Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Luci Perez-Simons
The United Kingdom is dedicated to fostering Indigenous languages and hopes to find a solution to continue promoting them. The United Kingdom has several Indigenous languages that we hope to preserve, such as Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Irish, Cornish, and more (International House London). Around the world, Indigenous languages are rapidly decreasing for a multitude of reasons, such as insufficient access to language programs, lack of funding, and more. Specifically, one Indigenous language dies every two weeks (United Nations). Without Indigenous languages, the world loses its authenticity, culture, and identity, part of what makes the world such an astounding place. Indigenous languages largely rely on the federal government to promote them (Harvard International Review).
Specifically in the United Kingdom, the delegation has worked to preserve Indigenous languages in a variety of ways. For example, Cornish is being taught in schools through grassroots efforts (Language Magazine). Additionally, grassroots efforts also promoted festivals for Cornish languages. Additionally, the Welsh Language Act of 1993 helped ensure that the Welsh language is present in the federal government (LawWales). The Identity and Language Act of 2022 was passed in Northern Ireland to promote both Irish and Ulster Scots. Specific provisions include: appointing an Irish Language Commissioner to aid the language, specifying protections for both languages, recognizing both languages, and more. All of these acts and efforts to promote the language have been successful (Heritage and Society).
In past years, many countries have implemented successful strategies that we as a committee can consider. For example, in Hawai’i in the United States, Hawaiians worked to make Hawaiian a second language taught in school, which helped promote the language in education (Library of Congress). Additionally, Ireland used TG4, an Irish-language TV channel, to make the language accessible and relevant to Ireland (Media Ownership Monitor). The United Nations has also established the Permanent Forum, and since its establishment, the Forum has urged for recognition of languages, support for funding, and preservation (United Nations).
The United Kingdom believes that as a committee, we must look at past success stories from various countries to continue promoting and preserving Indigenous languages. The United Kingdom strongly urges that we must first address previous issues that have caused these languages to decline, and recognize solutions to keep them alive. As the representative of the United Kingdom, I specifically believe that we must address the lack of funding and insufficient consultation with indigenous communities, and follow up with policies like recognizing languages, integration into modern-day life through TV, music, and festivals, and providing sufficient funding. The United Kingdom is excited to begin working with other member states to come to a common resolution.
