Indigenous Languages

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Canada
Delegate Name: Ava Nguyen

Indigenous languages are a crucial element of Canada’s cultural identity as it strives to keep the culture and history of Indigenous people alive and celebrated as Indigenous languages played a significant part in the establishment of relations between Europeans and Indigenous people, and contributes to the diversity and richness of the linguistic and cultural heritage of Canada. More than 1.8 million Indigenous people make up the population, but only about 13.1% of the population reported being able to speak Indigenous languages. As of 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) considers all Indigenous languages in Canada at risk of endangerment due to assimilationist government policies and actions. The loss of languages results in the loss of culture, history, heritage, and identities of the country’s foundations.

The delegation of Canada recognizes the rights of Indigenous peoples, affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 which includes the rights related to indigenous languages. The Constitution Act recognizes Indian, Inuit, and Métis as all Aboriginal, with existing rights that are based on the continued occupation of lands by Aboriginal peoples since before European settlement. This act provided protection to Indigenous citizens’ cultural heritage by preserving their language. Additionally, the Indigenous Language Act was passed in 2019, proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations as the International Year of Indigenous Languages to draw attention to the critical loss of Indigenous languages and the urgent need to maintain, revitalize and promote Indigenous languages. Since 2019, the Government of Canada has invested $608.7 million in ongoing funding to support the implementation of the Indigenous Language Act. This Act has supported the Indigenous population of Canada, assuring the preservation of language and cultural heritage. The Government of Canada is committed to providing adequate and sustainable funding to maintain Indigenous languages. The Assembly of First Nations receives primary funding from the The Department of Canadian Heritage’s (DCH) Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program (ILCP) to develop language plans, and support project-based language revitalization funding outside of schools.

The Dominion of Canada encourages the United Nations to fund, preserve, and implement Indigenous languages programs including education systems for Indigenous people, Indigenous-language media and lifelong learning of Indigenous languages in order to restore and maintain the fluency of those languages. Countries should join initiatives such as The Language Conservancy which works to revitalize language, in which Canada is willing to assist other nations with funds to support the cause of restoring Indigenous languages

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Algeria
Delegate Name: Kyra Valeros

Berber, also known as Tamazight, is Algeria’s first and original language, dating back to 2000 BCE, and it has several different dialects. In the 8th century Arabic was introduced and is now Algeria’s main language. About 25-30% of Algeria’s population or 10-12 million people speak Tamazight as their first language. Despite the Algerian war, Tamazight still remains to be spoken among the county. Even though the language has been known to many Algerians, there was no official effort put into preserving the indigenous language.

More recently, Algeria’s indigenous language Tamazight has been made more publicly known.. In 2002, Tamazight was officially recognized as a national language in Algeria, and then made an official language in 2016 by Algeria’s government. There are several radio stations, broadcasts, and TV channels in Tamazight. For example, the Tamazight TV channel that was launched in 2009 and is exclusively Tamazight. It is a part of the state-owned SNRT Group along with Al Aoula, Arryadia, Athaqafia, Al Maghribia, Assadissa, Aflam TV and Laayoune TV. With more recognition of Tamazight in Algeria, it is now being introduced into the education system, with around 300000 students studying the language in schools.

Even with these positive steps, Algeria still has a long way to go in integrating Tamazight into Algerian life. There is more support needed for the Tamazight-speaking regions due to the unequal ratio of Berbers to Arabic speakers. Efforts of continuing the educational programs, broadcasts, TV channels and others are necessary to make the language more known to society. Getting more children to be educated on the topic and getting qualified teachers for Tamazight are important to infuse the language into the educational system. Also, making more platforms for Tamazight to be seen or used, like street signs or books. International cooperations and organizations can help further boost these efforts by providing funds for learning materials, and a national holiday can be made for the Tamazight heritage. WIth more awareness of indigenous languages, countries, like Algeria, can make a rich cultural society, increasing diversity and inclusivity.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: United Arab Emirates
Delegate Name: Allison Edwards

Indigenous languages are essential to maintaining cultural identity and tradition. The United Nations recognizes this essential truth and has taken measures to protect indigenous languages. Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples says that Indigenous people have the right to speak, teach and revitalize their language. Although the UAE doesn’t have any pervasive issues regarding the disappearance of indigenous languages, the prevalence of english is overtaking the arabic language. The Arabic language is central to the Emirati culture and way of life.

The UAE recognizes the issues other nations face with the disappearance of indigenous languages. Though the UAE does not have any recognized Indigenous languages, but greatly values the conservation of Arabic. The UAE has multiple languages spoken such as English, Hindi, Urdu, and Farsi to name a few. The official language of our nation is Arabic. The UAE is committed to keeping the Arabic language alive and thriving. Arabic is central to the culture and identity of the United Arab Emirates. Modern Standard Arabic (also known as MSA) is taught to children through school, but most Emiratis who are native speak Gulf Arabic, which is a dialect similar to countries near the UAE. With the prevalence of English usage and 12 percent of the population being native to the UAE, there is a need to keep the language of Arabic in use.

Currently, the UAE is promoting the use of Arabic in many sectors such as scientific research, politics, and social media. The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre has partnered with prominent space centers to establish Arabic as a means of communication when disseminating scientific material. Furthermore, the government of the UAE recognizes World Arabic Language Day, which brings awareness to the Arabic language among the younger generation. The UAE recommends other delegations to utilize many different sectors to bring awareness to languages.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Simon Rothstein

The Russian Federation recognizes the important role language plays in preserving cultural identity. With over 100 languages spoken across the country, and a great number of indigenous languages, we understand that these languages are essential to communication and a reflection of the culture. Russia is committed to the preservation of such languages to ensure that cultural traditions are passed on.
However, this is not a very positive situation: many indigenous languages of Russia are threatened with extinction, especially languages of small or rural groups. Although Russian is dominant in education, government, and mass media, many indigenous languages are fundamental and have been increasingly marginalized. Even with efforts aimed at linguistic diversity through regional language policies, the wide usage of Russian has led to decreased usage of indigenous languages. The majority of these languages also don’t have a standard written form, making them more susceptible and liable to be lost eventually. The Russian Federation believes that much more is needed to be done to safeguard our indigenous languages. We believe community-led initiatives are pivotal to this trend’s reversal. We hope to ensure the preservation of indigenous languages through their use by the community. Additionally, we feel reform in education is necessary for the allowance of language preservation. We must promote the use of indigenous languages in schools, and this can be facilitated by classes in dying languages. This will help young people to better understand and appreciate the diversity of languages when curricula incorporate these languages. Additionally, the necessity of documentation of indigenous languages is obvious. The majority of them exist only in oral traditions, without any written records whatsoever. The Russian Federation will support activities aimed at the documentation of these languages and the elaboration of written systems to preserve them for future generations. This will help guarantee that languages are not forgotten, even if they are near extinction.
In conclusion, the Russian Federation is committed to the preservation of its indigenous languages. We are conscious of the challenges and determined to continue to work with the international community to find solutions. The preservation of these languages is essential to our cultural identity and to global diversity.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Jordan
Delegate Name: Sana Jindal

Languages play a crucial role in all of our daily lives. Language is more than a tool to just communicate, exchange knowledge, and build relationships; it is a repository for each person’s unique identity, cultural history, traditions, and memory. When indigenous languages disappear, an integral part of indigenous peoples’ culture disappears with it. Therefore every time an indigenous language is lost, the ancestral knowledge of a culture is lost forever. Most of the languages under threat are indigenous languages. The loss of global language diversity is greatly accelerated by colonization and globalization. When Indigenous languages are under threat, so too are Indigenous Peoples themselves.
Jordan recognizes the profound loss this represents, not only for indigenous communities but for humanity as a whole. Jordan strongly supports the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, which emphasizes the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their distinct languages and cultures. Within Jordan, indigenous languages such as Domari, spoken by the Dom people, and certain Arabic Dialects of the Dedouin tribes reflect the nation’s rich cultural heritage.
Jordan advocates integrating Indigenous languages into public life and believes that they should have visibility beyond their immediate communities. For example, they can be used in public service announcements and documentation where these communities reside and promoted through tourism programs, which can help celebrate cultural diversity while providing economic benefits. Jordan emphasizes the urgent need to document endangered indigenous languages through recordings, written tests, and digital archives.
By promoting community-led initiatives, utilizing technology, and fostering global cooperation, Jordan believes it is possible to halt the decline of indigenous languages and ensure their survival for future generations.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Homayon Khalili

