERNATIONAL LINGUISTICS OLYMPIAD 47 ARAB STATES 48 DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARABIC CHAPTER IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNESCO WORLD ATLAS OF LANGUAGES 49 INITIATIVES ALIGNED TO THE ACTION PLAN OF THE IYIL2019 51 ACTIVITIES BY MAJOR OBJECTIVES 52 ACTIVITIES BY AREA OF INTERVENTION 53 ACTIVITIES BY THEMATIC AREA 54 MEDIA-LED INITIATIVES : THE IYIL2019 SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN 55 CATEGORIES OF EVENTS 63 CULTURAL EVENTS 65 MEDIA 71 CAPACITY-BUILDING 72 CONFERENCES 75 UN-RESPONSE 77 UNESCO FLAGSHIP INITIATIVES 82 UNESCO SOCIAL MEDIA: MAINSTREAMING DIGITAL CONTENT IN INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES 82 INTERNATIONAL DAYS 83 RESEARCH 86 UNESCO GOODWILL AMBASSADOR 88 UNESCO INTERSECTORAL APPROACH 89 5ContentsIMAGE 2IntroductionIndigenous languages matter for sustainable development, good governance, reconciliation and peace building in our societies.In its resolution 71/178 on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019). This decision was based on a recommendation of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). In its resolution, the General Assembly requested that UNESCO serve as the lead agency for the Year, in collaboration with other UN agencies. Throughout the IYIL2019, UNESCO and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in cooperation with the members of the Steering Committee of the International Year of Indigenous Languages facilitated dialogue, shared information, engaged with a range of stakeholders – in particular, indigenous peoples – and strengthened international cooperation and partnerships as part of initiatives organized around the world in support of linguistic diversity. The 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019) was a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of indigenous languages in our societies and to mobilize partners around the world to take urgent measures to safeguard, support and promote indigenous languages. This flagship report highlights the main achievements of the International Year, reviews UNESCO’s leading role in the implementation of the Action Plan for organizing the International Year, and presents key activities implemented by partners working at the local, national, regional and international levels to promote, support and revitalize indigenous languages worldwide. The activities are presented as per stakeholders involved, geographical scope, themes covered, and categories of events, as set out in the Action Plan. These examples will serve as inspiring stories and good practices for future actions in the years to come, particularly during the upcoming International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022–2032. The selection of flagship initiatives was compiled from events and initiatives registered on the global events calendar of the IYIL2019 website1 and information received from other stakeholders and partners about their implemented initiatives and projects2. When entering events on the IYIL2019 online platform, users were asked to specify how their project aligned with the major objectives, areas of intervention and thematic areas of the Action Plan for organizing the International Year of Indigenous Languages3. The IYIL2019 website therefore functioned as a clearinghouse of information and a benchmarking system to track achievement of the objectives for the International Year. This platform will be upgraded over the course of 2021 to host the dedicated website of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. 1 https://en.iyil2019.org/ 2 Throughout the International Year, a wide range of stakeholders was invited by the IYIL2019 Secretariat and the members of the Steering Committee for the organization of the IYIL2019 to register events on the online platform and share information within their networks. Appeals to participate were made during two information meetings with Member States; at several high-level, regional and multi-stakeholder meetings organized in cooperation with a wide range of partners; through targeted emails and newsletters; and throughout a year-long social media campaign on the IYIL2019 Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels. While there was great engagement by international audiences with the website and many stakeholders shared information about ongoing initiatives, there were almost certainly activities not recorded on the site, in part because the ability to report depended upon Internet access, which is problematic for isolated communities. It is therefore important to note that this report cannot provide an exhaustive overview of the initiatives because the evaluation and identification of contributions not registered on the IYIL2019 website was still underway at the time when this Report has been prepared. 3 Action Plan for organizing the International Year of Indigenous Languages, UN Economic and Social Council (E/C.19/2018/8) INTRODUCTION IMAGE 3 9INTRODUCTION Subhead title space for two lines IMAGE 4Rationale for the International YearRATIONALE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR This publication is built on a Summary report on the International Year of Indigenous Languages4 which was released in April 2020. It was prepared further to resolutions 73/156 and 74/135, in which the United Nations General Assembly encouraged UNESCO to submit a report on all joint collaborative activities undertaken to organize the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Language is one of the fundamental preconditions to human development. People need language to communicate with one another and to transmit from generation to generation the knowledge, ideas, beliefs and traditions that are essential for their recognition, well-being, evolution and peaceful coexistence. Despite their immense value, languages around the world are disappearing. This is cause for serious concern, because the disappearance of any single language threatens the entire culture and knowledge system to which it belongs. According to the UN’s Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, no less than 40 per cent of the estimated 6,700 languages spoken in 2016 were in danger of disappearing5. The reasons for the endangerment of languages vary across communities, but indigenous peoples face tremendous challenges such as assimilation, enforced relocation, and unequal access to education that may eventually lead to the weakening of a language to the point of disappearance. When parents and elders face impediments to transmitting indigenous languages to their children, those languages will eventually fall out of daily use. Indigenous women in particular play a fundamental role in ensuring language transmission and the preservation of the knowledge they contain to children and youth. However, a series of factors, including stigma associated with use of indigenous languages, and pressure to embrace mainstream languages and cultures in the classroom and in society at large, can weaken this contribution. Over the past decade there has been a renewed interest in safeguarding linguistic diversity, not only as a vehicle of cultural expression and value transmission, but also as a powerful enabler of inclusive and sustainable development. This priority is clearly expressed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted in 2007 by the General Assembly in its resolution 61/295, which represents a comprehensive framework of standards for economic, social and cultural well-being and rights for the world’s indigenous peoples. Among these is the right to revitalize, use, protect, preserve and transmit their histories, languages and oral traditions to future generations. Additionally, in the outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (resolution 69/2), the Assembly reiterated the important and continuing role of the United Nations in promoting and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples. While societies as a whole have a key role to play for the preservation, revitalization and promotion of indigenous languages, indigenous leadership is essential to ensure the development and implementation of effective and sustainable plans, policies and actions. The engagement of indigenous representatives is equally important to guarantee that these efforts take into account the diverse historical, economic, social and cultural conditions of indigenous peoples. 4 Summary report on the International Year of Indigenous Languages, UN Economic and Social Council (E/C.19/2020/9) 5 Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, “Indigenous languages”, backgrounder. Available at https://www.un.org/development/desa/ indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/04/Indigenous-Languages.pdf. 12 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesStrategic Framework of IYIL2019 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE IYIL2019 14 KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE IYIL2019 16 THEMATIC AREAS OF ACTIVITIES 17 GUIDING FRAMEWORK 18 A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIP 18 GLOBAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY 19The International Year proclaimed by the UN General Assembly served as an important mechanism for raising awareness of the key role of indigenous languages and for mobilizing multiple stakeholders for coordinated action to protect, support and promote these languages around the world. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE IYIL2019 (…)THE OBJECTIVES OF THE 2019 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES (IYIL2019) WERE TO: • Focus global attention on the critical risks confronting indigenous languages and the significance of such risks for sustainable development, reconciliation, good governance and peacebuilding • Target steps that would lead to improved quality of life, enhanced international cooperation and strengthened intercultural dialogue, and reaffirming cultural and linguistic continuity • Deliver increased capacities on the part of all stakeholders to take concrete and sustainable measures at every level to support, access and promote indigenous languages around the world in accordance with the legitimate rights of indigenous peoples. UNESCO, in partnership with representatives of Member States, indigenous peoples, United Nations entities, experts, civil society organizations and other public and private actors, prepared an Action Plan for organizing the International Year of Indigenous Languages (E/C.19/2018/8), setting out the main objectives of the Year, as well as the key principles and actions to be taken to achieve these (see Table 1). 14 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesTABLE 1. MATRIX - IYIL2019 ACTION PLAN AREA OF INTERVENTION OUTCOMES OUTPUTS CLUSTERED PARTICIPA- TION MO- DALITIES PARTICIPATION MODALITIES Increasing understanding, reconciliation and international cooperation OUTCOME 1: Increased understanding, reconciliation and international cooperation among different stakeholders through coordinated advocacy and awareness-raising programmes focused on upholding and reinforcing the human rights of indigenous language speakers, deploying necessary resources and robust data through national statistics institutions, in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other international and national laws related to indigenous peoples and multilingualism, and other relevant normative instruments and strategies. 1.1. Encouraged international cooperation among South- North and South-South partners, emphasizing the participation of organizations or networks of indigenous peoples and other relevant organizations or networks, thereby stimulating global debate on the importance of mainstreaming indigenous languages towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and the relevant Sustainable Development Goals. 1.2. Established new and innovative public- private partnerships and practitioner communities as focal points within societies in order to support, promote and empower indigenous peoples, through greater access to multilingual information and knowledge, and in particular targeting outstanding exemplars such as those who have won distinction as Olympic athletes or other champions and practitioners of various sports and games, including traditional ones. 1.3. Sustained the traditional ceremonies of indigenous peoples and more broadly supported their cultural heritage through enhanced cooperation among cultural bodies, i.e. information centres, libraries and memory organizations, together with faith-based institutions, youth bodies and creative industries, including music, dance, sports, photography and poetry, and by building closer links with indigenous artists and their networks, and cooperating with the private sector 1.4. Strengthened international cooperation among various partners to operationalize data collection, storage and evaluation with regard to indigenous languages, liaising with existing ongoing statistical and data collection initiatives. Advisory / Meetings International conference of states International meetings Non-governmental organizations International congress Advisory committees Expert committees Creating favourable conditions for knowledge-sharing and dissemination of good practices with regards to indigenous languages OUTCOME 2: Delivered support, through the development of improved tools, contents and services, towards the sharing and enhancement of information, research and understanding about indigenous languages, progress across all relevant fields, facilitated through improved data collection and evaluation, conditional upon the involvement and active participation of the holders of such languages and knowledge, and additionally stimulated collaboration between relevant stakeholders in monitoring 2.1. Promoted principles and frameworks which support ethical dissemination of indigenous knowledge through existing international mechanisms for the protection of intellectual property and other means of disseminating information, including online platforms. 2.2. Raised awareness of the significance of indigenous language issues within the context of the international, regional and national development agendas and plans, through the impact generated by special events and mechanisms such as international days, cultural or sporting festivals, traditional sports and games events, and intergovernmental programmes which provide a platform for knowledgesharing and dissemination of good practices. 2.3. Stimulated the development of appropriate knowledge-sharing platforms and the creation of language technologies and digital resources which support, promote and make more accessible indigenous languages, personal self-esteem and pride, and facilitate their use in different sociocultural, economic and environmental situations. 2.4. Provided support at the technical level for statistics that can be readily and effectively operationalized to assess demographic trends, the status of particular languages and changes in linguistic diversity. Capacity building Seminars and training/ courses Integrating indigenous languages into standard-setting OUTCOME 3: Strengthened national and regional capacities to assess and mainstream indigenous languages and, as far as possible, to integrate them into national policies, strategic plans and regulatory frameworks. 3.1. Provided assistance for policy analysis, monitoring and programme delivery in education, culture, science, social and human sciences, and communication and information, alongside other relevant fields such as employment, health care and social inclusion, in alignment with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals and other international, regional and national perspectives, and United Nations declarations and initiatives, all targeted comprehensively at supporting, promoting and making accessible indigenous languages. 3.2. Elaborated practical guidelines to deliver and monitor policy measures taken to support, promote and make accessible indigenous languages, as well ensured that indigenous languages are used in teaching, research and administration. 3.3. Ensured that indigenous languages are documented with the active participation of the language holders and, where possible, indigenous peoples are empowered to make informed decisions about the self-recording and documentation of their languages and the further utilization of records in the public domain. Cultural events Symposiums Concerts Performance/theatre Exhibitions Sports events, traditional sports and games Film screenings Online events Empowerment through capacity- building OUTCOME 4: Delivered expanded educational capacity to provide more equitable and inclusive access to education in areas where indigenous languages and traditional knowledge feature prominently, the improvements being derived from new and open educational resources associated with relevant learning strategies, progressive teaching methods and teacher education, and a wide range of language tools and materials, from traditional methods to cutting-edge information and communications technology solutions. 4.1. Reinforced institutional capacity and readiness to put in place inclusive educational policies with a view to raising professional standards at all educational levels, including in the field of lifelong learning, and providing inclusive education to all learners. 4.2. Trained more and better qualified teachers and education specialists as a result of targeted educational policy interventions, including those suited especially to addressing the needs of younger learners, girls and women, persons with disabilities, and those in migrant situations. 4.3. Developed new and open educational resources to facilitate teaching and learning in indigenous languages, as well as integrating indigenous cultures and traditional knowledge into mainstream educational courses and programmes, and creating bespoke writing systems for indigenous languages to improve learning. 4.4. Supported formulation, review and implementation of coherent polices to develop a complete linguistic framework for indigenous languages which will promote research into those languages, as well as enhance the ability of indigenous professionals to teach in their mother tongue, and developed the skills of indigenous peoples necessary for participation in educational decision-making. Media Media Other Growth and development through elaboration of new knowledge OUTCOME 5: Engaged and encouraged the global academic and scientific community to leverage the value residing in the intellectual assets and cultural and linguistic heritage of indigenous peoples both for their own benefit and for wider society on a national, regional and global scale 5.1. Expanded and enriched the knowledge base by introducing contributions from the indigenous cultural and linguistic heritage, and embedding them in national, regional and global development perspectives and strategies. 5.2. Promoted the exchange of scientific knowledge and sharing between cultures, with a view to their reconciliation and subsequent integration into policymaking and decision-making processes. 5.3. Alerted stakeholders to pay increased regard to a wide range of perspectives affecting indigenous languages and cultures, with particular reference to the perspectives and statements of United Nations entities and other institutions. MAJOR OBJECTIVES Focusing global attention on the critical risks confronting indigenous languages and the significance of such risks for sustainable development, reconciliation, good governance and peacebuilding Targeting steps which will lead to improved quality of life, enhanced international cooperation and strengthened intercultural dialogue, and reaffirming cultural and linguistic continuity Delivering increased capacities on the part of all stakeholders to take concrete and sustainable measures at every level to support, access and promote indigenous languages around the world in accordance with the legitimate rights of indigenous peoples. THEMATIC AREAS SUPPORT – Support for the revitalization and maintenance of indigenous languages through measures to guarantee more materials, expanded content and a wider range of services, using language technologies and information and communications technologies, where appropriate, in order to improve everyday use of indigenous languages and encourage best practice, equality and proficiency in their use. PROMOTION – Preservation of indigenous languages, access to education, information and knowledge in and about indigenous languages for indigenous children, young people and adults, improvement of data collection and sharing of information in and about indigenous languages, using language technology and other communication and information mechanisms. ACCESS – Mainstreaming the knowledge areas and values of indigenous peoples and cultures within broader sociocultural, economic and political domains, applying specific language technologies and other relevant methods of communication and information, as well as cultural practices such as traditional sports and games, which can provide enhanced access and empowerment for indigenous language speakers. 15Strategic Framework of IYIL2019 / Key Achievements of the IYIL2019KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE ACTION PLAN: • Centrality of indigenous peoples (‘nothing for us without us’), according to the principle of self- determination and the potential to develop, revitalize and transmit to future generations the languages that reflect the insights and values of indigenous peoples, as well as their knowledge systems and cultures. • Compliance with international normative instruments and standards, in particular taking into consideration the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which constitute the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous peoples. • Joint action ‘delivering as one’ in the spirit of enhancing efficient and coherent delivery across the United Nations system, in partnership with the Permanent Forum, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other stakeholders, as well as integrating the United Nations normative and operational mandates on the rights of indigenous peoples, working in collaboration with United Nations country teams. • Building on the strengths of multi-stakeholder partnerships at all levels in order to foster synergies, adequate responses and leadership. • A holistic approach guided by the programming principles based on a full spectrum of human rights and fundamental freedoms that support indigenous identity, cultural and spiritual diversity, gender equality, and disability inclusiveness. Any paradigm developed must encourage capacity-building and the empowerment of indigenous peoples to ensure environmental sustainability. • Synergy among different international development frameworks, as well as documents related to sustainable development, reconciliation and peacebuilding, including the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the Education 2030 Framework for Action, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the New Urban Agenda, the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance (2006), the Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries in Africa (2008), Agenda 2063, the outcome of the World Summit on Information Society, including the Geneva Plan of Action, the Tunis Commitment and other documents of the Open Consultation Process on Overall Review of the Implementation of the World Summit on the Information Society Outcomes, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020, including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (especially target 18, on traditional knowledge), other multilateral processes and implementation of other plans and strategies. • Results-based management prioritizing actions and interventions for maximum positive impact. 