Decade of Indigenous Languages

The United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022 – 2032.

In February 2020 First Nations representatives from B.C. joined more than 500 participants from 50 countries in Mexico City to discuss a roadmap for the Decade of Indigenous Languages.

After a two-day event organized by UNESCO and Mexico, the roadmap called the Los Pinos Declaration was adopted.

In 2022 the decade began, calling for the implementation of the internationally recognized rights of Indigenous peoples. It emphasizes Indigenous peoples’ rights to freedom of expression, to an education in their mother tongue and to participate in public life using their languages, as prerequisites for the survival of Indigenous languages.

The Declaration highlights the importance of Indigenous languages in justice systems, the media, labour and health programs. It also points to the potential of digital technologies in supporting the use and preservation of those languages.

Why we’re celebrating

The Decade of Indigenous Languages is a time for Indigenous and non-Indigenous
communities in B.C. celebrate the 36 First Nations languages that live in this province.

The First Peoples’ Cultural Council works with First Nations communities in B.C. to build
the vitality of our cherished languages, and with this decade we have an opportunity to
capture the attention on the importance of language revitalization.

Our languages are the roots of our culture – connecting us to the land, traditional
knowledge and stories. All that we know and all of our relationships grow from the
words of our ancestors.

Dr. Lorna Wánosts’a7 Williams, Chair of the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation, attended the CCUNESCO National launch of the Decade of Indigenous Languages in Ottawa on April 22, 2022. She was interviewed by CBC radio to discuss her thoughts on the Decade and the importance of language revitalization.

10 Goals for the Decade of Indigenous Languages

When the UN General Assembly declared the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, they invited Indigenous peoples to initiate ideas. The following are 10 goals proposed by FPCC for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages:

• Goal 1: Indigenous communities have full control of their own language data
• Goal 2: Indigenous communities have access to international research and resources for language revitalization
• Goal 3: Indigenous language access is supported by sustainable technologies
• Goal 4: Indigenous language learners have access to mother-tongue based education
• Goal 5: Nations and states are supporting and investing in Indigenous language revitalization
• Goal 6: States that succeed in supporting Indigenous languages are celebrated and acknowledged
• Goal 7: A convention is adopted for the promotion of Indigenous languages and linguistic rights
• Goal 8: Effective assessment mechanisms are implemented to demonstrate outcomes of the Decade
• Goal 9: Indigenous-led language work is supported through long-term adequate funding
• Goal 10: Indigenous knowledge and expertise is recognized and honoured

Frequently asked questions