The decimation of Indigenous languages has been a prevalent issue on the world stage for a while, and it is more crucial now than ever to find a solution to this pressing topic. Within South Africa, Indigenous languages hold vital information about scientific and traditional knowledge on ecosystems, conservation, and sustainability that benefits society. Each time an indigenous language becomes extinct, the millennial knowledge of a culture is lost forever to the detriment of indigenous people and humanity. According to National Geographic, every two weeks, a language dies with its last speaker. 50% to 90% of the world’s 7,000 languages are predicted to disappear by the next century. In fact, 52 of the 176 known languages once spoken in the United States are considered extinct. The complex reasons for losing languages include assimilation, lack of resources and written records, and colonization. Overcoming this challenge requires policy intervention, higher education, and technological innovation to make indigenous languages more viable and valuable in today’s world.
The Republic of South Africa, a nation renowned for its cultural diversity, is home to 11 official languages. These languages include Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Tshivenda, Sepedi, Tsonga, Ndebele, Setswana, and Siswati. The native languages of South Africa are a vital part of the country’s identity and cultural heritage. Assimilation colonialism and the preference for Afrikaans and English still create significant challenges for the indigenous languages of South Africa. During apartheid, native languages were forcefully suppressed, leading to lasting social inequalities. Language resonates with countless South Africans as it has been the source of deep-rooted trauma for many who endured this oppression during apartheid when language was used as a tool for segregation and dominance. However, actions have been taken to address the desecration of Indigenous languages by South Africa. For example, after apartheid, reforms tried to grant equal status and importance to all official languages according to the 1996 constitution. Additionally, The Pan South African Language Board was created in 1995 to check how language policies are being followed and to promote the use of native languages in government media and education. South Africa also takes part in the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, helping worldwide efforts to keep Indigenous languages alive. Furthermore, South Africa collaborates with other countries with many languages to exchange ideas and strategies for protecting and revitalizing Indigenous languages.

Despite the efforts to preserve Indigenous languages, challenges remain as the eradication of Indigenous languages is still prevalent and continuous within South Africa today. The Republic of South Africa firmly believes and stands at the forefront of efforts to preserve and promote Indigenous languages. From implementing policies to protect Indigenous languages to promoting the use of Indigenous languages in public and private spheres, South Africa heavily advises the priority of the mother tongue and its essentialness. By participating in global programs like UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages, South Africa aims to create a future where indigenous languages can flourish and thrive for generations.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Greece
Delegate Name: Dia Sriram

Dia Sriram
Greece
Indigenous Languages
Social, Humanitarian, & Cultural Committee
Forest Hills Central High School

Of the approximately 6,700 world languages spoken today, over half are classified as indigenous languages or languages native to a region, spoken by the original inhabitants of that area. These languages serve as oral and historical traditions, and they are a core part of the culture and heritage of indigenous peoples around the world. Alarmingly, however, the United Nations projects that more than half of these languages will disappear by the year 2100.

The loss of Indigenous languages is detrimental to Indigenous and international society as it loses vital components of Indigenous identities and cultural knowledge.

Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) declares the right of indigenous peoples to preserve, use, and transmit their languages to future generations. Preservation efforts generally focus on education, technology, and community-led initiatives. Unfortunately, these efforts face the challenges of globalization, urbanization, and insufficient funding. The international community must act fast to build policies that protect Indigenous languages.

Greece, though not traditionally home to large indigenous populations, has a core linguistic history marked by the preservation of ancient Greek. Ancient Greek, an indigenous language of its time, is considered a cornerstone language for civilization, influencing modern languages, philosophy, and science. Its preservation called for deliberate efforts both in ancient and modern times.

Greece’s efforts to protect its indigenous language mirror the struggles faced by indigenous communities today. For example, during the Ottoman occupation (15th-19th centuries), Greek was smoldered but survived through secret schools and oral traditions. These historical experiences position Greece as an advocate for language preservation.

Today, Greece promotes cultural preservation on both national and international levels. As a member of the European Union, Greece supports and participates in initiatives emphasizing linguistic diversity. The Greek government has implemented educational programs that promote multilingualism, demonstrating how endangered languages can coexist with dominant ones.
Additionally, Greece has supported UNESCO’s efforts to preserve intangible cultural heritage, including languages. The nation’s emphasis on heritage conservation aligns with the global call to protect indigenous languages.

The United Nations has taken significant steps to address the issue of disappearing indigenous languages. UNDRIP, adopted in 2007, provides a framework for protecting linguistic rights. UNESCO declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages which furthered awareness.

Globally, countries have used strategies like funding language revitalization programs, creating digital archives, and incorporating indigenous languages into national curriculums. For example, New Zealand’s efforts to revive Māori through media and education serve as a model. Greece has actively supported such international resolutions and called for increased resource allocation to cultural preservation initiatives.

Greece proposes a multi-faceted approach to the preservation of indigenous languages based on successes around the world. First, Greece proposes a global database containing dictionaries, grammar guides, and audio recordings that are created under UNESCO’s leadership and supported by nations skilled in cultural preservation (such as New Zealand). Second, financial incentives should encourage companies to promote indigenous languages through media, technology, and tourism, using Greece’s cultural tourism success as a model. They could also contribute to the creation of education programs about Indigenous languages. Third, member states should integrate indigenous languages into national curriculums, similar to Greece’s focus on ancient Greek education. Lastly, Greece suggests hosting an annual summit to evaluate progress and to continue to develop the plan to stop the disappearance of indigenous languages.

The preservation of indigenous languages is not only a cultural issue but a global imperative. Greece, with its historical experiences and commitment to cultural preservation, stands ready to support international efforts. With collaboration, education, and innovation, the survival of these invaluable languages can be ensured.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: Ethan Wadsworth

The Federative Republic of Brazil recognizes the falling use rates of Indigenous languages and advocates for the preservation of Indigenous languages. The Federative Republic of Brazil is deeply impacted by the Indigenous community and wants to help their growth and development within our nation as well as in others.

Brazil has made many amendments to create new ways to preserve Indigenous languages without our borders and emphasize the importance of Indigenous language within local communities. Brazil has many languages within our borders, and wish to pass down the heritage to future generations. Brazil encourages international cooperation in the actions of creating a way to preserve these important cultures. The loss of languages is a continuous struggle that must be addressed is a way to allow all language to coexist without the loss of one.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Soraya Parke