16 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE IYIL2019ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED DURING THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR CENTRED AROUND THREE THEMATIC AREAS – SUPPORT, ACCESS AND PROMOTION OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES – CONSISTENT WITH THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS THEMATIC AREAS OF ACTIVITIES Support for the revitalization and maintenance of indigenous languages through measures to guarantee more language materials, expanded content and a wider range of services using information and communications technologies to encourage best practices, equality, and proficiency in the use of indigenous languages. SUPPORT ACCESS Preservation of access to education, information about and knowledge in indigenous languages for indigenous children, young people and adults, and improvement of data collection and sharing of information in and about indigenous languages using information and communication technologies. PROMOTION Mainstreaming the knowledge areas and values of indigenous peoples and cultures within broader sociocultural, economic and political domains; applying specific language technologies and other relevant methods of communication and information; and supporting cultural practices such as traditional sports and games, which can provide enhanced access and empowerment for indigenous language speakers. 17Strategic Framework of IYIL2019 / Thematic Areas of ActivitiesGUIDING FRAMEWORK The implementation of the International Year benefited from the involvement of diverse actors through a multi- stakeholder partnership. A Steering Committee composed of representatives of Member States, indigenous peoples and designated members of the UN mechanism on Indigenous Issues and UN system entities, including UNESCO and UNDESA provided guidance and oversaw the implementation of the Action Plan. Specific ad-hoc groups were also established to advise on specific aspects of the Action Plan’s implementation. In addition, a wide range of partners across the world contributed to the implementation of the Action Plan through various modalities, including the co-organization of events, the sponsoring of activities, the sharing or know-how and resources, and the promotion of communication activities (see Figure 1). • Member States. • Indigenous peoples’ representatives, including designated representatives from the seven sociocultural regions, and other indigenous peoples’ organizations. • Civil society, notably civic organizations, voluntary organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in indigenous languages, the general public, indigenous groups and indigenous language users. • The United Nations three-party mechanism, comprising the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. • Public institutions and the private sector. • Regional, national, local and thematic multi-stakeholder networks, as well as working groups that focused on specific indigenous-language-related issues such as national or community-based committees that include representatives of national Governments, indigenous peoples, United Nations country teams and/or other public-private actors. • Researchers, academics and experts in the field of indigenous languages, including preservation, maintenance and revitalization. A Multi-Stakeholder Partnership A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER APPROACH WAS ADOPTED AS THE OPTIMAL WAY TO INVOLVE ALL INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INITIATIVES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR. AMONG THESE STAKEHOLDERS WERE: FIGURE 1. 4 PARTNERSHIP MODALITIES CO-ORGANIZE Organizing awareness- raising academic, cultural, sport, information-sharing and promotional events SPONSOR Sponsoring official events, activities and projects PROVIDE KNOW-HOW Providing know-how human resources, equipment, tools and other facilities PROMOTE Promoting through your communication channels and activities, as well as creating and disseminating content 18 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesGlobal Communication Strategy THE PRIMARY TARGET AUDIENCES OF THE GLOBAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY WERE: • Speakers and signers of indigenous languages, based on the principle, ‘nothing about us without us’. • Governments, public institutions and policymaking bodies; academia and educational organizations; and the private sector. • Other groups, including media professionals, digital activists, opinion leaders, artists and the general public. CREATE 4. SCALE UP PHASE: 3. OPERATIONAL PHASE: 2. BUILDING PHASE: 1. INITIAL PHASE: APR 17 – JAN 19 FEB 19 – APR 19 AUG 19 SEP 19 – 2020 INFORM ACCELERATE ENGAGE 4. SCALE UP PHASE: 3. OPERATIONAL PHASE: 2. BUILDING PHASE: 1. INITIAL PHASE: 2017 – 01/2019 02/2019 – 04/2019 08/2019 09/2019 – 2020 INFORM ENGAGE CREATE ACCELERATE FIGURE 2. IMPLEMENTATION PHASES THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE GLOBAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY WAS TO CONVEY THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES FOR THE PROCESSES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, PEACEBUILDING AND RECONCILIATION WORLD-WIDE. THIS WAS ACHIEVED BY: • Informing the general public and indigenous language users about the importance of indigenous languages for societal development. • Creating greater awareness about the critical threats to indigenous languages around the world. • Stimulating intercultural debate, particularly in political forums and within academic circles, regarding indigenous languages. • Imparting new knowledge on the importance of indigenous languages. • Shaping attitudes of relevant stakeholders on the importance of indigenous languages. • Engaging indigenous language users and inspiring a new generation of language champions by increasing the number of languages used online; connecting language champions, keepers, and activists across cultures; increasing the number of language resources shared online; and providing actionable templates for staging locally oriented events. • Connecting, mobilizing and encouraging international stakeholders to form new partnerships and sponsorships for long-term goals. The global communication strategy of the IYIL2019 included four phases, each with a distinct focus and outreach method (see Figure 2). 19Strategic Framework of IYIL2019 / Guiding frameworkDEDICATED WEBSITE ENGLISH VERSION: https://en.iyil2019.org/ FRENCH VERSION: https://fr.iyil2019.org/ SPANISH VERSION: https://es.iyil2019.org/ CONTACT Email: [email protected] SOCIAL MEDIA: HTTPS://EN.IYIL2019.ORG/MEDIA/IYIL2019-SOCIAL-MEDIA-CAMPAIGN/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/IYIL2019/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/IYIL2019 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/indigenouslanguages/ HASHTAGS: #indigenouslanguages #WeAreIndigenous #IYIL2019 YOUTUBE: https://tinyurl.com/y5c2hxq6 TABLE 2. AVAILABLE TOOLS AND RESOURCES TIMEFRAME: 1 AUGUST 2018 (LAUNCH OF IYIL2019 WEBSITE) TO 29 FEBRUARY 2020 (CLOSING EVENT OF THE IYIL2019) NUMBER OF USERS 314,361 PAGES VIEWED 802,224 Global Communication Strategy VISUAL IDENTITY (LOGOS AVAILABLE IN SIX UN LANGUAGES. (OTHER LANGUAGES ON DEMAND) STAND-ALONE LOGO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNESCO UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF UNESCO VISUAL GUIDELINES https://en.iyil2019.org/resources/iyil2019-logo-guidelines-2/ In partnership with UNESCO Under patronage of UNESCO 20 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesCOMMUNICATION MATERIALS VISUALS: https://en.iyil2019.org/all-resources/iyil2019-infographics/ COMMUNICATION MATERIALS MEDIA DEDICATED SPACE FOR MEDIA PROFESSIONALS: https://en.iyil2019.org/media/ REGISTER AS MEDIA PARTNER: https://en.iyil2019.org/registration/ MEDIA ADVISORY: https://en.iyil2019.org/all-resources/un-documents/ PRESS KIT AND BROCHURE : https://en.iyil2019.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Media_Partnership_Brochure_ENGLISH.pdf BECOMING A MEDIA PARTNER: (enquires to [email protected]) MEDIA CONTACTS: https://en.iyil2019.org/media/ TABLE 2. CONTINUED Global Communication Strategy 20 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages 21Strategic Framework of IYIL2019 / Guiding frameworkIMAGE 5Overview of Main Achievements GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE IYIL2019 24 TAKING STOCK TO MOVE FORWARD 25 STRATEGICALLY POSITIONING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN THE GLOBAL AGENDA 27 TOWARDS RENEWED MOBILIZATION THROUGHOUT THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES (2022-2032) 28• Facilitating the support of, access to and promotion of indigenous languages and strengthening the capacities of indigenous language users and relevant indigenous peoples’ organizations to learn, use and transmit their languages to subsequent generations. • Encouraging stakeholders to take appropriate action in support of indigenous languages to achieve the goals set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Sustainable Development Goals. • Securing concrete commitments from Member States, indigenous peoples, civil society groups, academia, public institutions, the private sector, and other stakeholders to support, provide access to and promote indigenous languages, including by offering financial support for related activities through existing funding modalities. GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE IYIL2019 AT A GLOBAL LEVEL, THE IYIL2019 HAS, THROUGH THE TARGETED INTERVENTIONS OF A RANGE OF PARTNERS, MADE INITIAL PROGRESS TOWARDS THE UNITED NATIONS’ OBJECTIVES CONCERNING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES BY:THE JOINT EFFORTS OF STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR TARGETED ACTIONS IMPLEMENTED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR RESULTED IN: • At least 78 countries contributed to raising global awareness of the International Year and mobilizing institutional resources to support it, according to information reported on the dedicated online platform of the IYIL2019. • Nearly 900 events and initiatives launched around the world. Many of these projects were the result of enhanced international cooperation among stakeholders at the global level (UN Member States, UN agencies, civil society, academia, media and others) to create coordinated advocacy and awareness-raising programs. • Over 2,466 stakeholders joined the online community of the IYIL2019 website, and shared information concerning concrete measures taken in support of indigenous languages, with a great involvement of indigenous peoples. • A new understanding was fostered of languages as essential contributors to the development of peaceful, resilient and inclusive societies. Awareness was raised among participants on the urgent need to provide an immediate and coordinated response related to the endangerment, vitality and status of indigenous languages by reinforcing all actions through the application of a full spectrum of human rights and fundamental freedoms to support indigenous language users. Such a human rights- based approach to languages is grounded in the idea that linguistic rights are intrinsically related to the human rights of their users, in particular giving substance to the right to freedom of expression, but also as they concern access to basic services such as health, education, information, justice and employment. This approach is enshrined in the Action Plan of the IYIL2019, and was equally stressed in several occasions by the participants of the regional and international consultations summarized in the Strategic outcome document (Ref.: UNESCO General Conference 40 C/68). • New levels of cooperation emerged among existing human rights mechanisms such as the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) and the Human Rights Council. A coordinated mechanism – the Steering Committee on the organization of the IYIL2019 – was instrumental in bringing different views together and advancing a long-lasting agenda, which led to the proclamation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022 - 2032. • A global community was mobilized through social and played an essential role in achieving key IYIL2019 objectives. A network of 15–20 social media organizations active in different regions around the world was forged to promote IYIL2019 activities. • Global media organizations more systematically reported on indigenous languages, often raising awareness on related issues such as justice, human rights, biodiversity and land use. This reporting greatly contributed to the global production of content on indigenous languages, including (but not limited to) 4,000 articles released by media organizations in six UN languages alone. • Systematic, long-term measures in some countries were initiated. It became evident that further coordinated mechanisms are needed to ensure the viability of the world’s indigenous languages. The discussions that arose out of the IYIL2019 events and activities pointed to the conclusion that damage done cannot be fixed over one year. To this end, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2022–2032 the International Decade of Indigenous languages, which will be the major international cooperation mechanism available at the UN level. TAKING STOCK TO MOVE FORWARD 25Overview of Main Achievements / Taking Stock to Move ForwardIMAGE 6 'Each indigenous language is priceless for humanity. They are treasures overflowing with history, values, literature, spirituality, perspectives and knowledge that have been developed over millennia, resulting from their interaction with nature: with forests, rivers, oceans. When a language becomes extinct, all those memories die with it, all that history, all that science.' – H.E.Ms María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UNGA, at the High-level launch event of IYIL2019, New York, 1 February 2019.Since the launch of preparations for the International Year in 2016, representatives of Member States, indigenous peoples, United Nations entities, experts, civil society organizations and other public and private actors have taken ground-breaking steps in the area of supporting, providing access to and promoting indigenous languages around the world. These steps are reflected through policy-making, the organization of relevant educational, capacity-building, artistic and cultural activities, media and other forms of engagement. They have succeeded in drawing the attention of the global community to the critical situation of many indigenous languages and mobilizing resources for joint action. The importance of indigenous languages was unequivocally affirmed at the high-level launch events of IYIL2019, organized by UNESCO in Paris on 28 January 2019, and by UNESCO and UNDESA in New York on 1 February 2019, when H.E. Ms María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly proclaimed: ‘Each indigenous language is priceless for humanity. They are treasures overflowing with history, values, literature, spirituality, perspectives and knowledge that have been developed over millennia, resulting from their interaction with nature: with forests, rivers, oceans. When a language becomes extinct, all those memories die with it, all that history, all that science.’ The key conclusion of the International Year was that there is a need to maintain the momentum through the continued engagement of Member States, indigenous peoples, academia, public and private actors and other stakeholders. By addressing the needs of users of indigenous languages and offering an adequate response to the challenges indigenous people face in maintaining and transmitting their languages from one generation to another, the global community acknowledges the wider and special significance of all indigenous languages and their relevance to peacebuilding, good governance, sustainable development and reconciliation within our societies. STRATEGICALLY POSITIONING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN THE GLOBAL AGENDA 27Overview of Main Achievements / Strategically Positioning Indigenous Languages in the Global Agenda IMAGE 7TOWARDS RENEWED MOBILIZATION THROUGHOUT THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES (2022-2032) Strategic Outcome Document of the IYIL2019 For the preparation of the Strategic Outcome Document (UNESCO 40 C/68) of the IYIL2019, a global consultative procedure was set up with the Steering Committee for the organization of the International Year. This procedure entailed several international and regional consultations, held in cooperation with Member States, indigenous peoples, academic organizations, United Nations system entities and other public and private bodies. The results include key recommendations for the elaboration of future actions (see Figure 3), including in view of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. The Strategic Outcome Document takes stock of the progress made and provides guidance for action to preserve, support and promote access to indigenous languages and their users. One of the key recommendations for future action was to seek extrabudgetary resources, for example by establishing a multi-donor financial mechanism for the implementation of language-related initiatives. FIGURE 3. LOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STRATEGIC OUTCOME DOCUMENT Rationale Insights Conclusions Future steps Immediate action Overarching strategic objective Arguments 1. Global challenges 2. Human Rights 3. Multi-stakeholderism 4. Sustainability of actions 5. Framework 6. Theory of change 7. Global agenda 8. Progress 9. Strategic action 1. Development 2. Human rights 3. Strategies 4. Empowerment 5. Progress 6. Synergy 7. Sustainability Goal Recommendations Suggested actions This conclusion was given institutional support at the high- level closing event of the International Year, convened by H.E. Mr Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly, in New York on 17 December 2019. On this occasion, the new resolution entitled Rights of indigenous peoples, including the proclamation of 2022– 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, was adopted on 18 December 2019 by the UN General Assembly and presented to the international community. The proclamation of the International Decade represents a major achievement of the International Year, as it will provide a unique opportunity and platform for long-term action in the area of Indigenous languages and their integration into global development frameworks. 28 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesThe Los Pinos Declaration (Chapoltepek) Los Pinos (Chapoltepek) Amatlanawatilli Mahtlaktli Xihtli ma Motekipanokan Totlakatilistlahtolwan 1 The Outcome document also benefited from the editorial expertise of members of the Open-ended Drafting Group established by UNESCO and the Steering Committee. It was further enriched by meetings organized during the 18th session of the UNPFII (from 22 April to 3 May 2019), the 12th session of the EMRIP (from 15 to 19 July 2019) and its statement on IYIL2019 (28 January 2019), as well as online consultations organized by UNESCO in August and September 2019. Contributions were also received from a large group of indigenous peoples, intergovernmental, research, national and regional organizations, and individual experts. As a result, the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Strategic Outcome Document at its 40th session, in 2019 (40/68). In 2020, UNESCO launched the preparations towards the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), which commences on 1 January 2022. The foundations of the planning process were laid at the high- level closing event of the IYIL2019, ‘Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages,’ held 27 and 28 February 2020 in Mexico City, Mexico, in the presence of the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, and the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Nearly 700 participants from 48 countries attended the event, organized by UNESCO and the Government of Mexico, together with national, regional and international partners. During the meetings, participants identified the lessons learned from the IYIL2019 and engaged in the first consultations to build on the Year’s success in moving forward. The event represented a significant step towards the preservation, revitalization and promotion of indigenous languages in which indigenous peoples are both central players and beneficiaries of the process, and the outcome document, ‘The Los Pinos Declaration – [Chapoltepek] – Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages’, presents the milestones for elaborating a Global Action Plan for the International Decade. The Los Pinos Declaration build on a series of international and regional consultative events organized for the preparation of the Strategic Outcome Document of the IYIL2019:1 • The international symposium ‘Realization of international commitments for the empowerment of local language speakers, communities and nations’, Asunción, Paraguay, from 3 to 5 July 2018. The event contributed to the reinforcement of commitments to enhance national and regional capacities to support local languages within the context of existing global commitments. The participants – Member States, indigenous peoples’ organizations, experts, UNESCO representatives, and other organizations – reviewed recommendations for implementing the Action Plan of the IYIL2019. 29Overview of Main Achievements / Towards Renewed Mobilization Throughout the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) IMAGE 8• The international conference ‘Role of linguistic diversity in building a global community with shared future: protection, access and promotion of language resources’, Changsha, People’s Republic of China, from 19 to 21 September 2018. The event, organized by UNESCO, the Ministry of Education, the State Language Commission and the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO, in collaboration with other partners, focused on language protection, access to language resources and promotion of emerging initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as on contributions to the organization of the IYIL2019 and further development of UNESCO’s World Atlas of Languages. An outcome document entitled ‘Yuelu Proclamation’ was elaborated to provide policy recommendations in the region. • UNESCO, in cooperation with the Government of Canada, the Indigenous Co-Chairs of the IYIL2019 Steering Committee, and other Canadian national, regional and international partners, organized the IYIL2019 North American and Arctic Regional Meeting in conjunction with HELISET TŦE SḰÁL – ‘Let the languages live’ – 2019 International Conference on Indigenous Languages, Victoria, Canada, from 23 to 26 June 2019. The regional meeting contributed to the established tentative road map for the elaboration of a Global Strategic Outcome Document. The conference, organized by the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council, included Indigenous language experts from over 30 countries sharing knowledge with over 1,000 delegates, several live performances, and a vendor fair that showcased Indigenous artists. • The African regional meeting on the IYIL2019 organized in cooperation with the African Union and the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 and 31 July 2019. The meeting assessed the status of regional indigenous languages and facilitated a constructive dialogue to identify ways to maintain and revitalize the rich linguistic diversity in Africa. The meeting concluded with the articulation of recommendations for the Strategic Outcome Document and African regional meeting document. • The Regional congress on the indigenous languages of Latin America and the Caribbean to mark the IYIL2019, organized in cooperation with the Government of Peru, in Cusco, Peru, from 25 to 27 September 2019. Delegations from 15 countries participated in drafting commitments for the promotion, safeguarding, use and development of indigenous languages at the regional level. The congress was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the National Institute of Radio and Television of Peru (IRTP), UNESCO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latin America (CRESPIAL) and the nationally representative indigenous organizations that make up the IYIL2019 Working Group. The regional event also generated a regional outcome document. 