Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Finland
Delegate Name: Aanya Dogra
SOCHUM
Indigenous Languages
Finland
Aanya Dogra, Forest Hills Northern HS
The decrease of indigenous languages has been an issue prevalent since the days of colonialism. These practices typically ended with the decimation of the Indigenous languages, people, and culture. Throughout history, marginalized communities have always faced oppression on matters regarding their culture and self-identity. Indigenous languages are important to preserve due to their reflection of a community’s complex systems of knowledge that have developed over time.
In the Republic of Finland, more than 150 different first languages are spoken. Finland is currently home to around 8,000 indigenous Sámi. The Sámi people were the subject of assimilation policies adopted by the state and church in the 19th and 20th centuries. This included the forcing of Sámi children into boarding schools, where they were forbidden to speak their language and forced to integrate into the majority culture. They were removed from their land and stripped of their culture. However, Finland made moves to better their mistakes. The last of the Sámi boarding schools were closed in 1962. In 1995, the Finnish Constitution was amended to include stronger guarantees for the rights of the Sámi. We recognized them as official Indigenous people and gave them the right to maintain and develop their languages and culture.
While steps have been made, more measures need to be enacted. Discrimination and hate speech are just one factor that contributes to the decline of indigenous languages. Indigenous people can independently govern their own affairs, and Finnish authorities must negotiate with the Sámi parliament on matters that may affect the Sámi as an indigenous people. Disposition of land, territory, and resources must also be protected. Finland aligns itself with the ideas presented in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Policy Brief No. 151. Indigenous languages and culture should be promoted to educate people, continue using their languages in media, and promote accessibility in administrative settings. Finland adopted the passage of the Sámi Language Act in which the right of the Sámi to use their language before the courts and other public authorities, as well as the authorities’ duty to enforce and promote the linguistic rights of the Sámi, is promoted.
Many more steps can be taken to protect the Indigenous people, cultures, and languages. The factors that will help Indigenous people around the world continue to nurture their languages include topics of their resource rights, education, and incorporation of languages into everyday society. They are vital to maintaining each and every country’s diversity. Finland looks forward to collaborating with all delegations to create a solution that balances both the authority of the national governments and their Indigenous counterparts for this issue.