The history of indigenous languages in the United States has many different sides to it. Despite the many attempts in the past to wipe out the indigenous peoples and their language, they have put up a fight and still today continue to spread the awareness of their culture and language which continues to be endangered. Over time, the importance of their role in our history has opened the eyes of many. More and more people are playing a role in helping the preservation of native culture, identity, and worldview. The few indigenous languages that are left are facing critical danger. Many have very few fluent speakers left. But in some cases, the historical trauma whichforced English on many has, in some ways, stopped the desire or ability to speak indigenous languages. Some communities still don’t have funding or access to teachers or resources to effectively help their indigenous language thrive again. Which is why the goal of preserving and replenishing this language is very important.
Indigenous languages have existed in the United States for over 15,000 years. There are some estimates suggesting earlier migrations from people who migrated from Asia across the Bering Strait. Before the Europeans arrived in the 15th century and colonized what is now America there were about 500 different languages spoken. When Europeans arrived they forced the Natives out of their homes and land. d or even fewer speakers. The use of native languages has been shrinking for many years. Their population fell from 20 million to less than 2 million today.They tried to destroy native culture and languages by forcing English on native communities. They were also not made citizens until 1924. But they still counted votes in 50 states until 40 years later. But these policies changed in 1972 when the Indian Education Act was passed by Congress. This made it legal to teach children in indigenous languages and gave tribes the right to change schools. Then in 1990, Congress passed the Native American Languages Act, which was made to preserve, protect, and promote Native American rights to be able to speak their language anywhere they like. Movements for the preservation of Indigenous languages began to take form in the late 20th century. Different actions were taken, from language immersion schools to the creation of language documentation programs, these acts are often supported by linguists and cultural activists.
Today, Indigenous languages in the Americas continue to face the threat of extinction, with many languages having only a few hundred. Most native american languages today ceased to exist, or are only spoken by older speakers whom the language will die in years to come. There were about 300 indigenous languages. Now there are about 167 indigenous languages still spoken and it is suggested that only 20 will still be around by 2050. Only 8 indigenous languages have a population of speakers in the United States and Canada large enough to populate a medium sized town. Only one, Navajo, is the most spoken native language with about 170,000 speakers. But, even with this high number it isn’t even one of the top 25 languages spoken in the United States. Most native speakers no longer speak their native language and speak English instead. There is the Navajo National Museum, which is an organization that is working on preserving the Navajo language. In 2018 Laguna Pueblo and Sgarice Davids, two Native American women, were voted into the house of representatives. When this happened they finally felt like their voices and the voices of Native Americans were being heard in the national government. They were also the first native American women to serve in congress.
Although there are many efforts to preserve native languages, there are still many challenges facing indigenous people today. The future goal for Indigenous languages in the United States is centered on revitalization, preservation, and expansion. Efforts are being made to ensure these languages are not only preserved but also thrive in contemporary society. as of January 1,2022 we are in the international decade of indigenous languages. This should help to shine a light on the critical state of indigenous languages and to bring them resources to help bring the healing, well being, and prosperity of indigenous communities. On the topic of language revitalization, many indigenous communities have been focusing on educational programs. This often means language immersion schools, community based learning, and generational transmission. The emphasis is on teaching children. This emphasis on early age language learning has been great. In fact, it is easier to learn a language when younger. There is also the development of online courses and software tools. This is helping to make indigenous language more accessible to the younger generations and to those who don’t speak the language. Increasing the indigenous language in the media, including films, TV, podcasts, radio shows,, social media, and literature can help normalize the language in everyday life. This media is mainly of the targeted variety like social media.. Access to funding is also very important to all the work that has been done for indigenous language preservation. It is still difficult for many organizations to secure adequate public funding for indigenous language, education/teacher training and the development of learning resources. Many states, but mainly those that have large indigenous populations, have passed laws to recognize and support the preservation of indigenous languages. For example, in Alaska, the state government has been working on bringing back native languages through funding the Alaska native language center. There are also universities that have stepped into help such as University of Arizona and the University of Alaska,Fairbanks. Both institutions have specialized programs that focus on the regrowth of endangered native languages. Language is also connected to culture and spreading the knowledge and traditions of these cultures is vital to help these languages thrive. Since many of these languages are spoken in small populations, one of the most effective resources to help promote their use is providing teaching materials to small native communities.

The UN declared 2029 to be the year of indigenous languages, to promote and preserve their language. The UN is promoting indigenous languages in an attempt to Increase understanding, reconciliation, and international cooperation. Many other organizations around the world have started to speak up and show their support for the preservation of the indigenous languages. Losing the language means losing the history and culture of our land and people.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Sweden
Delegate Name: Jenna Zaidan

Jenna Zaidan
Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Indigenous Languages
Sweden
Mattawan High School

Language is the primary way to communicate culture, traditions, and identity. As a language declines in popularity, the history that comes with it is slowly erased. Indigenous languages specifically are decreasing at an alarming rate. The United Nations estimates that by 2100, “half of known indigenous languages will be extinct.” Considering that indigenous cultures often do not have formal education systems in place to safeguard their cultures, this stat is all the more concerning.
Regarding general indigenous situations, the UN established the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues in 2000. This forum was created to specifically address economic and social development and human rights. The UNPFII recommended in 2019 the establishment of an International Decade of Indigenous Languages from 2022-2032. This was formalized by the UN General Assembly, resulting in a Global Action Plan for the decade, focusing on the implementation of policies geared towards protecting indigenous languages. However, the UN was involved in the issue of indigenous language preservation before the establishment of the IDIL, through decrees such as the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. This document stated that indigenous communities had the right to transmit their culture to future generations as they saw fit, establish their own media, and affirmed that states shall take measures to ensure indigenous people can understand legal and governmental proceedings through translations or otherwise.
Sweden has often been praised for their indigenous politics. Sweden voted in favor of UNDRIP in 2007, but their indigenous-tolerant policies stretch further back. In 1977, the Swedish Parliament officially recognized the Sami people. However, their language did not gain official minority recognition until 2000, when it was recognized along with Finnish, Meänkieli, Romani Chib, and Yiddish. This recognition meant that children were entitled to learn and use these languages in school settings and adults could correspond formally with the government in these languages, rather than the official language of Swedish.
Sweden would support the implementation of international standards for the preservation of indigenous languages. Swedish policies have stated that “everyone is entitled to use their mother tongue” and would like to see this extended past their own borders. This could include efforts to increase the availability of indigenous languages in school curriculums, and the implementation of official government notices and signage in indigenous languages. The delegation from Sweden advocates for increased tolerance and advocacy for indigenous rights regarding language and culture.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Viet Nam
Delegate Name: Navaneet Murali

Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee
Indigenous Languages
The Socialist Republic Of Vietnam
Nav Murali
Forest Hills Eastern

Indigenous languages are crucial to maintaining the ethnic identity and cultures of indigenous peoples. While all the indigenous languages put together take less than 6% of the globe, there are over 4,000 languages spoken. Notably these ethnic languages are disappearing at a high rate, with over 95% of 300 languages likely to be extinct by the year 2050. This jeopardizes the expression of diverse cultures. The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Article 13, articulates the right to revitalize, develop, use, and transmit these languages to future generations. In Vietnam, there are many languages such as Khmer, and Cham that are in danger.
Since the older generation is starting to pass, the younger generation prefers to use Vietnamese rather than the old indigenous languages. In order to solve this problem, currently the Vietnamese government is trying to adopt bilingualism programs in regions where ethnic minorities are mostly present. These programs try to bring about convenience in learning by gathering both Vietnamese and local indigenous languages together. However, this program appears at different levels and still has many difficulties. Another concept that Vietnam is currently implementing is the Cultural Preservation Initiative. Various programs and festivals promote the languages and awareness of the many ethnic minorities in Vietnam. It also promotes awareness among the newer generation to reach out and participate in their ethnic awareness. Also, Vietnam is cooperating with international bodies such as UNESCO through which it intends to align with global efforts at preserving linguistic diversity. In fact, partnerships translate to a framework and resources that can help keep the indigenous languages relevant in the country. Despite these, a number of challenges remain salient: limitations of resources, the dominance of Vietnamese in education, and comprehensive policy implementation.
In addressing this, policies should be geared toward measures that would encourage indigenous communities to establish educational buildings, increase access to language learning, and create awareness. This involves the use of digital tools, especially social media, and international collaboration, in preserving these languages. This way, the survival of the indigenous languages and their cultures can be secured.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Austria
Delegate Name: Matthew Chan

The loss of indigenous languages is a continuing process that has been further accelerated with colonial practices and cultural assimilation. Through history, one finds numerous instances of fringe communities fighting structured oppression that threatens their culture, languages, and self-identity. Languages are a representation of a deeply embedded system of knowledge and heritage developed over generations. It is for this reason fundamentally befitting that such languages be preserved to save global cultures from decline in diversity and richness.
Although Austria itself was never considered to be a colonial power, it enjoys a very special relationship with linguistic pluralism within its borders. The Slovenians, Croats, and Hungarians still speak their languages and practice their culture in Austria. Times of suppression have faced the communities, especially in the early 20th century, from policies of linguistic homogeneity under the Germanic influence suppressing those used by the minorities. A case in point is the Slovenian-speaking minority in Carinthia, which struggled with major limitations placed upon its language use in schools, public administration, and even cultural activity – a general trend in Europe, aimed at making small minorities merge with major nationalities. Recently Austria has tried to take some pain to redress such old grievances.