30 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages IMAGE 931Overview of Main Achievements / Towards Renewed Mobilization Throughout the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) IMAGE 10 IMAGE 11Overview of IYIL2019 ActivitiesSCOPE AND REACH OF ACTIVITIES 34 ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITIES 35 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVITIES 36 A SELECTION OF FLAGSHIP CROSS-NATIONAL INITIATIVES 38 EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA 39 SANA 2019 - ESTONIA, LATVIA, AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 40 THE SÁMI PARLIAMENTS IN FINLAND, NORWAY AND SWEDEN 41 AFRICA 42 SADILAR - SOUTH AFRICA 43 LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 44 ONLINE INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL (OIFF) 45 FOURTH ANDEAN PEACE MEETING (ENCUENTRO ANDINO DE PAZ) - INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PEACE THROUGH EDUCATION 45 ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 46 DROPS LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLICATION: INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE JOURNEY IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION 47 THE YEAR OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES FILM FEST 2019 47 ARAB STATES 48 DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARABIC ATLAS OF LANGUAGES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNESCO WORLD ATLAS OF LANGUAGES 49 INITIATIVES ALIGNED TO THE ACTION PLAN OF THE IYIL2019 51 ACTIVITIES BY MAJOR OBJECTIVES 52 ACTIVITIES BY AREA OF INTERVENTION 53 ACTIVITIES BY THEMATIC AREA 54 MEDIA-LED INITIATIVES : THE IYIL2019 SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN 55 CATEGORIES OF EVENTS 63 CULTURAL EVENTS 65 MEDIA 71 CAPACITY-BUILDING 72 CONFERENCES 75 UN-RESPONSE 77 UNESCO FLAGSHIP INITIATIVES 82 UNESCO SOCIAL MEDIA: MAINSTREAMING DIGITAL CONTENT IN INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES 82 INTERNATIONAL DAYS 83 RESEARCH 86 UNESCO GOODWILL AMBASSADOR 88 UNESCO INTERSECTORAL APPROACH 89SCOPE AND REACH OF ACTIVITIES During the International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019, a series of activities were held that contributed to achieving the objectives of the International Year. An online collaborative platform was set up to facilitate reporting on the initiatives and events organized by multiple stakeholders and partners around the world. Some 2,466 registered users on the dedicated website of the International Year reported a total of 882 activities throughout 2019. These were held in some 78 countries. Participants from 63 countries uploaded research papers in relation to the IYIL2019, bringing the total number of countries to 94. IMAGE 12  Figure 4 focuses on the types of logos used for activities registered on the IYIL2019 website, showing that, of the 882 activities, 510 (58 per cent) reported a direct link to the UNESCO framework for the International Year, either through requesting UNESCO patronage to support certain activities (3 per cent), applying for formal partnerships between UNESCO and organizers of events (10 per cent) or organized activities requesting use of the stand-alone logo of the IYIL2019 (45 per cent), thereby associating themselves to the IYIL 2019. Therefore, the reported data indicates that the IYIL2019 was instrumental in enhancing the number of activities raising awareness on indigenous languages and linguistic diversity. The remaining 372 events and activities reported had a link to indigenous languages (42 per cent), and some were even part of recurring programmes held in previous years. FIGURE 4. DISTRIBUTION OF EVENTS BY TYPE OF LOGO REQUESTED AND UNESCO INVOLVEMENT OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION PRIVATE SECTOR NGO / CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ORGANIZATION MEDIA ACADEMIA GOVERNMENT 12 / 1%12 / 1% 236 / 27% 219 / 25% 201 / 23% 102 / 12% 62 / 7% 38 / 4% FIGURE 5. DISTRIBUTION OF EVENTS BY CATEGORY OF ORGANIZER Actors Involved in the Activities Some 102 activities and events (12 per cent) were carried out by indigenous peoples or by their representative organizations. The non-governmental sector, including NGOs, civil society organizations and the private sector, carried out nearly 40 per cent of the total number of activities (see Figure 5). National governments supported and organized 219 events (25 per cent), while 62 events (7 per cent) were organized by international organizations. Academia was the predominant category, accounting for 236 events (27 per cent). A smaller percentage of activities was organized in the domain of media (12 events - 1 per cent), and for others a categorization was not specified (12 events - 1 per cent). IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNESCO UNDER UNESCO PATRONAGE STAND ALONE IY 2019 NOT SPECIFIED 26 / 3% 394 / 45% 372 / 42% 90 / 10% 35Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Scope and Reach of ActivitiesGeographic Distribution of Activities 1 Research papers have been provided by researchers from the following countries, where IYIL2019 related events were also hosted : Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Vanuatu, and Venezuela. Other countries that have hosted events: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Honduras, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uruguay, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Research papers have also been provided by researchers from the following countries : Algeria, Barbados, Cameroon, Denmark, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, France (New Caledonia), Iran, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Serbia, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, and United Republic of Tanzania. A total of 94 countries were involved in the International Year by means of contributing dedicated research work, organizing national or international events and other activities. Among these, 78 hosted events or activities, while 63 were involved in research-related initiatives.1 FIGURE 6. GLOBAL REACH OF IYIL2019 Note/disclaimer. More than a third (327 activities, or 37 per cent) of all activities and events relating to the Year took place in Europe and North America (see Figure 6 and 7). Latin America and the Caribbean region recorded 257 activities. The International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) will represent a key opportunity to raise the participation of regions with a proportionally low number of recorded activities in 2019, namely Africa (30 activities) and the Arab States (3 events). FIGURE 7. REGIONS THAT HAVE HOSTED EVENTS OR OTHER ACTIVITIES 94 countries were involved in the International Year among these, 78 hosted events or activities while 63 were involved in research- related initiatives LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARRIBEAN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA AFRICA ARAB STATES GLOBAL 3 / 0.3% 30 / 4% 257 / 29% 147 / 17% 118 / 13% 30 / 4% 36 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesFigure 8 lists the countries that hosted most activities and events during the International Year: Mexico (159), United States of America (108), Australia (49), Canada (48), the Philippines (46), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (45), France (42), Norway (36), Brazil (24) and Germany (16). Their combined total amounted to 576 activities and events, or 65 per cent of organized activities in total. FIGURE 8. TOP TEN COUNTRIES BY THE NUMBER OF IYIL 2019 EVENTS HOSTED 0 40 80 120 160 GERMANY / 16 BRAZIL / 24 NORWAY / 36 FRANCE / 42 UK / 45 PHILIPPINES / 46 CANADA / 48 AUSTRALIA / 49 USA / 108 MEXICO / 159 The analysis of the breakdown of activities by type of organizing institution across UNESCO regions (Figure 9) indicates that activities organized by academia and NGOs were most common in Europe and North America, which is also the region which saw most number of activities organized by indigenous peoples’ organizations, whereas the majority of the activities that took place in Latin America and the Caribbean were carried out by national governments. FIGURE 9. DISTRIBUTION OF EVENTS BY CATEGORY OF ORGANIZER AND UNESCO REGION 37Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Scope and Reach of Activities 0 50 100 150 200 250 NOT SPECIFIED PRIVATE SECTOR NGOS / CIVIL SOCIETY MEDIA INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' ORGANIZATION GOVERNMENT ACADEMIA ARAB STATESGLOBAL EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA AFRICA ASIA AND THE PACIFIC LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARRIBEAN 47 18 20 45 12 9 8 100 30 4 38 61 8 20 1 6 3 6 144 103 41A SELECTION OF FLAGSHIP CROSS-NATIONAL INITIATIVES This chapter presents a selection of flagship cross-national initiatives that took place within each UNESCO region, in the framework of the International Year of Indigenous Languages.1 1 The activities presented here do not provide a comprehensive review of all activities in each region, but rather constitute a selected sample of significant cross- national activitiesEurope and North America IMAGE 13SANA 2019 - Estonia, Latvia, and the Russian Federation SANA, A CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK, WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019 TO UNITE ORGANIZATIONS PRESERVING AND REVITALIZING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION AND TO SUPPORT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE IYIL20192 LANGUAGE ACTIVISM SEMINAR SANA 2019 SANA organized a training seminar and study tour in Inari, Finland, for recipients of SANA mini-grants in support of community-based language initiatives from 21 to 24 January 2019. Representatives of seven such initiatives, learned about good practices and successful activities for preserving and revitalizing Sámi languages - summarized in the online publication outlined below - and planned the implementation of their respective initiatives. ONLINE PUBLICATION OF FINNO-UGRIC LANGUAGE ACTIVISM CASE STUDIES The SANA network also produced an online collection of best practices on the preservation and revitalization of Finno-Ugric languages, developed by educators, media professionals, artists, IT specialists and local community enthusiasts. The publication includes 22 case studies from Finno-Ugric regions in Estonia, Latvia and the Russian Federation. The case studies include community-based language initiatives such as language nests3, social media initiatives, innovative language learning aids for children, and arts-based promotion of indigenous languages (including through cinema, comics, etc.).  2 The project was led by the Association ECHO (Russian Federation), with the assistance of the Centre of Support and Public Diplomacy of Indigenous Peoples Young Karelia (Republic of Karelia, Russian Federation), the Karelian Language House (Republic of Karelia, Russian Federation), the Community of the Small-Numbered Izhorian People (Shoikula, Russian Federation), the Centre for Development of Indigenous Peoples (URALIC, Russian Federation), Seto Cultural Fund (Estonia), and the Sámi civil society organization Giellabalggis (Finland). The project is funded by the Baltic Sea NGO programme of the Nordic Council of Ministers. 3 A language nest is an immersion-based approach to language revitalization in early-childhood education. 40 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesThe Sámi Parliaments in Finland, Norway and Sweden A DIVERSE RANGE OF 30 INITIATIVES WERE ORGANIZED BY THE SÁMI PARLIAMENTS OF FINLAND, NORWAY, AND SWEDEN, IN COOPERATION WITH LOCAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR SÁMI LANGUAGE WEEK The Sámi Language Week 2019 was a collective effort to raise the status and increase the knowledge of the Sámi languages and cultures throughout the community. Private and public institutions, businesses and other actors active in this field were invited to the related events to promote and enhance the visibility of Sámi languages. NORNA-SYMPOSIUM The Sámi University of Applied Sciences and the Sámediggi organized the NORNA-Symposium: Minority Names in Oral and Written Contexts in A Multi-Cultural World on 24 and 25 April 2019 in Guovdageaidnu, Norway. The aim of the symposium was to examine questions related to indigenous and minority names using different and cross-disciplinary approaches. The symposium served as an arena for communication between scholars of indigenous and minority language onomastics and representatives of relevant authorities. The University is actively working on and promoting Sámi onomastics4 as part of indigenous onomastics, disseminating these research topics to a wider Nordic and international academic community. DUBBING THE FILM “FROZEN II” IN SÁMI (JIKŊON II) For the first time, a film by Walt Disney Animation Studios was dubbed into a Sámi language, as a result of successful collaboration between the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish Sámi Parliaments and the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Around 50 movie screenings took place in Finland, Norway and Sweden throughout 2019 4 Onomastics refers to the science or study of the origin and forms of proper names of persons or places. 41Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Europe and North AmericaAfrica IMAGE 14SADiLaR - South Africa The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) facilitates research and development in the domains of language technologies and language- related studies with a focus on the official languages of South Africa within the context of the International Year. SADiLaR, in collaboration with the South African National Lexicographic Units, organized initiatives to celebrate the 11 official languages of South Africa by assigning each language to one month of the International Year of Indigenous Languages. For example, February 2019 was dedicated to isiZulu, March to Sesotho, April to Afrikaans, etc., with the aim of creating awareness of each language and promoting research and development of the languages using language resources. Each celebration event involved the participation of mother tongue speakers, academics, language specialists and the public, who engaged in meaningful dialogue to create awareness of the 11 official languages. It also offered a platform to promote collaborative work and discuss the future development of South African languages and associated resources, by exploring new avenues within the fields of Digital Humanities and Natural Language Processing. The events also involved entertainment in the form of folk dances, poetry readings, singers and other. 43Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / AfricaLatin America and the Caribbean IMAGE 15Online Indigenous Film Festival (OIFF) Fourth Andean Peace Meeting (Encuentro Andino De Paz) - Indigenous Languages in the Construction of Peace Through Education Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico and Peru as well as national partners, together with UNESCO, organized an Online Indigenous Film Festival (OIFF) within the context of the IYIL2019 and the Latin American and the Caribbean Week, that took place between 3 and 7 June 2019 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. The Festival featured the screening of more than 70 films and discussions were held on topics related to indigenous languages and their role for social inclusion, access to education, and protection of the environment. The movies were screened on the IYIL2019 website, UNESCO’s YouTube channel and other social media channels. The original languages of the films were indigenous languages spoken in Latin America and the Caribbean, and subtitles were made available in English and Spanish. The OIFF raised awareness about the importance of indigenous languages for sustainable development, peace building and reconciliation and was promoted via a social media campaign on the IYIL2019 channels, bringing to an increase of followers and video views (+ 2422 per cent) on Facebook, as well as through press releases and various international, regional and national networks. The Playlist featured as most visited on the UNESCO YouTube Channel. The Fourth Andean Peace Meeting was organized by UNESCO on 3 and 4 July 2019 at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Quito, Ecuador. It focused on peacebuilding through education in native languages and the role of indigenous communities in this process. The meeting’s interdisciplinary agenda reflected the complexity of the issue of indigenous languages, with events devoted to human rights, indigenous territories and land rights, gender, interculturality, education, autonomy and self-determination of indigenous communities, as well as peacebuilding and the role of traditional methods of conflict resolution. Participants included national and international experts, researchers, community leaders and members of indigenous communities. The Fourth Andean Peace Meeting was one of seven preparatory seminars for the International Congress on Education, Indigenous Languages, Territories of Knowledge and Interculturality, held on 17 and 18 October 2019 at the National University of Education in Quito, Ecuador. This meeting connected the fields of peace and preservation and promotion of indigenous languages and underscored the importance of the intercultural bilingual education (IBE) model as a way to preserve and support indigenous languages in Latin America. 45Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Latin America and the CaribbeanAsia and the Pacific IMAGE 16Drops Language Learning Application: Indigenous Language Journey in the Asia-Pacific Region The 17th International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL 2019) Yongin, Republic Of Korea, From 29 July - 2 August 2019 Drops is an app that teaches vocabulary by combining engaging word puzzles with mnemonic association. Drops was the first multilingual language app to foster learning in Icelandic, Maori, Samoan, and Hawaiian. In a joint initiative with the IYIL2019 and Hokkaido University, Japan, the only national research institution specializing in the study of the indigenous language Ainu, and following Japan’s official recognition of the Ainu people and language through an official bill in February 2019, Ainu was added to Drops in September 2019. Drops is the language’s first digital learning resource. Since the app’s launch, thousands of people have also used it to study other languages (Icelandic: 219,000; Hawaiian, 51,000; Maori: 49,000; Samoan: 16,000; Ainu: 55,000 as of April 2020). This has been sometimes in numbers that exceed the estimated number of native speakers and the experience has received positive reviews from users. Drops has not only provided digital access to languages, but it has also supported global, national, and local linguistic preservation efforts, particularly in the Asia-Pacific Region (Hawai’i of the United States of America, Japan, New Zealand and Samoa). Each year, teams of young linguists from around the world gather and test their minds against the world’s toughest puzzles in language and linguistics in the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL). IOL 2019 was jointly organized by HK Semiosis Research Center of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and Korea Linguistics Olympiad (KLO). The IOL is an event that actively promotes the value of linguistic diversity – with a particular emphasis on indigenous/ tribal, minority and minoritized (ITM) languages – to future generations. The weeklong event includes an individual contest, a team contest, and several lectures on various topics related to language and linguistics, presented by linguists from all around the globe. Topics included the counting system of Mountain Arapesh (Bukyip) of Papua New Guinea; the lexicon of the Creek language of Oklahoma, USA and the near-extinct languages of the Andaman Islands. Over the years, the IOL has served an effective gateway for young linguists as it provides an opportunity for students to encounter indigenous and tribal languages first-hand, an experience they seldom have at their schools. IOL participants have gone on to study linguistics at major institutions for higher education around the world, and several members of the IOL jury are former participants who decided to start their own research on minority languages. Over 200 talented young students from 35 countries participated in the 2019 IOL. 47Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Asia and the PacificArab States IMAGE 17The International Year proclaimed by the UN General Assembly is an important mechanism for raising awareness of a particular topic of international concern and mobilizing different players for coordinated action around the world. MAIN OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLESDevelopment of the Arabic Chapter in the context of the UNESCO World Atlas of Languages UNESCO launched the development of the Arabic Atlas of Languages (the Arabic Chapter) as part of the UNESCO World Atlas of Languages, to promote linguistic diversity in Arabic-speaking countries and within the global community of Arabic language experts and users. The Arabic Chapter will serve as a tool to monitor progress made in Arabic speaking countries towards th promotion of linguistic diversity and multilingualism in the region, build institutional capacities, raise awareness on the importance of the regional languages among larger communities of language speakers, and strengthen international cooperation. The overall purpose of the Arabic Chapter is to enhance Arabic speaking countries’ ability to respond to development challenges through the production and dissemination of new knowledge in Arabic, in its different dialects and variants, as well as other languages spoken and signed in the region. The project builds the capacity of regional language and statistical institutions to collect data and resources related to linguistic diversity in Arabic speaking countries. The project is supported within the framework of UNESCO’s strategic partnership with the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Foundation of Saudi Arabia. 49Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Arab StatesA Selection of Flagship Cross-National Initiatives ONLINE INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL (OIFF) IMAGE 18 IMAGE 19 50 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesINITIATIVES ALIGNED TO THE ACTION PLAN OF THE IYIL2019 Aside from the cross-national flagship initiatives outlined in the previous pages, this section presents an additional selection of activities according to thematic areas, major objectives, areas of intervention, and categories of events, as outlined in the IYIL2019 Action Plan (see Table 3). AREAS OF INTERVENTION AREA 1: Increasing understanding, reconciliation and international cooperation AREA 2: Creating favourable conditions for knowledge-sharing and dissemination of good practices with regards to indigenous languages AREA 3: Integrating indigenous languages into standard-setting AREA 4: Empowerment through capacity-building AREA 5: Growth and development through elaboration of new knowledge TABLE 3. ACTION PLAN: OBJECTIVES, THEMATIC AREAS, AND AREAS OF INTERVENTION MAJOR OBJECTIVES THEMATIC AREAS 1. Focusing global attention on the critical risks confronting indigenous languages and the significance of such risks for sustainable development, reconciliation, good governance and peacebuilding SUPPORT Support for the revitalization and maintenance of indigenous languages through measures to guarantee more materials, expanded content and a wider range of services, using language technologies and information and communications technologies, where appropriate, in order to improve everyday use of indigenous languages and encourage best practice, equality and proficiency in their use. 2. Targeting steps which will lead to improved quality of life, enhanced international cooperation and strengthened intercultural dialogue, and reaffirming cultural and linguistic continuity ACCESS Preservation of indigenous languages, access to education, information and knowledge in and about indigenous languages for indigenous children, young people and adults, improvement of data collection and sharing of information in and about indigenous languages, using language technology and other communication and information mechanisms. 3. Delivering increased capacities on the part of all stakeholders to take concrete and sustainable measures at every level to support, access and promote indigenous languages around the world in accordance with the legitimate rights of indigenous peoples. PROMOTION Mainstreaming the knowledge areas and values of indigenous peoples and cultures within broader sociocultural, economic and political domains, applying specific language technologies and other relevant methods of communication and information, as well as cultural practices such as traditional sports and games, which can provide enhanced access and empowerment for indigenous language speakers. 51Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Initiatives Aligned to the Action Plan of the IYIL2019Within the context of the International Year, worldwide action on indigenous languages grew well beyond raising awareness. According to the Summary Report of the IYIL2019 prepared by UNESCO and UNDESA, activities devoted solely to ‘focusing attention’ on risks confronting indigenous languages represented less than one-third (259 activities, 29 per cent) of all actions undertaken (see Figure 10). Of the remaining activities – the vast majority were focused on delivering capacities for language users to take concrete actions themselves to support, access and to promote indigenous languages. A smaller share of activities focused on direct assistance to indigenous language users. Activities by Major Objectives FIGURE 10. DISTRIBUTION OF EVENTS BY MAIN OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVE TARGET STEPS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, ENHANCE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND REAFFIRM CULTURAL LINGUISTIC CONTINUITY FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE CRITICAL RISKS CONFRONTING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES DELIVER CAPACTITIES TO TAKE CONCRETE ACTIONS AND MEASURES TO SUPPORT, ACCESS AND PROMOTE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES NOT SPECIFIED 12 / 1% 483 / 55% 259 / 29% 128 / 15% IMAGE 20Activities by Area of Intervention Most of the events and activities registered on the dedicated website of the IYIL2019 were pursued under more than one area of intervention, outlined in Table 3. The “creation of favourable conditions for knowledge-sharing and dissemination of good practices ” (area 2) was by far the largest category, both in and of itself and in conjunction with other categories, followed by “increasing understanding and cooperation” (area 1). Other activities and events registered on the website specifically aimed at elaborating new knowledge (in an indigenous language and/or in an indigenous community setting), or that promoted the usage of indigenous languages in standard setting. Figure  11 also shows that intervention area 2 (Creation of favourable conditions for knowledge-sharing and dissemination of good practices on indigenous languages) was pursued by the largest number of countries (76). At least 50 countries undertook activities in each of the remaining intervention areas. These figures indicate that most countries facilitated events across all five intervention areas. FIGURE 11. EVENTS BY MAIN AREA OF INTERVENTION 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 2. Creation of favourable conditions for knowledege- sharing and dissmination of good practices with regard to indigenous languages 1. Increasing understanding, reconcilliation and international cooperation 5. Growth and development through elaboration of new knowledge 4. Empower through capacity-building 3. Integration of indigenous languages into standard-setting Not specified PURSUED EXCLUSIVELY PURSUED TOGETHER WITH OTHER AREAS NUMBER OF COUNTRIES 391 255 77 297 33 243 15 224 20 14 192 76 64 61 50 12 53 53Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Initiatives Aligned to the Action Plan of the IYIL2019Activities by Thematic Area IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACTION PLAN, THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR ENCOURAGED ACTION- ORIENTED ACTIVITIES RELATING TO ONE OR MORE OF THREE THEMATIC AREAS, NAMELY SUPPORT FOR, ACCESS TO AND PROMOTION OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES. Figure 12 shows the distribution of activities across the three thematic areas for events held in the context of the IYIL2019. Since most events related to more than one theme, the total of the three areas in the figure exceeds the total number of events (882). FIGURE 12. OCCURRENCE OF THEMATIC AREAS 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 SUPPORT / 403 ACCESS / 442 PROMOTION / 693 A SELECTION OF RELEVANT ACTIVITIES IN EACH THEMATIC AREA, ASSOCIATED WITH AN AREA OF INTERVENTION AND A MAJOR OBJECTIVE, IS PRESENTED BELOW. SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK OF THE IYIL2019 THEMATIC AREAS MAJOR OBJECTIVE AREAS OF INTERVENTION PROMOTION (awareness raising) 1: Focusing global attention on the critical risks confronting indigenous languages and the significance of such risks for sustainable development, reconciliation, good governance and peacebuilding AREA 1: Increasing understanding, reconciliation and international cooperation 54 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesWhose Knowledge? In August 2019, Whose Knowledge?, an international online-based NGO that aims to give more prominence to the knowledge of the world’s marginalized communities, announced a call for contributions and reflections on ‘Decolonizing the Internet’s Languages’. The call received 50 submissions in over 38 languages, from which nine proposals were selected. These were published as part of the State of the Internet’s Languages Report, a result of a collaboration between Whose Knowledge?, the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) and the Oxford Internet Institute (OII). In October 2019, Whose Knowledge? hosted 30 participants from around the world to brainstorm about ways to create a multilingual Internet that reflects the diversity and plurality of the world’s knowledge. The results of this gathering were integrated into Decolonizing the Internet’s Languages Summary Report, which was posted online on 28 February 2020. Indigenous Television (Nepal) In the framework of the IYIL2019, Indigenous Television, which is Nepal’s and South Asia’s first and only indigenous community television station, produced and broadcasted 400 television programmes in 11 indigenous languages (Bantawa-Rai, Chamling-Rai, Dhimal, Gurung, Hyolmo, Kulung-Rai, Magar, Sherpa, Sunuwar, Tamang, Tharu, along with Nepali and English). Each language also has a dedicated community radio station that broadcasted the programmes in the relevant language(s). On-demand broadcasting via Internet and the access to some of the TV programmes from other countries has widened the choice for viewers seeking indigenous language programmes. The TV programmes were shared on social media and indigenous community radio stations, with support from the Indigenous Community Radio Network (ICRN). Indigenous Television also covered the IYIL2019 launch events in Paris and New York and broadcasted other programmes related to indigenous languages, from Nepal, but also from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and the Philippines. Finally, Indigenous Television produced television-based indigenous languages learning classes in 2019. Media is crucial for communicating the message that languages matter for social, economic and political development, peacebuilding and reconciliation. Throughout 2019, several media organizations, in different regions of the world, contributed to the promotion of indigenous languages and encouraged positive social change. Several campaigns and other media-related initiatives were launched online through the IYIL2019 social media partnership. A few are highlighted below. Media-Led Initiatives: The IYIL2019 Social Media Campaign 55Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Initiatives Aligned to the Action Plan of the IYIL2019Wikimedia Norge Wikimedia Norge’s work encompasses projects in Norwegian (Bokmål), Norwegian (Nynorsk) and Northern Sámi (davvisámegiella). Among the projects undertaken within the context of the IYIL2019 framework is the release of a film shot at the Riddu Riddu Indigenous Music Festival, in collaboration with Wikitongues, documenting the Northern Sámi language. The film, subtitled in English and in Northern Sámi, had received about 12,000 views as of April 2020. Wikimedia Norge also made a concerted push in October 2019 to improve the Wikipedia Sámi language coverage, winning a Wikipedia-sponsored contest for Sámi and Uralic languages. They improved numerous existing entries and published 113 new articles on Sámi-related topics, including an interview with Liv Inger Somby, Sámi journalist and scholar. Other relevant activities included the Seminar about Digital Sámi Cultural Heritage (January 2019), inviting major cultural institutions in Norway to the Language Centre at the Sámi House to discuss digitalization and dissemination of Sámi cultural heritage and the use of the related Wikimedia projects and resources on Sámi language. Wikimedia Norge facilitated the organization of another event entitled ‘Sámi Memory: Radio Cinema And Talk’, that took place at the National Library in Oslo, where an episode about Sámi archive material from the podcast ‘In Elsa Laula’s footsteps through Sápmi’ was played, followed by a talk on the importance of open access archives to tell history and to reflect on the present. The event was supported by Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in charge of UNESCO activities. As part of The Research Council of Norway’s 10-day public conference on research in September 2019, Wikimedia Norge also organized a seminar entitled “Decolonizing Knowledge Online: Sámi Knowledge”, devoted to promoting online access to Sámi knowledge. Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (Aptn) - Canada The APTN is committed to preserving indigenous languages in Canada. In 2019, in the framework of the IYIL2019, the APTN’s four channels broadcasted more than 50 hours a week of programming in a variety of indigenous languages. APTN’s programming is available in Atikamekw, Blackfoot, Coast Salish, Cree, Dakota, Dene, Halkomelem, Innu, Inuktitut, Maliseet, Michif, Mi’kmaq, Mohawk, Ojibway, Oji- Cree, Plains Cree, Stl’atl’imx and Sylix. In 2019, the APTN also launched a campaign entitled “One Word at a Time”, aiming to celebrate the power of languages and raise awareness– among both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples in Canada – of the importance of reclaiming and revitalizing indigenous languages. For the promotion of IYIL2019, APTN built on its experience of carrying out communication campaigns in previous years. In 2019, social media were used as main communication platforms to increase awareness on the importance of reclaiming indigenous languages, reaching 1,038,906 video views and 2,342,087 impressions on Facebook, 766,463 video views and 1,171 media engagements on Twitter and 458,033 video views and 3,800 hours watched on YouTube. Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC) The Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, established in 2000, is comprised of numerous indigenous youth from various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds from each of the 7 UN Regions. In the framework of the IYIL2019, the GIYC organized the event ‘United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages Tribal Nations in Oklahoma - Working to Preserve, Protect and Revitalize Our Languages’, on 15 to 16 November 2019 at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, Sulphur, Oklahoma, United States of America. Discussions were held on youth perspectives on why languages are important, mainstreaming language restoration and resilience and restoring language resilience and fluency for the next generations. The UN Global Indigenous Languages Caucus, an entity of the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, supported the event by promoting it on the IYIL2019 platform, on its own website as well as on social media. By giving young people access to these resources online, the project aimed to facilitate dissemination to grassroots activists, academics, and international actors. 56 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesRising Voices RISING VOICES IS THE OUTREACH INITIATIVE OF GLOBAL VOICES, THAT AIMS TO SUPPORT INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING TRAINING RESOURCES, MICRO-GRANT FUNDING, AND MENTORING. IN 2019, RISING VOICES ORGANIZED FOUR TWITTER CAMPAIGNS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF IYIL2019, IN WHICH INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE DIGITAL ACTIVISTS WERE GIVEN CONTROL OVER EXISTING ACCOUNTS DEVOTED TO LANGUAGE ISSUES IN FOUR REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD. @ACTLENGUAS (DIGITAL LANGUAGE ACTIVISM IN LATIN AMERICA) Starting on 14 January 2019, a rotating roster of indigenous language digital activists from Latin America were given control over the @ActLenguas Twitter account. This social media campaign provided a space for diverse voices from across the region to tell stories of their experiences with language revitalization. Over 50 weeks, 50 digital activists took turns sharing their perspectives on what their native language means to them and their communities. These activists all work to promote the use of their languages on the Internet, recognizing the many opportunities and challenges it presents. The initiative produced 1,835 tweets and 4,176,000 impressions5 between January and December 2019. @DIGIAFRICANLANG (DIGITAL LANGUAGE ACTIVISM IN AFRICA) Starting on 20 March and running through the rest of 2019, African language digital activists took turns managing @DigiAfricanLang, a new Twitter account highlighting the role technology and the Internet can play in the promotion and revitalization of languages in Africa. A key aim of the campaign was to recognize the commitment of Africans who leverage digital and online media to raise the profiles of their languages and cultures and attract a new generation of speakers. In partnership with the Yoruba Names Project and Global Voices in Yoruba, Rising Voices coordinated the participation of more than 40 digital activists from across the continent in conjunction with the IYIL2019. By hosting the social media accounts, campaign participants shared their insights on African languages, including from perspectives of history, current use in online and offline contexts, challenges and new strategies of revitalization. In total, 1,818 posts were published, and garnering 1,695,410 impressions between February and December 2019. @NATIVELANGSTECH (LANGUAGE DIGITAL ACTIVISM IN US & CANADA) Starting on 16 May 2019, a rotating roster of Native American and First Nations language digital activists from Canada and the United States of America took control of the @NativeLangsTech Twitter account. Coordinated by Rising Voices and the Endangered Languages Project - an online initiative launched by several organizations and companies, including Google - this social media campaign posted 719 tweets and received 562,253 impressions between April and December 2019. 5 “Impressions” refers to the number of times content posted is displayed in the home-feed of followers. 57Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Initiatives Aligned to the Action Plan of the IYIL2019 IMAGE 21 IMAGE 23 IMAGE 22Wikitongues Wikitongues is an American non-profit organization working in the domains of language documentation and revitalization. During the IYIL2019, Wikitongues tagged all new oral histories posted on its YouTube channel with the #IYIL2019 hashtag, including oral histories from IYIL2019 partners. Wikitongues also had 4.2 million views and added 17,200 subscribers (a 49 per cent increase from 2018). Wikitongues also engaged in a series of roundtable discussions with key stakeholders on how to best advance global linguistic diversity. Wikitongues partnered with the Living Tongues Institute to develop the Language Sustainability Toolkit, a free and easy to understand framework for launching a language revitalization initiative. The framework enables, for example, language activists to identify the position of their language on the endangerment continuum and provides guidelines for how to best document languages and promote their use. Terralingua Within the framework of the IYIL2019, Terralingua, an international NGO committed to the protection of biocultural diversity, organized the Indigenous Youth Storytellers Circle, a year-long project linked to Terralingua’s flagship publication, Langscape Magazine. In total, 30 stories and interviews from young indigenous people in 20 countries were received and published in the print and online versions of Langscape Magazine. These stories were read online over 2,300 times between October 2019 and April 2020, and the reach was further boosted by 1,900 reads over the same period on the online publishing platform Medium. Each contributor received a print copy of the Magazine and an honorarium. To promote the project, throughout 2019, Terralingua also published 86 posts on Facebook and 94 tweets, using UNESCO graphics and the IYIL2019 hashtags (#IYIL2019; #indigenouslanguages; #WeareIndigenous). The content of the posts focused on the Indigenous Youth Storytellers Circle project. The posts had a total reach of 96,940 on Facebook and approximately 35,000 impressions on Twitter. Mokuola Honua Mokuola Honua, a Hawai’i-based Global Center for Indigenous Language Excellence (United States of America), promotes indigenous language fluency as a necessary element to recentre indigenous perspectives in modern contexts. In 2019, Mokuola Honua and ‘Ōiwi TV worked together to promote the IYIL2019 by posting content across multiple social media platforms. Posts included videos, photos, flyers and live-streams. Mokuola Honua also hosted a symposium from 19 to 22 November 2019, which engaged Hawai’i-based leaders and decision-makers from the education, public and the private sectors, as well as the media, to identify strategic priorities for the integration of indigenous languages in society and to facilitate partnerships. @ASIALANGSONLINE (LANGUAGE DIGITAL ACTIVISM IN ASIA) Beginning on 6 August 2019, a rotating roster of language activists from across Asia became guest hosts of the @AsiaLangsOnline Twitter account. Coordinated by Rising Voices, the Digital Empowerment Foundation and the O Foundation, this initiative provided a platform for activists to share their perspectives on what their language means to them and their communities. In total, 928 tweets were posted between August and December 2019, generating 498,400 impressions. 