The 1955 Austrian State Treaty solidified the protection for the Slovene and Croatian minorities and thus guaranteed linguistic and cultural rights. As a result, some provinces have, since then, displayed bilingual roadside posters, minority language schooling, and judicial protection. In addition, Austria also signed onto international mechanisms such as the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in promotion of linguistic diversity in support of these hopeless communities. This is a bigger indication of the commitment by Austria toward inclusion and culture preservation. Despite these steps, problems persist. The situation of minority languages today remains under strong pressure from globalization, urbanization, and limited intergenerational transmission.
Yet, hate speech and structural discrimination in society prove to be serious barriers to their maintenance of their cultural heritage. Austria could go even further: more support for media in minority languages, a wider possibility of bilingual education, and availability to public administrations for speakers of minority languages.

Additionally, Austria supports UN initiatives and principles, such as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, in calling for linguistic inclusion to form a basis of cultural sustainability. The Austrian government feels it is relevant to be aware that the protection of minority languages will be of concern for all of humanity.
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and a severe violation of human rights; it crosses borders and destroys lives. If history can be taken as a guide, starting with the transatlantic slave trade, the exploitation and forced movements of people for labor, sexual abuse, and other purposes have continued into the modern, digital era and have been facilitated by online platforms. Digital connectivity has administered trafficking networks around the globe and presented new challenges to governments worldwide.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Bangladesh
Delegate Name: Fletcher Fahling

UN International Mother Language Day was first recognized in 1999, on February 21, in honor of Bangladesh gaining its independence. Bangladesh’s fight for its freedom was catalyzed by Pakistan’s intention to make Urdu the only officially spoken language, despite Bangla speakers holding a majority in the country. That freedom fight was successful, and now Bangla is freely and officially spoken in Bangladesh. Language is vitally important to a nation, it serves as an essential part of culture and as a repository of culture and cultural identity. Without a love for our language, Bangladesh as a country would not exist. Therefore, Bangladesh recognizes the importance of preserving mother tongues.
Bangladesh recognizes 50 ethnic groups speaking many different unique languages, which enrich Bangladesh’s culture and history. In Bangladesh’s National Education Plan, measures have been put in place to help tribal children to be educated in their native language. The Bengali government has translated and distributed over 25,000 textbooks and nationalized about 210 schools serving these non Bengali populations. Education is the most important thing we can do as a developing country to ensure our future, and it’s only fair to teach young children in their own language. However, these measures have been difficult to fully realize, as a country with a brand new public education system trying to educate its children in their mother tongue of Bangla. Bangladesh would support measures to increase educational resources to translate more texts so that more and higher education can be taught in one’s mother language.
In addition to protecting small languages, Bangladesh also sees it as important to protect and preserve the Bangla language in the face of incursion of larger languages such as English. Language death begins as the fields in which the language can be used narrow. Already in our universities much instruction occurs in English because most higher level material is in English. In order to preserve our sovereignty and our national dignity, it’s critical to consider the preservation and celebration of Bangla, which we are already doing via the International Mother Tongue Institute. Preserving our languages’ purity and integrity is an important measure for preserving a country itself.
Language, specifically one’s mother language, is vitally important: to an individual, to a culture, to the nation. Bangladesh would not exist today without a fight for the ability to speak one’s mother language. Through further education and preservation efforts, Bangladesh believes that these vital cultural components can thrive well into the future.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Ukraine
Delegate Name: Nico Sproule

General Assembly: Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Committee
Indigenous Languages
Ukraine
Nico Sproule

It is estimated that an indigenous language dies every two weeks, an occurrence than can be attributed to colonialism, language suppression, and competition with more widely spoken languages (Toth). Ukraine is acutely familiar with these issues, having experienced widespread language loss and suppression throughout history. Thus, Ukraine remains committed to safeguarding and revitalizing indigenous languages both within the country and around the world.
Currently, Ukraine recognizes three indigenous languages within its borders: Crimean Tatar, Karaim, and Chagatai. Ukraine has worked to support the revitalization of these languages through the Law on Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine, which guarantees indigenous groups the right to an education in their respective languages and supports the creation of media in indigenous languages (Fremer). Additionally, Ukraine has pursued the preservation of the Crimean Tatar language through the creation of the National Corpus of the Crimean Tatar Language. This initiative is part of the Ukrainian government’s Strategy for the Development of the Crimean Tatar Language for 2022-2032, which aims to increase the use of the Crimean Tatar language in schools and other areas of public life (Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine). In collaboration with the Council of Europe and the European Union, Ukraine has also established a road map that describes actions the country will take to enhance language education in indigenous languages throughout Ukraine’s school system (George).
Globally, varied efforts have been made to encourage the preservation of indigenous languages, but these initiatives still need to be bolstered. The efforts of universities, especially in the United States, to implement classes teaching indigenous languages has shown wonderful progress (Lusin et al. 19) but it is vital that indigenous language education remains accessible and prevalent throughout primary schools as well. The United Nations has also participated in these efforts through the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which has made various recommendations as to how indigenous languages can best be revitalized (UN Department of Public Information). These efforts, along with the UN’s proclamation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032 have formed a very meaningful endeavor, but more work needs to be done. Ukraine believes that individual nations, along with help from UN initiatives, should be encouraged to increase the use of indigenous languages in public schools, public life and throughout local and national government.

Works Cited
Fremer, Iana. “Ukraine: New Law Determines Legal Status of Indigenous People.” The Library of Congress, 2 Aug. 2024. loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2021-08-02/ukraine-new-law-determines-legal-status-of-indigenous-people/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
George, Ashley. “Ukraine Focuses on Minority Languages.” Language Magazine, 24 Apr. 2024, www.languagemagazine.com/2024/04/30/ukraine-focuses-on-minority-languages/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Lusin, Natalia, et al. “Enrollments in Languges Other Than English in US Institutions of Higher Education, Fall 2021. Modern Language Association of America, 2023, pp. 12, mla.org/content/download/191324/file/Enrollments-in-Languages-Other-Than-English-in-US-Institutions-of-Higher-Education-Fall-2021.pdf.
Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine. “Creation of the National Corpus of the Crimean Tatar Language is underway.” Government Portal, Government of Ukraine, 5 Mar. 2023. kmu.gov.ua/en/news/tryvaie-stvorennia-natsionalnoho-korpusu-krymskotatarskoi-movy-minreintehratsii. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Toth, Katalina. “The Death and Revival of Indigenous Languages.” Harvard International Review, Harvard International Review, 19 Jan. 2022, hir.harvard.edu/the-death-and-revival-of-indigenous-languages/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
UN Department of Public Information. “The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Backgrounder.” United Nations. un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/04/Indigenous-Languages.pdf.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Cuba
Delegate Name: James Warner

Globally indigenous cultures and lifestyles are currently and have been fading out of existence very quietly due to their languages dying and caused most notably in the past by colonization and in more recent decades globalization and cultural syncretism and blending. In the case of language, unfortunately historically there are winners and losers so to speak as nations that had dominated the world through colonization enforced their will and customs upon whomever they colonized. In fostering dominant languages in a rapidly globalizing world it becomes problematic to languages and dialects that are very small in usage which makes them vulnerable to losing them. Often the more small and tight knitted cultures reside in rural and lower income areas of their country and in the modern world as children are born they have better opportunities presented to them but in order to attain or pursue them they need to leave often to cities and universities or larger institutions. Since countries tend to have one or two national languages, those are the ones typically needed in order to succeed in an academic or career environment. This creates the main issue that if the younger generations and/or non naturalized people are not learning and understanding an indigenous language it will go extinct.

Historically Cuba has been ignorant of any indigenous traces that may be still living and the Cuban people were led to believe that there was no significant native Cuban peoples or culture still alive. However, after a small study by the name of the Cuba Indigena Project conducted by photographers, geneticists, and sociologists in the Baracoa region, a relatively remote and wild area of the island of Cuba small but rich communities were found. These communities have maintained relatively strong ties to their Amerindian pasts and although they have struggled with their identities being shunned and unrecognized by the larger Cuban society they have been able to hold on to their traditions and portions of their dialects.
Even still the Cuban government has done no outreach in order to protect these communities or revitalize their past and language.

Cuba believes that it shall begin to move forward by recognizing native past on the island and no longer ignore and downplay native especially Taino existence. Museums dedicated to precolonial life on the island by utilizing anecdotes and indigenous traditions and research to form a proper relationship with descendants of Amerindians. Also emphasis on Museums as an effort to preserve aspects of Indo-Cuban/Amerindian history on the island of Cuba. The hope is to rekindle a connection between the main societal identity of cubanness and Amerindian descent.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Niger
Delegate Name: Emma Lairet-Sorensen

The delegation of Niger believes Indigenous languages need to be protected. Conservatives predict that over half of the world’s indigenous languages will be extinct by 2100. These languages are important to their people, not only for communication, but also for their religion, beliefs, and culture. Since 40% of the world’s languages are considered indigenous, they are important to protect, expand, and broaden. If more and more languages die, so do their traditions and ways of life, and the next generations do not have ties back to their heritage.
The UN has responded to this issue in many ways, but policies, intentions, and plans must be taken to the next step. One organization that has been consistently pushed to take action to protect indigenous languages is The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Since 2003 they have been urging governments to bring indigenous languages into public spaces and indigenous territories. They have also tried to set up sites where students can study or learn languages in colleges and universities. People can visit these places to learn more about the languages and indigenous people and could choose to help preserve them by learning the language. One hope is that if they know they have ties to that culture; they will want to learn more about their heritage. There have also been many suggestions for these languages to be put into children’s education and be used in training. Another action-driven organization is the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. It dates from 2022-2032 and its goal is to help the critical situations of indigenous languages by drawing global attention and to get resources to help the preservation and protection of the languages.
Niger has many indigenous people and tribes. Some examples are the Tuareg, Fulani, and Toubou, and they make up about 18% of Niger’s population. Niger does teach a few Indigenous languages in their school systems and has been implementing language for a long time. The 1998 Law of Orientation states that French, and the 5 Indigenous languages; Fulfulde, Hausa, Zarma, Kanuri, and Tamajaq will all be taught.
Continuing to teach these languages in education systems can be helpful to keep cultures going. Having a thriving Indigenous community starts with language. If the kids learn the language at an early age, the languages will continue living for longer. Indigenous speakers speaking their languages in public can also help preserve them. Being able to communicate using their language in any area is good for spreading the language and awareness. Niger believes that students being able to learn their language helps them express themselves and explore their heritage, which is why putting them into education is important. Partnerships between tribes and universities can be useful for spreading the languages. Getting more people interested in the languages can make people want to learn them, and more people learning the language makes it less likely to die or go extinct.
The delegation of Niger would support resolutions to put more Indigenous languages in education systems and universities. Allowing children and students the opportunity to study Indigenous culture is an excellent way to let them thrive. Whether learning out of curiosity about heritage or in general, it is good to learn indigenous languages.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Republic of Korea
Delegate Name: Elizabeth MacKenzie

Founded on September 9, 1948 the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, also known as North Korea, was established. The DPRK population is 99.8% Korean, making it closest to a monoethnic country.

As the DPRK is known to be pure with little impurities tainting our way of life, we have been learning languages of others to enhance our global intelligence. Even though our DPRK citizens are learning other languages, the DPRK seeks no interest in languages that aren’t of any value to us, mainly suggesting that there is no need for outdated languages.

Languages have always served its importance to civilization, as a form of communication and connection. Now that civilization has been in almost complete contact with each other, many smaller groups of languages have been dying out, but that is no new news. As we as humans evolve, the weak drown out, it is only a natural part as we head in the future. There is no point in keeping languages that serve us no purpose anymore.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Ecuador
Delegate Name: Lauren Corts

Ecuador is home to a rich tapestry of Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions. According to the most current Ecuadorian Constitution, Spanish is the official language, and Spanish, Quechua, and Shuara are official languages for international ties. The other ancestral languages – since Ecuador has eighteen different indigenous groups and several different languages used by said groups – are used by their areas and are protected by the state in order to preserve their cultural heritage. One context in which these languages should be used outside of indigenous communities is in the education system. The government has several policies implemented on bilingual education, ensuring that indigenous languages are taught to students alongside Spanish, especially in regions with significant indigenous populations, to preserve linguistic diversity while integrating the indigenous communities into national life. This plan not only fosters mutual respect and understanding among cultural groups. Additionally, indigenous languages are used in public media, government communications, and cultural events to ensure recognition and appreciation of the country’s linguistic diversity.
Ecuador has seen success protecting indigenous languages through various initiatives. Alongside promoting the teaching of indigenous languages in schools, the nation of Ecuador also used the method of documentation and standardization of indigenous languages. Linguists and community members in Ecuador have worked to collaborate and create dictionaries, grammar guides, and written literature ensuring the preservation for future generations. Ecuador could expand these programs and provide more resources for teacher training, curriculum development, and leveraging technology, to create language learning apps to make the learning of indigenous languages more accessible to a broader audience.
For the private sector, supporting Ecuador’s indigenous languages can enhance corporate social responsibility and improve relationships with indigenous communities, leading to a positive public image and potential market benefits. Companies can invest in cultural tourism, promoting languages and traditions as unique attractions. Additionally, businesses can develop products and services that cater to indigenous language speakers, tapping into niche and unique markets. For member states, preserving indigenous languages is crucial for maintaining social diversity and social cohesion. Since it aligns with international commitments such as the United Nations declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which advocates for the protection of indigenous languages. Promoting indigenous diversity can strengthen national unity and identity fostering a sense of pride and belonging among all citizens.
In conclusion, Ecuador’s position on the use and preservation of indigenous languages emphasizes the importance of integrating their languages into education, public media and cultural events. Ecuador has found success in educating their youth with bilingual education and language documentation, and the private sector and member states have significant incentives to help the state preserve these languages.

Works Cited
Knapp, Gregory W. , Vélez, Homero Pozo and MacLeod, Murdo J.. “Ecuador”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Nov. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Ecuador. Accessed 27 November 2024.
Correa, Rafael. “Ecuadorian Constitution.” Ecuador: 2008 Constitution, Georgetown University, 31 January 2011, https://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Ecuador/english08.html. Accessed 25 November 2024.
Wikipedia contributors. “Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador.” Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia., 22 November 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indigenous_peoples_in_Ecuador&oldid=1258868316. Accessed 25 November 2024.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Israel
Delegate Name: Harini Manikandan

Topic: 2024- Indigenous Languages
Country: Israel
Delegate Name: Harini Manikandan
United Nations Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Indigenous Languages
Israel
Harini Manikandan
City High Middle School
Indigenous languages are disappearing at an alarming rate, and Israel is ready to solve this immense problem. It is estimated that every two weeks an indigenous language dies, and all nations must work together to address this issue. Indigenous languages are vital because they reflect cultural identity, preserve unique knowledge systems, and foster national cohesion. Israel supports the protection and promotion of linguistic diversity, as it plays a critical role in fostering inclusivity and preserving the rich history of communities worldwide. At its root, this is not just caused by solitarily cultural assimilation, but there are many more underlying causations that we need to weed out. Issues like generational gaps, economic pressures, lack of global media, educational barriers, and social stigma need to be fixed, and only then, will we be able to safeguard these languages.
However, The State of Israel does applaud efforts made to fix this issue. Israel is home to a number of indigenous languages, although the number is relatively small compared to countries with larger indigenous populations. The main indigenous languages in Israel are Hebrew and Arabic, but there are also smaller communities that speak other languages, including Bedouin Arabic, Druze Arabic, and languages spoken by immigrants from various countries. The revival of Hebrew is a major success story, and it is one that can be used as inspiration for future endeavors. The revival was accomplished by making it a national language, teaching it, and using it in the media. Israel has shown support for many United Nations efforts such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, International Decade of Indigenous Languages, and the UN Resolution A/RES/65/169. We also have programs that teach new immigrants Hebrew which leads to better integration of them into the community. We are also working on preserving other native languages through education.
Although there are many success stories and programs being done to help this critical issue, more needs to be done. We believe that to fix this multifaceted issue; we need more than one solution. We believe in teaching and promoting in indigenous languages, more media presence, and most importantly, fixing the social stigma surrounding these cultures. We want to improve upon existing policies, but emphasize creating new solutions. We look forward to hearing solutions on the preservation of these languages in a way that balances this issue and political implications. Israel is ready to collaborate on this issue with other nations, and solve this issue for the citizens of the world.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Japan
Delegate Name: Ava Balint