58 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages IMAGE 24JARRAK “Jarrak: Our languages journey” was a major new initiative by First Languages Australia (FLA) during the International Year. The project collected and made available online various material on the history of advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages over the past 50 years. Through Jarrak, FLA aimed to celebrate the history of language advocacy and support ongoing efforts in the maintenance and revival of Australia’s First Nations’ languages. THIS PLACE “This Place: The stories behind the names”, is a video series produced by Australia’s national broadcaster for TV and radio, the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). In this series language custodians such as indigenous elders were given the opportunity to share the traditional names of places that they would like the public to adopt. Fifty videos were produced for the series, each of which was shared on social media by FLA and ABC using the hashtags #IYIL2019 #IY2019 #firstlanguages. Selected videos were broadcasted on television, and all videos were made available through the ABC streaming platform. A license to broadcast the videos was also granted to the Indigenous Community Television (ICTV), for dissemination on their streaming platform and broadcasting in remote areas in Australia. To extend this project to Australia’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Week of Celebration (NAIDOC), the ABC and FLA created a Facebook campaign. Each of the 50 ABC radio stations worked with a local language custodian on a post that encouraged enquiry and discussion of traditional placenames across their region. Metrics for the 2019 Facebook distribution for ‘This Place’ on ABC include 282 posts, 850,697 impressions, and 3.9 million video views. MARRIN GAMU The Marrin Gamu was an activity through which language custodians worked with schools to teach children what different parts of the body are called in indigenous languages, using songs and music as a method. The project aimed to support and celebrate the work of language custodians, and to promote local initiatives, nationally and internationally. As in previous years, First Languages Australia partnered with ABC Education to run a video competition in connection with the project. In 2019, almost 100 schools participated, contributing videos in 60 languages. More than 3,000 students have participated in 2019. Each of the entries was shared and promoted on social media and on ABC’s education TV and radio stations, as well as broadcasted on ABC Me, a youth TV and radio station. MOTHER TONGUE This project resulted in a collection of 80 videos produced in collaboration with language custodians. In 2019, the collection was transferred to an ABC Indigenous YouTube playlist, with a selection of films added to the ABC’s streaming platform and broadcast on ABC Kids TV, in order to enhance outreach in line with the IYIL2019. O Foundation (OFDN) With a focus on openness, diversity and inclusion, the O Foundation (OFDN) is a nonprofit that uses digital technology in its core to make social innovations and strives to transform the way millions of people, including vulnerable groups such as users of minority languages, have been accessing knowledge. OFDN led and co-led a range of activities throughout 2019 to celebrate IYIL2019. These activities included a panel discussion, talks, a revival meeting of the Wikimedia Diversity community, and filming a short documentary of Sudanese language “Karinding”. OFDN organized a panel discussion titled “Why indigenous languages matter more (now) and what we can do for them” at the 2019 Wikimania Conference in Stockholm. The meeting brought together 40 participants, who presented posters focusing on protecting indigenous languages using Wikimania projects, and discussions on documenting indigenous oral history. “Who Owns The Content’’, a short film that OFDN produced, was screened at the 13th Native Spirit Indigenous First Languages Australia (FLA) FIRST LANGUAGES AUSTRALIA’S SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN FOR IYIL2019 FOCUSED ON THE PROMOTION OF VIDEO CONTENT PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BROADCASTERS AND LANGUAGE CUSTODIANS. KEY PROJECTS INCLUDED: 59Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Initiatives Aligned to the Action Plan of the IYIL2019NATIONAL-LEVEL MEETINGS THEMATIC AREAS MAJOR OBJECTIVE AREAS OF INTERVENTION ACCESS (Creating an enabling environment) 2. Targeting steps which will lead to improved quality of life, enhanced international cooperation and strengthened intercultural dialogue, and reaffirming cultural and linguistic continuity AREA 2: Integrating indigenous languages into standard-setting NATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON CANADA’S INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES POLICY TORONTO, CANADA, 6 - 8 DECEMBER 2019 A national colloquium on Canada’s indigenous language policy was held at York University’s Glendon Campus in the wake of the new federal legislation entitled the Indigenous Languages Act (Bill C-91), endorsed on the occasion of the IYIL2019. The Indigenous Languages Act was created to ‘support the efforts of indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen indigenous languages.’ Discussions at the colloquium examined eventual problems related to the implementation of the legislation at the provincial/territorial and local levels. The adoption of the Indigenous Languages Act marked the 50 years anniversary of the adoption of Canada’s Official Languages Act in 1969. Building on this important work, this colloquium was organized to focus on First Nations and Inuit language policies. Both Indigenous and non-indigenous participants, many of whom were from academia and the public policy sector, shared perspectives on the new law and the need for sustained effort for indigenous language revitalization and education. SEMINAR ON PUBLIC POLICY AND THE EXERCISE OF LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL RIGHTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION QUITO, ECUADOR, 31 JULY - 1 AUGUST 2019 This seminar aimed to provide a space for reflection and dialogue with regard to the socio-historical, linguistic and cultural diversity of Latin American peoples and nationalities. Organized within the framework of the International Year, it brought together various voices from academia working on intercultural education projects and on promoting linguistic and cultural rights within the scope of national diversity. The seminar yielded several recommendations to higher education institutions, related to the strengthening of intercultural and plurinational academic management by improving financial support, enhancing coordination and exchange; the allocation of research funds assigned to universities to promote work on languages and ancestral knowledge of nationalities and peoples of the country. The recommendations also promoted learning and using mother languages in the development of curricular components, as well as in research actions and connections with the community; and by students in their academic work. Film Festival - North Americas at SOAS University of London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. On 6 August 2019, OFDN collaborated with Rising Voices and Digital Empowerment Foundation to launch the AsiaLangsOnline campaign on Twitter that invited many language digital activists that shared issues related to languages and regional initiatives. The campaign created 498,400 impressions on Twitter and saw a second series in 2020. 60 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesUNESCO, including the Information for All Programme (IFAP), in close cooperation with the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra (Russian Federation), the European Language Resources Association (ELRA) and its Special Interest Group on Under-resourced languages (SIGUL), in partnership with the Interregional Library Cooperation Centre and with the support of other public organizations and sponsors, organized a three-day international conference on 4 to 6 December 2019. The main objective of the conference was to promote the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all language users to access and create information and knowledge in the language they best understand and to encourage all stakeholders to take concrete measures to promote linguistic diversity and multilingualism online, as well as for language technologies. A special focus was put on indigenous languages within the context of international norms and standards such as UNESCO’s 2003 Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace, as well as international cooperation mechanisms such as the IYIL2019. The event was attended by nearly 500 participants, and issued recommendations for companies and organizations working in the area of language technologies on how to harness technology for the preservation, support and promotion of languages, including lesser-used and indigenous languages, as well as on how to increase and facilitate communication between language users. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE TECHNOLOGIES FOR ALL (LT4ALL): ENABLING LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY AND MULTILINGUALISM WORLDWIDE PARIS, FRANCE FROM 4 - 6 DECEMBER THEMATIC AREAS MAJOR OBJECTIVE AREAS OF INTERVENTION ACCESS (Creating an enabling environment) 2. Targeting steps which will lead to improved quality of life, enhanced international cooperation and strengthened intercultural dialogue, and reaffirming cultural and linguistic continuity AREA 3: Creating favourable conditions for knowledge-sharing and dissemination of good practices with regards to indigenous languages 61Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Initiatives Aligned to the Action Plan of the IYIL2019 IMAGE 25 IMAGE 26INDIGI HACK - WHERE YOUTH HACK FOR GOOD SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 8 - 9 AUGUST THEMATIC AREAS MAJOR OBJECTIVE AREAS OF INTERVENTION SUPPORT (Capacity -building) 3. Delivering increased capacities on the part of all stakeholders to take concrete and sustainable measures at every level to support, access and promote indigenous languages around the world in accordance with the legitimate rights of indigenous peoples. AREA 4: Empowerment through capacity-building TRANSLATIONS COMMONS LANGUAGE TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS THEMATIC AREAS MAJOR OBJECTIVE AREAS OF INTERVENTION SUPPORT (Capacity -building) 3. Delivering increased capacities on the part of all stakeholders to take concrete and sustainable measures at every level to support, access and promote indigenous languages around the world in accordance with the legitimate rights of indigenous peoples. AREA 5: Growth and development through elaboration of new knowledge INDIGI HACK was a two-day hackathon for youth aged 8 to 18, organized by the NGO INDIGI LAB. The event challenged participants to develop new technologies for the revitalization and preservation of indigenous languages. The winner of the hackathon presented their idea to an incubator to further develop and refine the proposed product. The main outcomes of the event were: • Development of an app that supports the revitalization on Indigenous languages; • Incubation and implementation of the most promising prototypes; • Delivery of a formal report that elaborates on key issues explored during INDIGI HACK; • Creation of a global hub to mobilize and connect Indigenous youth to share and connect and to merge culture and language with technology and science. WITHIN THE IYIL2019, THE TRANSLATION COMMONS CARRIED OUT SEVERAL INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN CYBERSPACE. Translation Commons is an NGO that includes a network of volunteers committed to creating resources and a digital ecosystem for all languages. Translation Commons launched the Language Technology Project which mobilized language technologists and engineers with experience in language digitization to prepare ‘Indigenous Languages: Zero to Digital’, a set of guidelines with a view to helping indigenous peoples create their own digital infrastructures by building web-based or mobile apps in their own languages. The University Outreach Project aimed to engage universities worldwide to participate in the International Year of Indigenous Languages by hosting events at their campuses. Translation Commons created a network of volunteers that reached out to over 650 universities, many of which consequently sponsored events during the second half of 2019. To support this effort, Translation Commons developed materials, including reading lists, hosted online discussions with experts (both academics and professionals), and organized campus visits, workshops, exhibitions, lectures and panel discussions on cultural diversity and indigenous languages. The project resulted in the creation of a core team of over 80 professors meeting monthly to discuss collaboration on future projects. 62 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesThe Action Plan for the International Year defined 15 detailed event categories linked to the road map towards strategic objectives (see Table 4, more information on the event categories can be found in IYIL2019 Action Plan, p. 14). This provided a useful framework allowing for greater coordination of efforts towards achieving the desired impact. 6 UNPFII Backgrounder: Urban Indigenous Peoples and Migration: Challenges and Opportunities: Microsoft Word - Backgrounder_URBAN_FINAL.doc Within the categories of events, exhibitions were the most popular type of event, whereas sports events – which perhaps lend themselves less to language considerations, but are potentially more attractive to younger generations – were registered the fewest. The same applied to online events, which may reflect the fact that several indigenous communities live in remote and rural areas with absent or limited broadband connectivity and access to digital technologies6. NOT SPECIFIED MEDIA CULTURAL EVENTS CAPACITY BUILDING CONFERENCES / ADVISORY 54 / 6% 293 / 33% 199 / 23% 200 / 23% 133 / 15% FIGURE 13. EVENTS BY BROAD CATEGORY OF ACTIVITY CATEGORIES OF EVENTS Cultural events and activities constituted by far the most common type of activity undertaken in the framework of the International Year of Indigenous Languages and registered on the dedicated online platform: 296 out of 683 activities for which a category was reported, or 34 per cent of the total number of activities (see Figure 13). In all, 200 conferences and advisory meetings were organized (23 per cent). Capacity-building was a particular objective for 133 activities (15 per cent). Finally, 54 media-related activities were organized (6 per cent). For the remaining 199 activities (23 per cent), the organizers did not specify a category. 63Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Categories of Events0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 GLOBAL AFRICA MEDIA ARAB STATES ASIA AND THE PACIFIC EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARRIBEAN CULTURAL EVENTS CAPACITY BUILDING CONFERENCES / ADVISORY NOT SPECIFIED 391 21 33 14 44 45 11 69 74 49 123 12 63 64 21 94 15 44 8 30 15 12 104 3 1 1 1 1 TABLE 4. CATEGORIES OF EVENTS FIGURE 14. DISTRIBUTION OF EVENTS BY THE UNESCO REGION AND THE CATEGORY OF ACTIVITY ADVISORY / CONFERENCES International conferences of states International meetings Non- governmental organizations International congress Advisory committees Expert committees CAPACITY BUILDING Seminars and training/ courses Symposiums CULTURAL EVENTS Concerts Performance/ theatre Exhibitions Sports events, traditional sports and games Film screenings The greatest number (42) of countries participating in the IYIL2019 organized seminars and trainings, while exhibits, performances/theatre and film screenings took place in around 60 countries each. Three countries reported on organizing sports events involving an indigenous language, for instance through broadcasting or producing promotional materials. A detailed look at the distribution of events by category of activity in each UNESCO region (see Figure 14) shows a predominance of cultural events in Europe, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. Asia and the Pacific placed a relative emphasis on capacity building activities. 64 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesExhibitions The 112 exhibitions dedicated to indigenous languages that took place throughout 2019 range from government-sponsored initiatives hosted in national museums and institutes that featured the work of established artists, to civil society and academic initiatives that involved emerging artists. Artists and curators all over the world devised creative and innovative ways to reflect the richness and variety of indigenous languages through visual art, including through the use of digital technologies such as virtual reality, immersive sound experiences, audio files, videos, etc. In total, 250 cultural events dedicated to the celebration of indigenous languages took place throughout 2019, of which most were film screenings (134) and exhibitions (112), followed by performances/ theatre (65), concerts (37), and sporting events (4). The following sections showcase a selection of inspiring events, aiming to represent different sub-categories, stakeholders, geographical locations, and thematic areas. Cultural Events IMAGE 27WOMAN NARVA, ESTONIA, 23 FEBRUARY - 17 MARCH 2019 The documentary photo series ‘Woman’, by the NGO Narva Art Residency, represented Finno-Ugric women from Estonia’s many ethnicities in traditional dresses. These include Estonians, Erzyans, Izhorians, Livonians, Maris, Mokshans, Setos, and Udmurts. Among Finno-Ugric communities, women are carriers of traditions – the women are depicted in the exhibition as proud of their customs that they transmit to the next generations. Each woman appearing in the exhibition had been asked: ‘What does it mean to be a woman?’ Their diverse answers echoed around the exhibition space in an audio installation. They were also published in the accompanying exhibition catalogue, known as ‘the red book’. The exhibition was presented in the border city of Narva, which serves as a symbolic gateway to many of the women who have travelled to Estonia from the Russian Federation. Narva Art Residency is operated by the Estonian Academy of Arts in cooperation with Narva Gate and supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture. VOICES OF THE PEOPLE – AN EXHIBITION OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN MALAYSIA KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, FROM 17 SEPTEMBER - 13 OCTOBER 2019 The Centre for Malaysian Indigenous Studies (CMIS) and the University of Malaya Faculty of Languages and Linguistics organized an exhibition entitled ‘Voices of the People: An Exhibition of Indigenous Languages in Malaysia’. The exhibition, held at CMIS, aimed to create awareness of the linguistic and cultural diversity of indigenous people in Malaysia through curated audio and video recordings, featuring stories from different indigenous communities. A range of activities was carried out during the exhibition period, including performances and workshops by indigenous communities. The exhibition also shared research and community engagement projects carried out by researchers at the University of Malaya. Interactive sessions with indigenous artists, musicians, and leaders explored issues such as physical displacement, education, health and social well-being through short films, talks, and panel discussions. 66 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages IMAGE 28 IMAGE 29UNESCO Airport Campaigns for the IYIL2019 To promote the International Year, UNESCO partnered with several airports around the world to feature posters promoting the IYIL2019 in local languages, attracting the attention of millions of international travelers. The purpose of the campaign was to raise awareness and promote the preservation of indigenous languages. TOCUMEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PANAMA) AND JUAN SANTAMARÍA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (COSTA RICA) UNESCO, in cooperation with the Embassy of Spain in Costa Rica, the Cultural Center of Spain, and Veritas University, organized a photo exhibition in the main terminal of the Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica. A similar initiative was rolled out at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama (from 1 to 3 October 2019) with the support of the Tourism Authority of Panama. 67Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Categories of Events IMAGE 30 IMAGE 31PŪKANA: MOMENTS IN MĀORI PERFORMANCE. TE IHI, TE WEHI, TE WANA WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, 23 SEPTEMBER 2019 ‘Pūkana: Moments in Māori performance Te ihi, te wehi, te wana’, an exhibition organized by the National Library of New Zealand, showcased and celebrated excellence in Māori performance, represented in the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library. Pūkana aimed to give visitors a sense of the ihi (essential force/personal magnetism), wehi (a response of awe in reaction to ihi) and wana (exhilaration), inherent to Maori performance. Pūkana is a verb that means ‘to stare wildly, dilate the eyes’. It is performed by both genders when performing the dances ‘haka’ and ‘waiata’ to emphasize particular words and add a sense of excitement to the performance. Performance is at the heart of Maori culture and of how Maori engage with each other and with the world, whether to celebrate, seduce, entertain, express dissent, anger or grief. Concerts Music keeps languages alive. Indigenous music and songs contribute to the preservation of indigenous languages, and particularly to their transmission from generation to generation. Indeed, music can be an entertaining yet effective way to learn, improve, or practice a language, as well as contribute to its revitalization. Throughout the International Year, 37 concerts and music festivals were registered on the IYIL website, showcasing a growing interest in the production of new indigenous music, especially among the younger generation. MUNDIAL MONTRÉAL – IYIL2019 EDITION MONTRÉAL, CANADA, 19 - 22 NOVEMBER 2019 Mundial Montréal is North America’s largest festival of world music, which gathers talent buyers and tastemakers to create opportunities for the global music community. Since the festival’s inception in 2012, Mundial has assured a place for artists from indigenous communities through its programme Indigenous Sounds Series, and reaffirmed this commitment in the framework of the IYIL2019 by ensuring the involvement of indigenous artists in the organized activities. The Series showcases professional artists from a diverse array of indigenous communities across Canada and beyond. The programme is accompanied by professional development activities, mentoring sessions and other targeted networking activities. This unique component of the world music industry’s professional events was developed to create a bridge for artists to benefit from visibility and touring opportunities in new mainstream markets. Performances/ Theatre Theatre represents a unique art form particularly suited to transmit the complex spirituality imbued in indigenous languages, as emphasized in several occasions by the indigenous peoples and representatives. Indigenous poetry, stories and myths encapsulate precious knowledge in different fields, much as rituals and dances release liveliness and energy. The 65 performances/theatre events registered on the IYIL2019 website include, poetry recitals and encounters, dancing tours, storytelling sessions and song performances. 68 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages IMAGE 32Sports Indigenous peoples around the world have always practiced traditional sports and games, and interest in sports is growing in many places around the world. For example, in Canada, national sporting events are being broadcast today in indigenous languages. BROADCASTING OF ICE HOCKEY GAME IN PLAINS CREE, CANADA To celebrate the IYIL2019, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada agreed on 13 December 2019 to broadcast at least six National Hockey League games each season in the language of Plains Cree, during the next three years. Community leaders had approached Sportsnet in 2018, with a view to continuing the initiative of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, during which APTN had aired of coverage 10 hours a day in indigenous, French and English languages. While some challenges were encountered to find words in Plains Cree describing the in-game hockey events and projecting them quickly enough during the real-time action, this initiative was recognized by the organizers as an opportunity to support the revitalization of indigenous languages and involve young indigenous participants in this process. Film Screenings Filmmakers, producers and professionals were active throughout 2019, both developing new projects dedicated to indigenous languages and continuing old ones. Films can play a key role in the documentation of languages and can be an important vehicle for activism by raising awareness about issues and giving the floor to indigenous peoples to express their stories, demands, objectives and future plans. A variety of film screenings and festivals took place during IYIL2019; below are examples of the 134 unique film screenings and festivals held in connection with the International Year. MUSÉE DU QUAI BRANLY – JACQUES CHIRAC: FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA INITIATIVES PARIS, FRANCE, THROUGHOUT 2019 The event was supported by the Paris Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) The Cloud Lab, the City of Paris and the Australian Embassy in Paris. The Musée du Quai Branly also organized a series of events dedicated to the theme of indigenous languages, including screenings of three portraits of indigenous women for whom language closely relates to emancipation: ‘La voix des femmes autochtones’ (25 May 2019). The screenings were accompanied by discussions with the author/producer Anne Pasteur. Another relevant initiative was the presentation of the two projects, ‘Je parle le Bassa 2.0’ and ‘Je parle I’Afrique 2.0’ (2  June 2019), created to promote African languages through digital technology. ‘Je parle I’Afrique 2.0’ aims to enable speakers of languages such as Wolof, Bambara and Swahili to preserve linguistic heritage in a context of globalization by making it accessible to everyone online. In addition, the Musée du Quai Branly hosted a lecture on 6 June 2019 focusing on the works of Ngûgî wa Thiong’o, a Kenyan novelist, playwright and essayist, for whom writing in Kikuyu, his native language, has been a strong commitment. With seven million speakers, Kikuyu is the most spoken language out of the 64 languages spoken in Kenya. From 28 November to 1 December 2019, the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, in partnership with the Australian Aboriginal Film Festival and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in the United States of America, presented a film festival designed to highlight films in indigenous languages, which today are underrepresented in most cinemas. The festival was entitled ‘Langues Ancestrales – Festival du cinéma autochtone’. The programme included eight feature films and eight short films, and constituted a major retrospective dedicated to the representation of indigenous languages on screen, presenting both pioneer and recognized film productions. From the Solomon Islands to Senegal and South America, the selection embraced the creative power of indigenous film production. The storytelling tackled themes as diverse as identity, assimilation, spirituality, love, loss, ecology and music, provoking reflection on indigenous languages as vector for intercultural dialogue. Examining the social, political and historical factors that have influenced the portrayal of indigenous narratives and languages on screen, including in light of postcolonial issues and the globalized film industry, the film festival demonstrated the decisive role of film as a medium for self-determination and empowerment for indigenous populations. 69Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Categories of EventsLAST WHISPERS BY LENA HERZOG The world’s linguistic diversity– the very means by which humanity knows itself – is eroding at an unprecedented speed. This loss occurs in silence because silence is the very form of this extinction. The immersive oratorio Last Whispers, by Lena Herzog, is an incantation of extinct and endangered languages. Last Whispers premiered in 2016 at The British Museum as an audio video piece and then it toured globally through 2019. Last Whispers also evolved in format to an award- winning seven-minute virtual reality (VR) premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. For September 2022, a new, 30-minute fully immersive projection is now complete, experientially fulfilling the idea. Last Whispers both AV and VR (1) versions screened at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, United States of America, in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute. At this occasion, it was shown to an audience of over 500 people, making it the largest simultaneous VR screening in history to date. Throughout 2019, the seven-minute VR version was screened at film festivals around the world and was awarded the Grand Prix Cinema VR Award at Montréal’s Festival of New Cinema. In collaboration with UNESCO for IYIL2019, and during the annual Le Festival d’Automne in Paris, France, the audio- visual version of Last Whispers (the original 45-minute work) was shown in November 2019 at Le Théâtre du Châtelet. Other Cultural Events The Government of India, on the occasion of the anniversary of the birth of Birsa Munda, a legendary figure of indigenous peoples in India, on 15 November 1875, organized a special event at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (Indira Gandhi National Human Museum) in Bhopal, on the topic of ‘Adivasi Language, Culture and Sustainable Development’. The event represented a remarkable venture in protecting, preserving and promoting indigenous peoples, languages and cultures across the country. Another major event organized to mark the end of the International Year, the ‘Grand Adivasi Cultural Gathering’ of indigenous peoples of India, took place from 13 to 15 January 2020 at Pal Ghar in Maharastra, and attracted more than 100,000 participants. It was organized by and for indigenous peoples with support of the government of India, and featured interventions by indigenous groups through discussion and cultural performances. 70 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages 70 IMAGE 33 IMAGE 34COMMUNITY VOICES: MIGRATION AND THE LOSS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE KOROR, PALAU, 18 - 19 NOVEMBER 2019 The Island Ark Project helps small island communities safeguard their intangible cultural heritage using digital technology. For IYIL2019, the NGO focused on the Palauan community. While Island Ark has worked with the Palauan community in the past – on projects with Palau Community College and the Belau National Museum – in this initiative, they worked directly with community members to document how the loss of cultural heritage has already affected many Palauans. Although climate change is exerting enormous pressure on the cultural heritage of island communities, other factors including colonization, emigration, and globalization have impacted communities and their heritage for hundreds of years. Through this project, Palauans and Palauan-Americans give a voice to the emotions that arise in not knowing their language or cultural heritage. In an increasingly interconnected and digitalized world, access to information is more important than ever, but most content of the Internet is only available in dominant languages and indigenous languages have a very limited digital presence. Throughout 2019, indigenous peoples, in conjunction with numerous civil society groups and state institutions, developed open-access resources, online platforms, applications, and media tools to support and promote indigenous languages online. From its online platform, the IYIL2019 Secretariat has identified 55 initiatives in this area (41 media and 14 online events, according to the event-categories outlined on the IYIL2019 website). Media 71Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Categories of Events 70 IMAGE 35Capacity-building activities (132 in total) were a priority throughout the International Year, and 96 were seminars or training courses, while 36 were symposiums. Boosting the capacities of indigenous peoples and active stakeholders in the field of indigenous languages is key to developing Open Educational Resources (OER), language tools – from traditional methods to cutting-edge information and communications technology solutions – and progressive teaching methods that would benefit indigenous language speakers. Examples of the most relevant capacity-building initiatives registered on the IYIL2019 website are presented below. Capacity-Building IMAGE 36Seminars and Training Courses INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE PRESERVATION SEMINAR BY INDIGEN HINGYON, PHILIPPINES, 17 JANUARY 2019 Indigen, a private sector organization, follows the belief that in order to preserve native cultures and traditions, we must first preserve their languages. That is why, in IYIL2019, the company started a corporate social responsibility project in the Philippines to research and collect indigenous languages to help revive and preserve various native dialects. The project involved a seminar focused on the presentation of Indigen’s product, the Blockchain Unabridged Indigenous Language Database (BUILD). This uses blockchain technology to create an efficient, verifiable and permanent repository of data. Once the data have been recorded on the blockchain, Indigen said it will apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) or machine learning technologies to allow real time translations between native languages or tribal dialects. Indigen hopes to bridge the gap between various tribes and eliminate language barriers and reduce perceived impediments caused by cultural differences. INDIGENOUS AND MINORITY LANGUAGES: LIVING HISTORY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE CHAPEL HILL, NC, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FROM 1 - 12 JULY 2019 The Summer School, ‘Indigenous and Minority Languages: Living History and Opportunities for the Future’ was organized in collaboration with the Americas Research Network (ARENET); the Institute for the Study of the Americas of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; the Center for Research and Practice in Cultural Continuity at the University of Warsaw ‘Faculty of Artes Liberales’; the Council of American Overseas Research Centers; and the Smithsonian Institution. The program brought together 35 international language experts, who delivered presentations and participated in roundtable discussions. An integral part of the workshop included a two-day visit to the Cherokee Eastern Band Indian Community. 73Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Categories of Events IMAGE 37THE KARELIAN LANGUAGE: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE PETROZAVODSK, RUSSIAN FEDERATION 1 DECEMBER 2019 - 30 NOVEMBER 2020 The Youth Information and Legal Center for Indigenous Peoples (Nevond) in partnership with the publishing house Priodika announced the launch of ‘The Karelian Language: Past, Present and Future’. This contribution to the IYIL2019, supported by the Presidential Grants Foundation, increased the competence of professionals and activists in contemporary language technology and promoted opportunities for using and studying the Karelian language, including on the Internet. The programme included webinars and practical workshops for teachers, NGOs and language activists in municipalities throughout the Republic of Karelia (Russian Federation), culminating in the final event in the capital city Petrozavodsk. Based on the results of the training offered through this programme, recommendations and successful practices were compiled in an online publication. Recent success stories in language technology for the Karelian language were analyzed during an open contest of project ideas. Another tangible result of the training was the creation of an interactive educational resource to learn about the different historical stages of development of the Karelian language. It was developed in partnership with the Language and Media Resource Center of the Karelians, Vepsians and Finns of the Republic of Karelia in both real-life and virtual versions. The educational resource will be available free of charge for educational and recreational purposes in Karelian cities and villages. 74 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages IMAGE 38International Conference of States CUNEIFORM AND THE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES OF IRAQ: NOW AND THEN MOSUL, IRAQ, 19 MARCH 2019 The first scientific symposium organized by the Department of Ancient Iraq Languages at the University of Mosul, Iraq, brought together researchers from Iraqi and regional universities to discuss papers focused on the evolution of Cuneiform through the ages; Sumerian language and literature; Akkadian language and dialects; and the influence of Cuneiform writing on the languages of neighboring countries. The conference, which took place at the College of Archaeology, Department of Indigenous Languages of Iraq, highlighted the importance of the ancient languages and their role in local and international discourse and knowledge. It also aimed to inform the Iraqi people about the history of the indigenous peoples of Iraq and the importance of protecting their heritage. International Meetings DIGITAL REVOLUTION FOR UNDER-RESOURCED LANGUAGES IN ASIA (DIGREVURL 2019) NARA, JAPAN, 19 - 20 FEBRUARY 2019 This workshop, organized by the Augmented Human Communication Laboratory at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology, aimed to accelerate the research activities for under-resourced languages in Asia. The workshop allowed participants to better understand the status of languages and technologies, what they can achieve, and how they can be extended in order to cover more languages. Furthermore, it helped to identify the most urgent risks to languages. The two-day workshop featured several keynote speakers who are experts in language technology in Asia. The final session was a capstone panel discussion: ‘The Digital Revolution for Under-Resourced Languages in Asia’. This category includes a broad range of events organized in the framework of the International Year (192 in total), including 10 international conferences of States, 55 international meetings, 27 events organized by NGOs, 40 international congresses, 11 advisory committees, and 49 expert committees. Conferences 75Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / Categories of Events IMAGE 39PULiiMA INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE DARWIN, AUSTRALIA, 19 - 22 AUGUST 2019 PULiiMA 2019 was the seventh Indigenous Languages and Technology Conference of the Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre. Funded by the Australian Government, this biennial event brought together Australian and international participants to share work being done in the country’s traditional languages. Prominence was given to exploring pioneering language programme work and sharing new products and technologies that can be used in community-based language projects. The event celebrated the importance that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages play in Australia’s cultural identity. In 2019 PULiiMA events included keynote speeches, panel discussions, seminars, hands-on workshops and entertainment. LOWITJA INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS HEALTH AND WELLBEING CONFERENCE DARWIN, AUSTRALIA, FROM 18 - 20 JUNE 2019 The Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Programme funded the conference ‘Thinking Speaking Being’, which served as an indigenous space built on First Nations’ knowledges and values. Through this conference, the Institute opened up an important discussion about the futures that indigenous peoples want and their contribution to the wellbeing of the planet. The conference highlighted the importance of language in enhancing empowerment, cultural strength, well-being, and individual, family and community identity. The international event focused on solutions and benefits for communities on their terms, calling on the audience to consider the global implications of their work, highlight the role of First Nations people in leading change, and showcase indigenous solutions. It likewise encouraged alternative ways of thinking and knowing in research that are grounded in indigenous languages. 76 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages IMAGE 40 HELISET TŦE SḰAL – ‘Let the Languages Live’ – 2019 International Conference on Indigenous Languages, Victoria, Canada, 24-26 June 2019. Hosted by the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council, in partnership with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the conference hosted over 1,000 attendees from 20 countries, bringing together language specialists, Knowledge Keepers and community champions to learn, share, collaborate and celebrate. The three-day conference highlighted the language revitalisation efforts led by First Nations communities in British Columbia, Canada.UN-RESPONSE Throughout the IYIL2019, a wide range of initiatives were carried out by UNESCO in cooperation with UN agencies such as the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Development Programme (UNDP) the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA), UN Women, the Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Office of the Higher Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and other partners. 77Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UN-ResponseUNESCO-WIPO PANEL DISCUSSION ‘PROTECTING, PRESERVING AND PROMOTING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES’ IYIL2019’ GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 18 MARCH 2019 During the 39th session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), a joint panel discussion of UNESCO and WIPO provided an overview of the progress made towards organizing the 2019 Year of Indigenous Languages and the work of WIPO’s Traditional Knowledge Division, joined by indigenous and local community members through the WIPO Indigenous Fellowship Program. WIPO produced and presented a four-minute animation, telling the story of the Yakuanoi people – a fictitious indigenous community – as they navigate through the key issues regarding intellectual property and traditional knowledge. Under the WIPO Open Access Policy, anyone can translate the animation into their own indigenous language(s) for widespread dissemination to reach as many indigenous peoples and local communities as possible. While WIPO’s Traditional Knowledge Division can provide logistical support, the translation of the script and subsequent editing process are at the communities’ own cost. WSIS FORUM 2019 – HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ‘ICT 4 ALL: INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES MATTER FOR PEACE, INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT’ GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 10 APRIL 2019 A key message drawn from the high-level panel organized by UNESCO during the WSIS Forum 2019, is that promoting linguistic diversity and multilingualism through information and communication technologies (ICTs) contributes to the preservation, access and promotion of the invaluable traditional knowledge imbued in languages, thus facilitating innovation and development in our societies. To produce effective language technologies, it is key that indigenous peoples and indigenous language users are involved in the development process. Only a few language technologies have been developed in lesser-used, minority languages. The participants in the discussion identified a series of ethical, political, cultural, economic and technical challenges that prevent the development and mainstreaming of language technologies in minority and lesser-used languages. A central issue to be tackled is that speakers of minority languages often do not have the right means or set of skills to develop strategies for the promotion of their own languages online. Good documentation efforts are therefore needed. Concurrently, private-sector organizations are increasingly supporting multilingualism by shifting their focus from languages ranked according to countries with the highest GDP, to developing language technologies in multiple languages, including minority ones and those from low GDP countries. It was concluded that equipping indigenous language users with the necessary tools to benefit from latest digital developments requires the joint efforts of multiple stakeholders. 78 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages IMAGE 41International Congresses 18TH SESSION OF UNPFII – ‘CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ FOOD SYSTEMS: THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES TO ENSURE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE’ NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FROM 22 APRIL TO 3 MAY 2019 The central theme for the 2019 session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues – co- sponsored by UNPFII, UNFCCC, UNESCO, IFAD and AIPP - was ‘Traditional knowledge: Generation, Transmission and Protection’. Traditional knowledge has been gathered and processed for hundreds of years through observation, trial, error, modification and exchange, constantly passed from parents to children through oral communication and storytelling. During the 2019 session, the FAO co-hosted a side- event that provided an opportunity to discuss indigenous traditional knowledge. Specific themes discussed included indigenous peoples’ food systems and their holistic approach to sustainability, bio-diversity maintenance, and adaptation to climate change. Indigenous languages are an important tool for understanding, generating and transmitting the knowledge accumulated by indigenous peoples. 