SOCHUM
Japan
Ava Balint
Topic A: Indigenous Languages
The preservation of indigenous languages is becoming a global priority in fighting for cultural diversity and the rights of the most marginalized communities. As such, about 40% of the world’s 7,000 languages are now at risk of extinction, thereby compelling the United Nations to declare that 2022-2032 would be the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to help put greater emphasis on their revitalization. These languages retain unique cultural and historical information that can never be replenished once lost. Japan, which has its own indigenous Ainu people, is well aware of the importance of this issue both internationally and domestically. Though international frameworks call for proactive approaches, Japan has made steps toward overcoming its historical challenges in preserving the Ainu language as part of its cultural heritage.
The Japanese experience with indigenous languages, especially Ainu, bears the mark of assimilation policy that suppressed not only linguistic but also cultural expression. Recognized as an indigenous people by the year 2008, Ainu have lately seen their culture promoted under the Ainu Policy Promotion Act 2019-which of course covers the highly endangered language. Nonetheless, such efforts are basically overwhelmed by the almost complete erosion of intergenerational transmission in Ainu. At the international level, the United Nations has for a long period advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples, and in 2007, it adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This framework called for the protection and promotion of indigenous languages and urged member states to take concrete steps. Japan’s policy is in line with UNDRIP, but it has often been criticized for lacking the resources and actual practice that might demonstrate its commitment.
To advance indigenous language preservation, Japan envisions a future where international collaboration and community-led initiatives converge. Recognizing gaps in both funding and implementation, Japan proposes the establishment of a global Indigenous Language Preservation Fund, supported by UN member states, to provide financial aid for education, technology, and community-driven projects. Domestically, Japan intends to extend Ainu language programs in schools and integrate indigenous culture into national curricula for wider public understanding. Additionally, the use of digital platforms to develop accessible language-learning materials can help younger generations reconnect with their heritage. By addressing systemic barriers and promoting inclusive strategies, Japan is well-positioned to make a valuable contribution to global efforts toward ensuring the survival of indigenous languages for future generations.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Thailand
Delegate Name: Harriet Ogilvie

SOCHUM
Indigenous Languages
Thailand
Harriet Ogilvie, Forest Hills Northern High School Indigenous people globally have enriched our culture and society today speaking over 4000 different languages even though they make up only 6% of the population. However due to many factors including, continuous urbanization, Indigenous people are under increasing pressure to assimilate into society’s norms leaving behind their languages. Even though this assimilation of language might be convenient, it is of vital importance to stabilize and protect the Indigenous languages as it is both a method of communicating and an expression of their religious beliefs, political structures, and who they are.
The Kingdom of Thailand finds it of the utmost importance to protect the many indigenous languages, not only throughout the world but also within our own country. Thailand’s Indigenous minority, the Hill Tribes, refers to the Karen, Hmong, Lisu, Akha, Lahu, and Mlabri people. Each of these minorities has a specific language that has been passed down through hundreds of years. Their language and culture have enriched Thailand’s farming, medical, and artistic practices, allowing the country’s economy to prosper in tourism and agriculture. However, Thailand is struggling with continuous urbanization and a need for a united language to communicate policies and programs without translating them into many different languages, for this method is not cost-efficient.
To take steps towards protecting the Indigenous languages Thailand is promoting education programs, for example, the Patani Malay-Thai Mother Tongue Bilingual Education Program in 2012. This program introduced bilingual education programs this way Indigenous children can learn not only the passed-down language but also the national language, Thai. The hope is to improve literacy and cultural retention. Additionally, Thailand has continued the attempt to protect Indigenous languages by making efforts to preserve other aspects of the Hill Tribes’ culture. In the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, Thailand continues the preservation as the government supports cultural festivals, Indigenous storytelling, and traditional art forms. From the Songkran, the traditional Thailand New Year festival to Nora, a traditional acrobatic dance. Additionally, in the 2017 Constitution of Thailand, there is a reference to the protection and promotion of human rights of all groups, without discrimination, including the right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of their culture.
The Kingdom of Thailand is working to extend the 2012 Patani Malay-Thai Mother Tongue Bilingual Education Program, to reach a larger group of the population. Thailand is determined to work to bring more money and advanced technology to assist the efforts of countries to protect Indigenous languages. Thailand furthermore suggests additional communication between government officials and Indigenous individuals for them to have active participation in decision-making processes regarding their linguistic and cultural preservation.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Argentina
Delegate Name: Kaitlyn Gruber

SOCHUM
Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Argentina
Delegate Name: Kaitlyn Gruber
Indigenous Languages GLIMUN

Language is the cornerstone of our world; it provides a vessel through which we establish connections. However, indigenous languages, the foundation of much of the world’s linguistic diversity, are disappearing at an alarming rate, threatening cultural preservation and identity across the globe. Every two weeks, an indigenous language dies out, and it is projected that by 2100, at least 95% of all indigenous languages may become extinct or seriously endangered. Australia serves as a prime example of this crisis. Though it accounts for only 2% of the world’s spoken languages, Australia represents an astonishing 9% of critically endangered languages. Of the 123 indigenous languages still spoken in Australia, 109 are considered endangered. The causes of this alarming trend are rooted in underrepresentation and marginalization. Indigenous languages vanish when native speakers die without passing their knowledge to future generations or when smaller languages are forced to compete with dominant global ones. Recognizing the cultural, social, and historical significance of preserving these languages, the United Nations has taken numerous measures to address this issue. One such initiative is the World Atlas of Languages, which serves as a global resource for monitoring linguistic diversity and vitality. The UN also collaborates directly with indigenous communities, governments, and NGOs to support language revitalization by promoting digital tools, intergenerational learning programs, and policies advocating for legal recognition of indigenous languages. To amplify these efforts, the United Nations created the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which encourages policies that promote indigenous languages as official languages and support community-led initiatives. Furthermore, the UN declared the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), aiming to ensure access to education and technology, promote linguistic diversity in media, and support community-led documentation and revitalization projects. Additionally, the UN has integrated language preservation into its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly through Goal 4 (Quality Education), which promotes multilingual education, and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), which addresses the marginalization of indigenous communities, including their linguistic rights. While these actions represent a significant start, more coordinated and sustained global efforts are essential to ensure the survival of indigenous languages for future generations.

Argentina is eager to address this pressing issue, which affects nations worldwide. In Argentina, the loss of indigenous languages has profound cultural, social, and historical consequences. It threatens the cultural identity and rich heritage of our indigenous communities, including the Mapuche, Quechua, and Guarani peoples. This loss diminishes traditional knowledge, history, and diversity, which are integral to our national identity. Socially, it exacerbates marginalization and limits access to education, employment, and participation in broader society for indigenous groups. To combat this issue, Argentina has taken decisive measures. Our constitution formally recognizes indigenous languages, reflecting our nation’s commitment to preserving them. Through the National Education Law No. 26.206, Argentina has emphasized intercultural and bilingual education to ensure that indigenous languages are taught alongside Spanish. Moreover, we actively support cultural revitalization initiatives and collaborate with global efforts such as UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages, working to protect and promote linguistic diversity on an international scale. Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Indigenous languages must be more fully integrated into public life, education, and media to ensure their survival.

Going into this comity session, Argentina would be pleased to see proposals involving formally acknowledging indigenous languages and including indigenous peoples and their customs. We also hope to see the recognition of and preservation of indigenous lands, as well as adoption of educational efforts such as teaching a variety of indigenous languages in schools. However, just making base line effort to include this in the educational curriculum won’t be enough and more steps need to be taken. For example, in Argentina, this was done unsuccessfully leading to limited exposure for younger generations and a continued decline in fluency among indigenous communities; this is often due to a lack of qualified teachers and curriculum materials in indigenous languages. Argentina looks forward to collaborating with other nations to develop innovative strategies and robust international policies to address this shared challenge. Together, we can preserve indigenous languages and the cultural heritage they represent for future generations.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Afghanistan
Delegate Name: Kennedy Anderson

Afghanistan
SOCHUM
Indigenous Languages

The delegation of Afghanistan has been a devoted member of the UN since 1946 and has gone through hardship as a developing country to establish governance within the country. Afghanistan recognizes its difficult position to establish UN considerations as the Taliban is the primary leader of the country, however the Afghanistan delegation will strive to provide assistance and insight to other countries as well as aiming to better improve the country. The UN has contributed numerous aid such as creating the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan to help the people of Afghanistan (UNAMA), having the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) placed in Afghanistan who protects the most vulnerable and assist newly displaced Afghans, and 21 other UN entities are inhabited in Afghanistan. The delegation of Afghanistan would like to extend its gratitude to the UN’s consideration for not allowing the Taliban after it’s unfortunate take over to represent the country of Afghanistan and allow the delegation of Afghanistan to remain the sovereign entity and representative of Afghanistan.

Indigenous languages hold and maintain cultural heritage between a community and one’s ancestors which allows for one to feel a sense of belonging. Professor Megan Davis, Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues said that “Saving indigenous languages is crucial to ensure the protection of the cultural identity and dignity of indigenous peoples and safeguard their traditional heritage.” With there being more than 40 languages spoken in Afghanistan, Afghanistan is a linguistically diverse country with the 2 official languages Dari and Pashto belonging to their respective ethnic groups and being indigenous and native languages. There is however a threat to the smaller indigenous languages since around 77% of the population speaks Dari and 48% speaks Pashto and not many formal institutes use minority languages. Social media, Skype, and other communication technologies have played an expanding and crucial role in language maintenance and transmission for Pashai (a minority language spoken in Afghanistan) especially since many women who speak Pashai are monolinguistic since there is limited education for women compared to men. Preserving indigenous languages and many others allows one to be connected with others, especially if one doesn’t have the resources to learn a new education.

Creating a website and app that includes speakers of an indigenous language, awareness of indigenous languages and the ability for others from other countries to learn a new language. Creating a list of endangered languages can help UN officials know when a language is going to need more outreach for others to learn and when a language is at threat of becoming extinct. The purpose if this isn’t only to preserve languages and spread culture but to also continue letting a culture flourish and grow from extinction.

Cites
https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/afghanistan/language
Lehr, R., Fluri, J. (2020). Mother Tongue and Language Practices of Pashai-Speaking Communities in Afghanistan and the Diaspora. In: Brunn, S., Kehrein, R. (eds) Handbook of the Changing World Language Map. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02438-3_57
https://www.un.org/en/desa/protecting-languages-preserving-cultures-0#:~:text=The%20revitalisation%20of%20indigenous%20languages,biodiversity%20loss%20and%20climate%20change.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Iran
Delegate Name: Abby

Topic: Indigenous Languages
Country: Iran
Delegate Name: Abby Klein

The protection of indigenous languages is a crucial aspect of today’s society, particularly as minority voices are increasingly silenced, often by Western nations. This issue is not new, colonialism and globalization have systematically eradicated the use of indigenous languages through assimilation policies, discriminatory laws, and land dispossession for centuries. Indigenous languages are vital for preserving the culture, history, and identity of nations. Efforts to address this issue must prioritize empowering communities to restore and sustain their own linguistic heritage.

The Islamic Republic of Iran balances support for its national language, Persian, while protecting its indigenous languages. Persian serves as a unifying factor, strengthening national identity and ensuring equal access to education and economic opportunities. While about 65 indigenous languages are spoken in Iran, their use is primarily encouraged in cultural contexts such as festivals and oral traditions, as excessive emphasis on regional languages could undermine national cohesion. Article 15 of the Constitution supports the teaching of regional languages, and progress has been made in recent years. In 2013, President Hassan Rouhani pledged to allow the teaching of indigenous languages in schools and universities, a goal achieved by 2016 when Kurdish and Azeri began being taught in regions where they are widely spoken. This initiative, driven by government orders and expanded through new infrastructure, has developed at Iran’s own pace without external pressure.

The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that this progress would not have been made if it had been coerced to do so by a different governing body. This is why Iran is wary of changes made by SOCHUM. New legislation passed is likely to infringe on individual countries’ sovereignty and force Western ideals onto countries that possess different cultures. Iran hopes to focus on providing resources to aid in integrating indigenous languages into education. Additionally, Iran would support resolutions that provide resources to assist formerly colonized states, particularly those whose indigenous languages were suppressed, in moving towards equitable development aligning with non-colonized nations.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Switzerland
Delegate Name: Jesus Avalos

Committee: Social Humanitarian & Cultural Committee

Country: Switzerland

Delegate Name: Jesus Avalos

Topic 1: Indigenous Languages

The delegation of Switzerland values the preservation and growth of linguistic diversity as Switzerland is a multilingual nation. With Switzerland having four national languages we recognize the importance of language and identity in growing a sense of community and cultural identity. We believe that the disappearance of indigenous languages is a global issue that requires action to protect cultural identity and rights of the indigenous population. With international cooperation we can start initiatives to integrate indigenous languages into the school curriculum to fight against the decline in indigenous languages. With the help of other delegates, we can provide resources to help integrate indigenous languages into education. Switzerland also proposes strengthening partnerships between governments, NGOs, and private stakeholders to fund language preservation initiatives.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Egypt
Delegate Name: Rex Blakley

The issues in indigenous languages and the issues in cultures are one and the same, indigenous languages serve as a connection between generations in more ways than allowing for communication. Indigenous languages, such as the sixteen spoken languages in Egypt, are deeply connected to culture as seen by the groups of people who identify with each other based on their similarities in culture, religion, and language. While English and French are spoken by the more educated populace, along with most who interact with them, it cannot be denied that a large portion of the Egyptian population speaks what can be classified as an indigenous language. This is also true in other countries around the world and should be respected as a fact.
Egypt believes that indigenous languages should be preserved as best as possible. The United Nations (UN) has the influence to promote cooperation between departments of land preservation and the media to set aside lands for the people of those indigenous languages and culture to ensure their preservation. Which has been done in Egypt to successfully preserve the groups of people belonging to indigenous groups and the language of those groups. This allows for the culture and language to exist despite the world changing and creates an area where culture can be preserved.
There is a responsibility to preserve the cultures of the world, because they show the histories of a country, and the United Nations has the power to provide influence towards pushing policies to protect indigenous languages around the world.