12TH EMRIP SESSION – ‘NORMATIVE FRAMEWORKS FOR LANGUAGE PROTECTION, SUPPORT AND PROMOTION: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AT THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL’ GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 16 JULY 2019 From the session’s discussions of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it clearly emerged that the proclamation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages would raise global awareness of the importance of indigenous languages for sustainable development, peacebuilding and reconciliation. Participants also highlighted that it would provide the necessary mechanism to raise capacity-building resources; and it would mobilize new partners to set the future path towards the revitalization and support of indigenous languages worldwide. EMRIP’s support for the decade was stressed by the President of the Human Rights Council, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Participants also reflected on the latest developments in language policymaking in different countries. On the margins of the 12th EMRIP session, the members of the Steering Committee for the organization of the International Year engaged in discussions on the preparation of the Global Strategic Outcome Document of the IYIL2019. IMAGE 42 79Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UN-ResponseStamp Series UNPA STAMP SERIES On 21 February 2019, in observance of International Mother Language Day, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) issued three mini-sheets of 6 stamps in 41 languages, a number of which are indigenous languages. The languages represented on the USD.55 stamp sheet are: Amharic, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Czech/Slovak, English, Filipino, Hungarian, Italian, Kazakh, Mandarin Chinese, Persian, Portuguese, Swahili, Tamil and Thai. On the CHF 1,00 stamp sheet are Burmese, Danish/Swedish, French, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Polish, Romanian, Russian and Urdu. Another stamp sheet of €0,80 showing Arabic, Dutch/ German/Norwegian, Greek, Gujarati, Korean, Mongolian, Serbian/Croatian, Sindhi, Spanish, Telugu, Turkish, Vietnamese, Yoruba and Zulu. The stamps can be purchased on unstamps.org or directly at the UN stamp counters in New York, Geneva, and Vienna. The stamps can be used to mail postcards and letters around the world, provided they are sent from the UN headquarters in New York, Geneva or Vienna, respectively. FRANCE UNESCO STAMP In September 2019, UNESCO, in cooperation with La Poste (France) released an official stamp dedicated to the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages. The IYIL2019 stamp promotes the International Year by featuring its stand-alone logo and can be purchased in all post offices in France as well as online. UNPA STAMP SERIES FRANCE UNESCO STAMP UNPA STAMP SERIES UNPA STAMP SERIES 80 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesTHE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA AUSTRALIA GUINEA TUNISIA BELARUS SRI LANKA PERU SYRIA COUNTRY-SPECIFIC STAMPS On the joint initiative of UNESCO with the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a special dedicated stamp to the IYIL2019 was also produced by 19 countries, including: Australia, Belarus, Chile, Denmark (Greenland), Republic of Guinea, France, Italy, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tunisia, United Kingdom (Isle of Man) and Uruguay. MOLDOVA GREENLAND (Denmark) 81Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UN-ResponseUNESCO FLAGSHIP INITIATIVES UNESCO Social Media: Mainstreaming Digital Content in Indigenous Languages IYIL2019 YOUTUBE MULTILINGUAL PLAYLIST The dedicated playlist ‘#IYIL2019: A global community for indigenous languages’ is hosted on the UNESCO YouTube Channel. It includes more than 60 video contributions by media organizations that are major stakeholders in engaging communities worldwide to advocate for languages’ importance in development, peacebuilding and reconciliation. This digital archive includes short documentaries, interviews, and animated videos on the theme of indigenous languages, which are created in a variety of languages and accessible to everyone. Throughout 2019, several organizations active in different regions of the world promoted indigenous languages and encouraged positive social change, and several campaigns and online initiatives have been launched by UNESCO with the support of the social media partners of the IYIL2019. IMAGE 43 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages 82INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY (IMLD) 21 FEBRUARY Globally, 40 per cent of the population does not have access to education in a language they speak or understand7. Nevertheless, progress is being made in mother-tongue- based multilingual education with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life. The International Mother Language Day (IMLD) was proclaimed by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1999 (30C/62). Several initiatives and events took place around the world in celebration of this day in 2019, creating a momentum for the proclamation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages between 2022 and 2032. An opening event was organized at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on the occasion of IMLD 2019 under the theme ‘Indigenous languages matter for development, peace building and reconciliation’. UNESCO carried out a social media campaign for the promotion of the day, using the hashtag #MotherLanguageDay. The campaign generated over 1.7 million impressions over a 5-day period leading up to and including 21 February 2019, with an average of 344,000 impressions per day on UNESCO’s Twitter account. ADDITIONAL EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE FRAMEWORK OF INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY (IMLD) INCLUDE: • On 14 February 2019 a webinar on ‘Mother Language and Multilingual Education in the Context of Sustainable Development’, dedicated to the IMLD 2019 was held by the UNESCO Chair on Lifelong Professional Education in the XXI Century and the Ivan Ziaziun Institute of Pedagogical and Adult Education of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine. The co-organizers of the webinar were the AllUkrainian Society Taras Shevchenko Prosvita; the Congress of Ukrainian Intellectuals; the Scientific Research Laboratory of the Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University; and the Research Laboratory of Academic Culture of the Anton Makarenko Sumy State Pedagogical University. Webinar participants included more than 7 Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day 2021, “Fostering multilingualism for inclusion in education and society”, 21 February 2019. 100 people: NGO representatives, academics, students, researchers, university lecturers, teachers at general and pre-school institutions, and language trainers. • The Smithsonian’s Mother Tongue Film Festival (USA) celebrated cultural and linguistic diversity by showcasing films and filmmakers from around the world over four days in Washington, DC. Since 2016, the annual festival has opened on 21 February. In its fourth year, the festival was an official event of the IYIL2019. The four-day festival featured 22 films and audio-visual experiences from 33 countries in 62 languages. • From 21 February to 8 March 2019 the UNESCO Chair on World Language Heritage in Bilbao, Spain made available on YouTube a video animation in Basque about the IMLD during the International Year. The video has been translated and published on YouTube in several other languages, including Nasa Yuwe (Cauca, Colombia); Guarani (The Plurinational State of Bolivia); Tseltal (Chiapas, Mexico); Catalan and Galician (Spain). • SOAS World Language Institute (University of London) and the Endangered Languages Archive (ELAR) celebrated the IMLD together in 2019 at SOAS Language Festival, an annual event to raise awareness on the threats to indigenous languages that exist around the world and to promote and ensure access to them. In 2019, SOAS staff, students and visitors came together to listen to flash talks and to learn about languages like Manchu, Tamil and Gikuyu. SOAS staff gave introductions to ELAR and the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme while visitors were also invited to record their languages for SOAS We Talk to show the diversity of languages spoken at SOAS. • The online Atlas of the Endangered Alphabets Project officially went live on 21 February 2019. The Atlas, a guide to indigenous and minority writing systems and the people who are working to preserve and revive them. It profiles International Days IMAGE 44 83Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UNESCO Flagship Initiatives89 scripts that have no official status, are not taught in schools, and are used by only a minority, even among their own language communities. In addition, another 48 are profiled of which little is known. The purpose of the Atlas is to raise the profile and status of these scripts and the cultures that created them, and to offer background information, teaching videos, fonts, images, and other information that may help in their revival. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES 9 AUGUST 2019 August 9 marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub- Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. Many indigenous peoples continue to be confronted with marginalization, extreme poverty and other human rights violations. The linguistic rights of indigenous peoples must be an integral part of the human rights agenda. In 2019, the celebration of the International Day was dedicated to the International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019. As part of the 2019 commemoration, the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (Division for Inclusive Social Development Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations) organized a special event that brought together indigenous peoples’ organizations, UN agencies, Member States, civil society and relevant stakeholders at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, accompanied by a social media campaign. On the occasion of World Indigenous Peoples Day, UNESCO led a social media campaign and released a video for the promotion of IYIL2019 as well as the message of the Director- General through UNESCO, UN and other information channels. Several UNESCO Field Offices organized relevant initiatives for the promotion, revitalization and support of indigenous languages, including those in Bangkok, Brasilia, Mexico City and Quito. A social media campaign for the International Day of Indigenous Peoples was launched by UNESCO Quito on the UNESCO and IYIL2019 channels using the hashtags #IYIL2019 and #indigenouslanguages to share dedicated visuals and material. The Department of Global Communications of the United Nations contributed significantly to the promotion of the campaign, particularly through the use of the #weareindigenous hashtag. In collaboration with the Asia Indigenous People’s Pact (AIPP) and UNDP, the UNESCO office in Bangkok launched the Asia Indigenous Youth Platform (AIYP). While there are some existing platforms for indigenous young people such as Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network (AYIPN), there is a lack of ongoing mechanisms that enable young people to come together, access capacity building to strengthen their skills and address issues on their own terms and in ways that work for their community. The AIYP consists of representatives from 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and aims at empowering its members to address the challenges and issues facing their communities. This launch event also included training on media advocacy (use of Canva graphic design platform and Binumi). FERIA DE LAS LENGUAS INDÍGENAS NACIONALES 2019 MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, 9 - 11 AUGUST 2019 The National Institute of Indigenous Languages (INALI), organized the National Indigenous Language Fair (FLIN) 2019. With the slogan ‘Not a single language less’, this event aimed to make visible the creative potential of speakers of IMAGE 45 84 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesindigenous languages, support the transmission of their cultures through multilingual goods, products and services, and provide a forum to interact with the global community. A series of workshops, talks, expo sales and academic and artistic events brought to life the creative, cultural and linguistic diversity of indigenous peoples in Mexico. FLIN facilitated the creation of links between cultural agents, promoters, creators, researchers, officials and speakers of national indigenous languages in order to create a value chain that contributes to the visibility of indigenous peoples and their positioning at the national level. FESTIVAL LATINOAMERICANO DE LENGUAS INDÍGENAS EN INTERNET 2019 (FLLII) GUATEMALA, AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER 2019 The FLLii2019, organized by the Consorcio Festival Latinoamericano de Lenguas Indígenas en Internet (NGOs) in cooperation with UNESCO Guatemala and other partners, brought together indigenous language digital activists, partners, organizations, academics, programmers, and policymakers from Latin America and beyond to strengthen the ties that make collaborative work in this area possible and necessary. Through discussions, presentations, and hands-on workshops, participants celebrated the progress that has been made raising the profile of indigenous languages within the digital sphere and reflected on ongoing challenges, including a persistent digital divide and ongoing technical issues. Participants also discussed what this work means for communities that are struggling to maintain their language and pass it on to the next generation. Beyond raising awareness, the festival aimed at sending a strong message that much more needs to be done through collaboration on common goals, to create a ripple effect for years to come. Within the festival, meetings of digital activists of indigenous languages in Latin America were held under the title ‘Departmental Event of Digital Activism of Indigenous Languages on the Internet’, in the municipalities of Cobán (August 23), Quetzaltenango (September 27), and Antigua Guatemala (22-24 October). These meetings were aimed at speakers of indigenous languages from communities in northwest Guatemala; digital activists, technologists, Wikipedians; teachers and students from schools and universities as well as self-learners; and local institutions related to indigenous languages. HACKATHON FOR PROMOTING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES THROUGH FREE AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE SINGAPORE, FROM 15 TO 17 MARCH 2019 UNESCO and FOSSASIA organized the Hackathon for Promoting Indigenous Languages through Free and Open Source Software, which was held during the FOSSASIA Summit 2019. The event provided an innovative way to involve young people and developers to address a pressing issue on how to improve the presence of indigenous languages in open-source software and on the Internet. The event was supported by UNESCO’s YouthMobile initiative to build the coding skills of young people and leverage computer science education for sustainable development. The event was attended by 193 participants from across Asia, 15 projected ideas were submitted and 13 of them were pitched for 5 winning prizes. IMAGE 46 85Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UNESCO Flagship InitiativesResearch CALL FOR RESEARCH PAPERS In December 2018, UNESCO announced a Global Call for Research Papers within the context of the IYIL2019. Indigenous-languages researchers and practitioners from all over the world (63 countries) specializing in different fields submitted work focusing on 7 different thematic areas: • Humanitarian affairs, peace-building and national development plans; • Indigenous education and life-long learning; • Indigenous knowledge in science and health; • Gender equality; • Social inclusion and urbanization, ethics and civic engagement; • Cultural heritage and diplomacy; • Technology, digital activism, and artificial intelligence. The objective of the initiative was to stimulate new research directions for the preservation, revitalization and promotion of indigenous languages at the national, regional and international level. Overall, more than 280 papers were submitted from which an international team of peer reviewers selected 40 to be published as a special e-publication of the IYIL2019 (28 in English, 4 in French, 8 in Spanish). The publication will also include a set of recommendations for future research. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 SOUTH AFRICA / 5 GERMANY / 5 PERU / 6 PHILLIPPINES / 7 PAKISTAN / 7 FRANCE / 8 COLOMBIA / 8 PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA / 8 AUSTRALIA / 8 CANADA / 11 BRAZIL / 11 UK / 15 INDIA / 25 USA / 31 MEXICO / 48 / 8FIGURE 15. DISTRIBUTION OF RESEARCH PAPERS BY GEOGRAPHY 86 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesCULTURAL HERITAGE SOCIAL INCLUSION AND URBANIZATION GENDER EQUALITY SCIENCE AND HEALTH INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, PEACE-BUILDING TECHNOLOGY, DIGITAL ACTIVISM 24 / 4% 179 / 30% 167 / 28% 78 / 13% 76 / 12% 33 / 5% 46 / 8% FIGURE 16. DISTRIBUTION OF RESEARCH PAPERS BY THEIR THEME 87Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UNESCO Flagship Initiatives IMAGE 47UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador In October 2019, the Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio was designated UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the indigenous peoples for a two-year term. Her designation came in light of her commitment to gender equality, indigenous rights, and the rights of domestic workers. Born on 11 December 1993 in Tlaxiaco, in the Mexican State of Oaxaca, Ms Aparicio is committed to the fight against racism and for the rights of women and indigenous peoples. She was chosen to play in Alfonso Cuarón’s film Roma while studying to be a teacher. Her performance in the film, for which she had to learn the Mixtec language of her father’s family, won her an Oscar nomination for best actress, the first indigenous Mexican woman to receive this prize by the US Academy Awards. TIME magazine (United States of America) listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019. Ms Aparicio is one of the faces of the 2019 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and she has lent her support to the United Nations campaign, Let’s fight racism! She has also contributed to the work of the Mexican Commission for the Defence and Promotion of Human Rights, and further works for children’s education, helping raise funds for schools in the city of her birth. In December 2019, Ms Aparicio made a speech at the closing of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages at the UN Headquarters in New York. In her address, she recalled her parents’ belief that speaking the most perfect Spanish would open doors for them, ‘Even if we were closing the door to our roots’. She continued, ‘We need to find a way to include these languages in education and get to know the indigenous communities around us because ignorance always leads to discrimination. We judge what we do not know’. She also attended along with UNESCO’s Director-General the high-level event initiating the International Decade for Indigenous Languages on 28 February 2020, at Los Pinos in Mexico City, Mexico. In her speech, she spoke in both Spanish and in Mixtec, the language of her father’s family. In her speech, she sounded the alarm for the disappearance of indigenous languages. Ms Aparicio contributes to UNESCO’s work to ensure the integration of indigenous peoples everywhere and the realization of their rights, including through the safeguarding and celebration of indigenous linguistic heritage. IMAGE 48UNESCO Intersectoral Approach Communication and Information Sector The Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO led the implementation of the International Year of Indigenous Languages, coordinating different global initiatives and ensuring cooperation, dialogue and the building of synergies with relevant partners and stakeholders. RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING THE PROMOTION AND USE OF MULTILINGUALISM AND UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO CYBERSPACE UNESCO monitors the implementation of a unique normative instrument, its  2003  Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace. The focus of the 2003 Recommendation is the development of multilingual content and systems and facilitation of access to networks and services. Among others, it also aims to benefit indigenous peoples and indigenous language users.  The most recent,  fourth consolidated report  on the implementation of the 2003 Recommendation was submitted to the 206th session of UNSCO Executive Board in April 2019, before its transmission to the General Conference of UNESCO at its 40th session.  According to the reports submitted by Member States, progress has been achieved in some areas, including the enhancement of access to information in indigenous and minority languages in some countries (Algeria, Canada, Germany, Jordan, Mauritius, Peru and Sweden). Among the challenges is mentioned  little attention paid to the alleviation of language barriers, as in most countries the focus largely lies on the promotion of national and major dominant languages among citizens including linguistic minorities, migrants and refugees. The report also highlighted the critical importance of multilingualism for an Internet accessible to all, and recalling the important opportunity for action by Member States presented by the International Year of Indigenous Languages, recommending the UNESCO General Conference to echo this encouragement. WORLD ATLAS AND WORLD REPORT OF LANGUAGES UNESCO promotes linguistic diversity and multilingualism in education, cyberspace, policy-making and society at large. The Organization has developed improved methodologies for assessing language endangerment and systematically assembled detailed data on endangered languages, as well as carried out research on language promotion in cyberspace. Within the framework of the International Year, progress has been made in the preparation of the World Atlas of Languages that will be launched in 2021, and will include new data on the world’s signed and spoken languages to inform evidence-based policy making. UNESCO COURIER In January 2019, the UNESCO Courier released a special issue dedicated to the theme of indigenous languages for the occasion of the International Year. The issue includes interviews with indigenous people and experts, covering all regions, from the Philippines to the Swedish Lapland, and articles on themes related to indigenous languages, including their role in protecting the environment and biodiversity; their importance to sustainable development; and their role in art, media, and technologies, among others. CourierT HE UNE SCO 2019: The International Year of Indigenous Languages When you drink water, think of the source January-March 2019 Ideas: W. H. Auden on art and freedom https://en.unesco.org/courier • https://fr.unesco.org/courier • https://es.unesco.org/courier • https://ru.unesco.org/courier • https://ar.unesco.org/courier • https://zh.unesco.org/courier Many voices, o e world The UNESCO Courier is published in the six official languages of the Organization, and also in Portuguese, Esperanto, Sardinian and Sicilian. Read it and share it widely across the globe. 89Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UNESCO Flagship Initiatives IMAGE 49Education Sector 2019 UNESCO INTERNATIONAL LITERACY PRIZES – ‘LITERACY AND MULTILINGUALISM’ PARIS, FRANCE, 8 SEPTEMBER 2019 Every year, the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes recognize projects that promote literacy, with each year devoted to a specific theme. In 2019, the focus was on the promotion of multilingualism as an asset for both literacy and educational development, particularly the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 and its target 4.6, inclusivity and expanded access. Multilingual education facilitates access to education more broadly while promoting equity for populations speaking minority and/or indigenous languages, especially girls and women. Through two prestigious prizes, UNESCO supports effective literacy practices, encourages the promotion of dynamic, literate societies, and works towards closing the literacy gap for approximately 750 million people. Winners were announced by the Director- General of UNESCO on 2 September 2019 and awarded on the occasion of the celebration of International Literacy Day, following the recommendations of an international jury. The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize was awarded to: • ‘National Office of Literacy and Education for Adults’ in Algeria for its ‘National Strategy for Multilingual Literacy’ programme • ‘Textile Fibres and Development Company’ (SODEFITEX) in Senegal  for its ‘Functional literacy and follow-up vocational training for farmers in southern Senegal in national languages’ programme The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy was awarded to: • ‘Camacol Antioquia’ in Colombia  for its ‘Obras Escuala’ programme • ‘BASAbali’ in Indonesia for its ‘BASAbali Wiki’ programme • ‘Nuovo Comitato il Nobel per I Disabili’ in Italy  for its ‘TELL ME - Theatre for Education and Literacy Learning of Migrants in Europe’ programme. INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON INCLUSION AND EQUITY IN EDUCATION – EVERY LEARNER MATTERS CALI, COLOMBIA, FROM 11 - 13 SEPTEMBER 2019 This forum provided a platform for debate and a place to share innovative policies, programmes and practices to advance inclusion and equity in education. The forum was organized for the 25th anniversary of the World Conference on Special Needs Education, which took place in Salamanca, Spain, and in the framework of the IYIL2019. The Salamanca Declaration laid down the fundamental principle of inclusion at school: ‘All children should learn together, wherever possible, regardless of any difficulties or differences they may have. Inclusive schools must recognize and respond to the diverse needs of their students’, therefore including indigenous children and young learners of indigenous languages. Almost 40 countries represented at the forum signed up to the Cali commitment to equity and inclusion in education, ‘which recognizes the necessity and urgency of providing equitable and inclusive quality education for all learners, from the early years through compulsory schooling, TVET, higher education, and lifelong learning’. IMAGE 50Natural Sciences Sector UNESCO TRANSDISCIPLINARY WORKSHOP ‘PASTORALIST KNOWLEDGE ON WEATHER AND CLIMATE: WORKING WITH SCIENCE TO ENHANCE LOCAL RESILIENCE’ ARUSHA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, 29 - 31 JANUARY 2019 This workshop built on the Maa-language research that has been conducted by pastoralist communities in East Africa regarding weather and climate forecasting and phenomena. The project creates opportunities for exchanges between indigenous peoples, indigenous researchers and scientists on the interaction of their respective knowledge systems and contributions to climate adaptation in Africa. The mobilization of indigenous languages and knowledge systems is supported by decisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which recently adopted an operational decision on the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform, to which UNESCO has been contributing. The event, organized by the Association for Law and Advocacy for Pastoralists (ALAPA), the Parakuiyo Maasai community in cooperation with the Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) programme of UNESCO was a contribution to the International Year of Indigenous Languages. This transdisciplinary dialogue included an analysis of synergies and opportunities between indigenous pastoralist and scientific seasonal calendars in order to improve the understanding of weather and climate in the United Republic of Tanzania. The event also explored the role that indigenous knowledge can have in processes responsible for the elaboration of climate services, which involves understanding the contributions pastoralists can give to those processes, and how those instruments can enhance their resilience. ‘LINKING INDIGENOUS, LOCAL AND SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGES AND PRACTICES IN THAILAND TO GLOBAL POLICYMAKING THROUGH IPBES ASSESSMENT ON POLLINATORS, POLLINATION AND FOOD PRODUCTION’ CHIANG RAI, THAILAND, FROM 21 - 25 JANUARY 2019 UNESCO, through its LINKS programme, provided technical support on indigenous and local knowledge for the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES). The project gathered indigenous knowledge holders who had been involved in the elaboration of the IPBES Thematic Assessment on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production to work with scientists to consider their final outcomes and key messages. The meeting showed that scientists and indigenous knowledge holders can understand each other, complement each other’s knowledge, and influence practices for sustainability. The dialogue was co-convened and jointly designed by the Inter Mountain Peoples Education and Culture in Thailand Association and Pgakenyaw Association for Sustainable Development in cooperation with SwedBio at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Karen community of Hin Lad Nai, who were the local indigenous hosts. The dialogue took place in the Karen forest village of Hin Lad Nai, Chiang Rai province, where participants from around the world organized their own opening ceremony for the IYIL2019, singing and recounting poetry in diverse languages from each continent. The language components were central to the meeting. Karen elders explaining through interpreters how they watch the dances of the pollinator bees after they have collected the pollen. Mexican experts shared images from the Madrid Codex, where Mayan civilization had documented in hieroglyphs the process of bee-led pollination, honey harvesting and life cycles dating back a thousand years. Swedbio and UNESCO released the report at the 6th Plenary of IPBES in May 2019. 91Overview of IYIL2019 Activities / UNESCO Flagship InitiativesCulture Sector INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES FOR CONSERVATION OF WORLD HERITAGE’; AND ‘INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT IN WORLD HERITAGE PROCESSES’ BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, 5 JUNE 2019 UNESCO, together with the International Indigenous Peoples Forum for World Heritage (IIPFWH), organized a Seminar on Indigenous Languages for the Conservation of World Heritage on the margins of the 43rd World Heritage Committee Session. It focused on constructing the link between indigenous peoples and their environmental knowledge expressed through their own language as an important element of effective conservation and the management system of cultural and natural World Heritage sites. Besides the presentation of the case studies, various World Heritage properties that are relevant for indigenous peoples and their languages were displayed. Panelists included experts, indigenous representatives and members of the IIPFWH. The IIPFWH further hosted a side event to highlight indigenous people’s interaction with World Heritage processes, sharing insights on the barriers to exchanging valuable information in the preparation of World Heritage Site nomination dossiers as well as difficulties encountered in managing existing World Heritage listed sites in accordance with Outstanding Universal Values . On the occasion of the IYIL2019, the World Heritage Centre also announced a call for videos on World Heritage and Indigenous Languages through IIPFWH. The call was successful, attracting submissions from all UN regions in which representatives of indigenous peoples are active. The videos, in indigenous languages and subtitled in English, pertain to World Heritage properties and their relevance to the indigenous communities. These videos were presented on the side-lines of the 43rd World Heritage Committee Session. Subject to the consent of the respective owners, the videos may serve as a valuable resource and awareness- raising tool beyond the International Year. SOUNDS OF LIVING HERITAGE, A JOURNEY THROUGH INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES BOGOTA, COLOMBIA, 9 TO 14 DECEMBER 2019 ‘Sounds of living heritage, a journey through indigenous languages’ was a traveling sound exhibit that took place during the 14th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Indigenous knowledge, expressed through language, allows communities to communicate and transmit myriad practices and expressions across generations, thereby contributing to a sense of continuity, belonging and mutual understanding. The exhibit highlighted the links between the gradual disappearance of indigenous languages and threats to the transmission of living heritage, invariably leading to the loss of vital social and cultural knowledge, and ultimately threatening the existence of the communities themselves. The exhibit was visited by around 500 participants. While the practice and transmission of living heritage contributes to the ongoing vitality, strength and well-being of indigenous communities, the exhibition contributed to the enhancement of language as the principal vehicle through which such living heritage is kept alive. IMAGE 51For the compiling of this report, appreciation is expressed to the members of the Steering Committee for the Organization of IYIL2019, namely representatives of UNESCO Member States Australia, Ecuador, Estonia, Gambia, France and Saudi Arabia; representatives of all seven sociocultural regions of indigenous peoples; representatives of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP); the Office of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and numerous people in a wide range of countries who have given generously of their time to document the work carried out under the IYIL2019 and the many results achieved. This publication would not have been possible without them. The document also greatly benefited from the Summary report on the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages, which was prepared by UNESCO in cooperation with colleagues from the Indigenous Peoples and Development Branch/SPFII of the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). UNESCO Publishing oversaw the visual design of the report and the development of the infographics. Design: Katharine Mugridge The drafting and production of this UNESCO Flagship Report was ensured by Ms Irmgarda Kasinskaite- Buddeberg, Ms Cristina Cusenza and Ms Theresia Lippitsch from the UNESCO International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019) Secretariat, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO. Mr Deniz Erocal, independent expert, assisted with analyzing the statistics, writing statistical summaries and preparing the smart charts in the publication, while Ms Denise Powers provided editorial support. Ms Hanna Fiskesjö, Mr Benjamin Pinter, and Ms Alice Thibault from the Executive Office of the Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO, contributed to the review of the document. Acknowledgements 93AcknowledgementsIMAGE 1 (COVER) Member of Indigenous Community, Honduras. A portrait of a member of the Indigenous community in “Copán Ruinas”, Archaeological Site (UNESCO World Heritage site), during Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Honduras. Photo credits: UN. IMAGE 2 6 UNESCO Director-General, Ms Audrey Azoulay, greeting Mr Odeshkun Thusky, young musician from Kitigan Zibi, Anishinabe nation (Canada) who engaged in an opening musical performance, on the occasion of the High-level Launch event of the IYIL2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 28 January 2019. Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE 3 9 Participants of the High-level Launch event of the IYIL2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 28 January 2019. Photo credits: UNESCO. From left-hand-side: • Mr Moez Chakchouk, former Assistant-Director General of the Communication and Information Sector • Mr Akile Ch’oh, Grand Chief Edward John, Tl’azt’en Nation and First Nations Summit (Canada) and Co-chair of the Steering Committee for the organization of the International Year of Indigenous Languages • Ms Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples • H.E. Ms Zohour Alaoui, President of the 39th session of the General Conference of UNESCO • H.E. Mr Diego Pary Rodríguez, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Plurinational State of Bolivia) • Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO • H.E. Mr Alfredo Astorga, Vice-Minister of Education and Co-chair of the Steering Committee for the organization of the International Year of Indigenous Languages (Ecuador) • H.E. Mr Lee Byong-hyun, Chairperson of the Executive Board of UNESCO • H.E. Ms Ladislaa Alcaraz De Silvero, Minister, Secretariat of Linguistic Policies (Paraguay) • Ms Aili Keskitalo, President, Sami Parliament (Norway) and Co-chair of the Steering Committee for the organization of the International Year of Indigenous Languages. IMAGE 4 10 Participants of the International Forum on inclusion and equity in education “Every learner matters”, Cali, Colombia, 11-13 September 2019. Photo credits: Felipe Florez Ramos. IMAGES OF TABLE 2 21 From left to right • Visuals of the IYIL2019. Credits: UNESCO • IYIL2019 Pins and Banner. Credits: UNESCO • UN IYIL2019 Stam.p IMAGE 5 22 Mr Wilton Littlechild, Grand Chief representing the Assembly of First Nations, member of the Steering Committee of the IYIL2019, engaging in a traditional opening ceremony, on the occasion of the High-level Launch event of the IYIL2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 28 January 2019. Photo credits: UNESCO. List of Images 94 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesIMAGE 6 26 Ms Aili Keskitalo, President, Sami Parliament (Norway) and Co-chair of the Steering Committee for the organization of the International Year of Indigenous Languages, on the occasion of the High-Level Event to mark the global launch of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages in New York, on 1 February 2019. Photo credits: UN. IMAGE 7 27 Traditional ceremony by indigenous peoples, on the occasion of the High-Level Event to mark the global launch of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages in New York, on 1 February 2019. Photo credits: UN. IMAGE 8 29 From left to Right Members of the Steering Committee of the IYIL2019: Ms Kristen Carpenter, Chair, EMRIP; Mr Alexey Tsykarev, Chair, Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples and Civic Diplomacy «Young Karelia»; Mr Craig Ritchie, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies; Ms Aili Keskitalo, President, Sami Parliament in Norway; Ms Irmgarda  Kasinskaite-Buddeberg, Advisor, Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO; Mr Handaine Mohammed Representative, Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee; Mr Nicolas Barla, indigenous representative of Asia; Mr Belkacem Lounes, Member of the African Indigenous Peoples Network (AIPN) Ms Anne Nuorgam, Chair, United Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE 9 30 Inuit performers Silla at HELISET TŦE SḰAL – ‘Let the Languages Live’ – 2019 International Conference on Indigenous Languages, held in coordination with the IYIL2019 regional meeting in North America and the Arctic from 23 to 26 June 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Photo credits: The First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC). IMAGE 10, 11 31 10 The group ANSWER performing at the welcome event for HELISET TŦE SḰAL – ‘Let the Languages Live’ – 2019 International Conference on Indigenous Languages, hosted by the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council, and held in coordination with the IYIL2019 regional meeting in North American and the Arctic from 23 to 26 June 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Photo credits: The First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC). 11 Ms Chandra Roy-Henriksen, Chief, Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, at the International Conference “Role of linguistic diversity in building a global community with shared future: protection, access and promotion of language resources”, Changsha, Hunan, China, 19-22 September 2018. Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE  12 34 Ms Elisa Loncon (Chile), participant of the High-level closing event of the IYIL2019, “Making A Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages” (27-28 February 2020, Los Pinos, Mexico City, Mexico). Photo credits: UNESCO Field Office in Mexico. IMAGE 13 39 From the brochure of the event “NORNA-Symposium: Minority Names in Oral and Written Contexts in A Multi-Cultural World”, organized by the Sámi University of Applied Sciences and the Sámediggi on 24 and 25 April 2019 in Guovdageaidnu, Norway. Photo credits: Kaisa Rautio Helander. 95List of ImagesIMAGE 14 42 From left to right: Ms Sunday Ojo, Professor, Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa), and Ms Kerry Jones, Director, African Tongues (South Africa), Participants of the International Conference “Language Technologies for All (LT4All): Enabling Linguistic Diversity and Multilingualism Worldwide”, 4-6 December 2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE 15 44 Mr Eutuquio Jerónimo Sánchez (México), participant of the High-level closing event of the IYIL2019, “Making A Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages” (27-28 February 2020, Los Pinos, Mexico City, Mexico). Photo credits: UNESCO Field Office in Mexico. IMAGE 16 46 Ms Vivian Brockman Webb (Australia). Photo credits and copyright Martine Perret Photography. IMAGE 17 48 Muslim woman working on smart infographic screen. Photo credits: Shutterstock. IMAGE 18, 19 50 18 Poster of the Online Indigenous Film Festival (OIFF), organized by UNESCO in the framework of the Latin America and the Caribbean Week (June 2019). 19 Poster of the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) celebrating the eleven official languages of South Africa. Photo credits: SADiLaR. IMAGE 20 52 Participants of the African Regional Meeting for the IYIL2019, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 and 31 July 2019. Photo credits: Mr Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe, Secretary General of the Writers’ Association of The Gambia at the Regional Meeting. IMAGES 21, 22, 23 57 21 – Latin America and the Caribbean Illustration mashup created by Eddie Avila, utilizing the bird icon by Sara Novovitch, ES at the Noun Project, the voluta by Jer Clarke, and the Word It Out word cloud program. 22 - North America lllustration mashup created by Eddie Avila, utilizing the bird icon by Sara Novovitch, ES and the languages icon by Erik Arndt at the Noun Project. 23 - Africa lllustration mashup created by Eddie Avila, utilizing the bird icon by Sara Novovitch, ES, Africa icon by Africa by Nikita Kozin and share icon by Share by Alequinho all from the Noun Project, and the Word It Out word cloud program. IMAGES 24 58 24 - Asia Illustration mashup created by Eddie Avila, utilizing tweet bird Image by Idiom and used under a CC BY-NC 2.0 Creative Commons license. 96 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesIMAGE 25, 26 61 25 From the brochure of the International Conference “Language Technologies for All (LT4All): Enabling Linguistic Diversity and Multilingualism Worldwide”, 4-6 December 2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Photo credits: UNESCO Dar es Salaam. 26 Exhibition by Google in the context of the International Conference “Language Technologies for All (LT4All): Enabling Linguistic Diversity and Multilingualism Worldwide”, 4-6 December 2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE 27 65 Geoffrey Stewart, also known as Ullalla Boss, Martu Elder, a Manyjilyjarra speaker (Australia). Photo credits: Martine Perret Photography. IMAGE 28, 29 66 28 Poster from the exhibition documentary photo series “Woman” organized by NART – Narva Art Residency (Estonia), operated by the Estonian Academy of Arts in cooperation with Narva Gate and supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture, 23 February 2019. Photo credits: Narva Art Residency. 29 Nyapala Morgan. Photo credits: Martine Perret Photography. IMAGE 30, 31 67 30, 31 Posters from the IYIL2019 Communication Campaign at the international airports of San José, Costa Rica and Panama. Photo credits: UNESCO San Jose IMAGE 32 68 Ms Alba Eiragi Duarte, Indigenous Paraguayan poet, participant in the context of the ‘Realization of international commitments for the empowerment of local language speakers, communities and nations’, Asuncion, Paraguay, 3- 5 July 2018. Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE 33, 34 70 33 Screenshot from the documentary. Photo credits: Last Whispers. 34 Participants of the event organized at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (Indira Gandhi National Human Museum) in Bhopal on the topic of topic ‘Adivasi Language, Culture and Sustainable Development’ (13-15 January 2020). Photo credits: Mr Nicholas Barla, indigenous peoples’ representative (Asia, India) of the Steering Committee of the IYIL2019. IMAGE 35 71 Poster from the event “Community voices Migration and the Loss of Cultural Heritage” (Koror, Palau, 18-19 December 2019). Photo credits: Island Ark Project. IMAGE 36 72 Ms Aiolupotea Sina Aiono, Deputy Chief Executive, Regional Partnerships New Zealand Ministry for Pacific Peoples (New Zealand), the International Conference “Language Technologies for All (LT4All): Enabling Linguistic Diversity and Multilingualism Worldwide”, 4-6 December 2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Photo credits: UNESCO. 97List of ImagesIMAGE 37 73 From the brochure of the event Indigenous Language preservation seminar by Indigen (Hingyon, Philippines, 17 January 2019). Photo credits: INDIGEN, Blockchain for the Indigenous. IMAGE 38 74 From the exhibition organized in the context of the International Conference “Language Technologies for All (LT4All): Enabling Linguistic Diversity and Multilingualism Worldwide”, 4-5 and 6 December 2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE 39 75 Poster from the conference “Cuneiform and the Indigenous Languages of Iraq Now and Then”, Mosul, Iraq, 19 March 2019. Photo credits: Department of ancient Iraq Languages, University of Mosul, Iraq. IMAGE 40 76 Dr. Lorna Wanosts’a7 Williams being honoured with the “women’s song” at HELISET TŦE SḰAL – ‘Let the Languages Live’ – 2019 International Conference on Indigenous Languages, held in coordination with the IYIL2019 regional meeting for North America and the Arctic, 23 to 26 June 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia Canada. Photo credits: The First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC). IMAGE 41 78 H.E. Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly on the occasion of the High-Level Event to mark the global launch of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages in New York, on 1 February 2019. Photo credits: UN. IMAGE 42 79 Mr Adama Samassékou, President, African Academy of Languages, African Regional Meeting for the IYIL2019, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 and 31 July 2019. Photo credits: UNESCO. STAMPS OF THE IYIL2019 80, 81 UN, UNESCO and national stamps (descriptions are included under each image). IMAGE 43 82 Screenshot from a video included in the “IYIL2019 Youtube Multilingual Playlist”, hosted on the UNESCO Youtube Channel. Photo credits: UNESCO. IMAGE 44 83 Visual of the social media campaign run by UNESCO Field Office in Quito, on the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, 9 August 2019. Photo credits: UNESCO Field Office in Quito. IMAGE 45 84 Mr Eutuquio Jerónimo Sánchez (México), participant of the High-level closing event of the IYIL2019, “Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages” (27-28 February 2020, Los Pinos, Mexico City, Mexico). Photo credits: UNESCO MX FO. IMAGE 46 85 Participants of the Hackathon for promoting indigenous languages through free and open source software, Singapore, 15-17 March 2019, organized by UNESCO and FOSSAIA. Photo credits: UNESCO Field Office in Bangkok. 98 THE IYIL2019: Mobilizing the international community to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languagesIMAGE 47 87 Perry Bellegarde, Former National Chief, Assembly of First Nations (AFN), High-Level Event to mark the global launch of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages in New York, on 1 February 2019. Photo credits: UN. IMAGE 48 88 Ms Yalitza Aparicio, Goodwill Ambassador for indigenous peoples, on the occasion of the High- level closing event of the IYIL2019, “Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages” (27-28 February 2020, Los Pinos, Mexico City, Mexico). Photo credits: UNESCO Field Office in Mexico. IMAGE 49 89 Cover Page of the special issue of the UNESCO Courier “2019 The International Year of Indigenous Languages” (January-March 2019). Photo credits: UNESCO Courier. IMAGE 50 90 From the International Forum on inclusion and equity in education “Every learner matters”, Cali, Colombia, 11-13 September 2019. Photo credits: Felipe Florez Ramos. IMAGE 51 92 Global Indigenous Youth Caucus participants (from left to right); Winnie Kodi, Amy Andrews, Carson Kiburo, Juweriya Ali, participants of the African Regional Meeting for the IYIL2019, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 and 31 July 2019. Photo credits: Carson Kiburo. 99List of ImagesMoving towards the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL2022-2032) @IndigenousLanguagesDecade @ILDecade @indigenouslanguages 9 789231 004841