“Preserving Egypt’s Natural and Cultural Heritage: Embracing Egypt’s Local Tribal Communities and Protected Areas.” 2023. United Nations Development Programme. https://www.undp.org/arab-states/stories/preserving-egypts-natural-and-cultural-heritage-embracing-egypts-local-tribal-communities-and-protected-areas.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Ghana
Delegate Name: Lidija Habekovic

Language is an intrinsic part of culture. Without it, culture would dwindle and eventually become forgotten. Ghana recognizes the importance of preserving indigenous languages as an extremely important step in preserving indigenous cultures. With 73 indigenous languages spoken within its borders, Ghana is committed to preserving these languages as well as emphasizing the significance they have in our culture.
Ghana is home to 80+ languages, 73 being indigenous, and the rest being non-indigenous. Of these, around 11 are widely used, be it in schools or on the radio or TV. However, many Ghanaians are being discouraged from speaking their native languages. In schools, students are punished if they speak their native language, making them scared to speak it, and contributing to a larger problem: the fact that many native languages are going extinct. This is especially concerning to Ghana as it is home to so many indigenous languages; therefore, Ghana has implemented policies to preserve them. However, these policies have not had much of an impact, and Ghana recognizes much progress can be made to better preserve its indigenous languages.
While policies implemented with the intention to preserve indigenous languages have had some effect, Ghana acknowledges more progress can be made. Ghana is committed to preserving each language and the unique culture that is tied to it. Ghana also recognizes the challenges that are faced when trying to foster the usage of these languages, since many of them are only spoken, not written.
Ghana believes that shifting focus onto the community may be the answer. By implementing community-led initiatives to preserve languages, nations may see increased progress. Citizens, on average, feel more connected to their community than their government, and will likely be more on board with preservation initiatives if they are implemented by their community. Additionally, Ghana would like to re-evaluate its school teaching practices. It is concerning to see that students are penalized for speaking their native language, and Ghana is hoping to change that in the near future. Furthermore, Ghana believes it would be beneficial to incorporate indigenous languages into schools to a greater extent. Finally, Ghana believes it would be crucial to document its indigenous languages, so there will always be a record of them.
Ghana is looking forward to progressing in the preservation of its indigenous languages. Language preservation is a crucial part of cultural preservation, and culture is an extremely important part of every person’s life. Ghana looks forward to working with like-minded nations to come to a cohesive solution to combat the disappearance of indigenous languages.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Sudan
Delegate Name: Matthew Seshul

Sudan has numerous indigenous languages spoken within its borders. Most of these languages are regional languages popular before the widespread adoption of Arabic in many nations in Africa including Sudan. There has been tension between the many groups of Sudan in the past due to the lack of connection and cohesion as a nation. Previously this has lead to civil wars including the war that resulted in the creation of South Sudan. Indigenous languages only being spoken in small parts of Sudan is a problem because it lead to further separation between cultural groups.

Sudan has prioritized the connection of indigenous languages as well as the mixing of cultures between its diverse groups. One way of this being implemented is by stating the protection of indigenous languages in the constitution when it says,” all indigenous languages of South Sudan are national languages and shall be respected, developed, and promoted.” This inclusion of all indigenous languages as national languages helps protect these languages by officially stating their meaning to the nation. This isn’t the only step Sudan has taken to protect these languages. Sudan also created the Council for the Development and Promotion of National Languages in 2009. These steps have greatly helped promote these languages.

Although many steps have been taken to protect these indigenous languages, the main problem is that there is a lack of education in Sudan. The average age that a child spends in school is between seven and eight years. This lack of education limits the learning of other languages and cultures found within Sudan and leads to sectionalism. Since children aren’t sufficiently learning other languages, there are greater divides between the groups found within Sudan. A further focus of education could help solve this problem by teaching the diverse indigenous languages found within Sudan and allowing Sudan to become a more cohesive nation.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Poland
Delegate Name: Emitt Stevenson

Poland recognizes the importance of cultural diversity in the modern world, in particular, the protection and preservation of indigenous languages. As a constituent of the international community, Poland is committed to the promotion and the preservation of indigenous cultures. Focusing on languages, which play an essential role in the identity and heritage of communities, is vital for the preservation of cultural diversity.

Keeping in mind the historical and cultural importance of languages particularly indigenous ones and the role they play in enhancing cultural and ancestorial understanding of all peoples. The preservation and revitalization of indigenous languages are essential for creating a society that implements social equity and support cultural heritage. Indigenous languages cannot be reduced to simple tools for communication as they are the cornerstones of unique and diverse cultures. The language one speaks embodies a plethora of views and beliefs including individuals and collective’s world views, histories, and traditions that are inherent to its speakers. Seeing as these languages are fading it is vital to protect and preserve indigenous languages and by extension culture.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Switzerland
Delegate Name: Jésus Avalos

The delegation of Switzerland values the preservation and growth of linguistic diversity as Switzerland is a multilingual nation. With Switzerland having four national languages we recognize the importance of language and identity in growing a sense of community and cultural identity. We believe that the disappearance of indigenous languages is a global issue that requires action to protect cultural identity and rights of the indigenous population. With international cooperation we can start initiatives to integrate indigenous languages into the school curriculum to fight against the decline in indigenous languages. With the help of other delegates, we can provide resources to help integrate indigenous languages into education. Switzerland also proposes strengthening partnerships between governments, NGOs, and private stakeholders to fund language preservation initiatives.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Mozambique
Delegate Name: Benjamin Harris

Mozambique is a country with many Indigenous languages, they have 43 established languages, 41 of them are Indigenous and the other 2 are non-indigenous. Mozambique’s official language is Portuguese but only half of the population speaks Portuguese. Recently the people of Mozambique have been losing their Indigenous tongues and the languages once spoken are sort of fading away.

Some efforts to preserve these languages are that they’ve:
Put these languages and the ways to speak them more into education
Added more to the media on this language and how to preserve it
Made cultural events that celebrate the languages that they speak and their culture
Made folktales, songs, and stories about their culture too

I believe that we should try to preserve these indigenous languages. These indigenous languages meant a lot to their ancestors and I think that it is nice to be able to speak the same language that your ancestors spoke in the past. Another thing is that when there is one main language that everyone speaks, it is a lot easier to travel and communicate with people from other places than you and if it’s always changing then there will never be a language that everyone speaks there which is not a great thing for the people of Mozambique.
One way that we could preserve these languages is by teaching them primarily in schools and making sure that every school is teaching the same language. Another way is by making an official language that every building, business, and advertisement uses so that it would become normalized. One more is by having some language-based classes for people who want to learn or are losing their ability to speak the language.

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.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Turkey
Delegate Name: Divyana Varma

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Divyana Varmma
Turkey acknowledges the critical role of indigenous languages and cultural heritage in enriching national and global diversity. As a country with a rich cultural makeup, Turkey recognizes the complexities and value involved in preserving and promoting linguistic variety. According to the UN, indigenous languages are disappearing at an alarming rate, and are set to be extinct by the 2100’s. To combat this concern, collaboration must take place, and coming to a thoughtful resolution is vital. The Republic of Turkey is committed to ensuring that these long-standing languages do not fade into fragments of the past while also ensuring a proper balance of national unity.
In Turkey, the issue of indigenous and minority languages is complex and often politically sensitive. Turkish is the official and dominant language, and the country has historically had a strong emphasis on linguistic unity in support of a cohesive national identity. With the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1922, a stress on uniting the nation of Turkey ever since its establishment in 1923 has been prevalent. The Ottoman Empire’s collapse highlighted the risks of division along ethnic lines. In response, Turkey adopted policies prioritizing a homogenous national identity, placing the Turkish language and culture at the center of public life. This framework sought to integrate various ethnic groups into a unified state, building a shared sense of belonging. Turkey is currently home to many diverse communities full of various languages, including Kurdish, Arabic, Laz, Circassian, and Armenian speakers. The most prominent one being the Kurds, the largest indigenous group in the country who primarily reside in southeast Turkey. In the past, efforts made to create an undivided country were seen as efforts against indigenous people, particularly the Kurds. To foster a more integrated national identity, the government emphasized the idea of Turkish as the official language and the primary medium of education and administration. This approach aimed to merge the diverse population under a common cultural and semantic framework, seen as essential for national stability. Measures such as the 1924 ban on non-Turkish language publications and schools were part of broader efforts to reduce regional divisions and strengthen state authority. This policy was part of a larger plan to overcome the fragmented nations’ challenges. The idea of a shared language was meant to make the transition to a novel country smooth. However, gradual shifts have been made in support of a transition into a broader linguistic diversity within Turkey, change in alignment with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural organization.
With the commencement of the decade of Indigenous languages in 2022, UNESCO continues efforts to highlight the importance of Indigenous languages as a staple in society. UNESCO’s global action plan to achieve this goal includes several main objectives, one of which is the integration of Indigenous languages into education through both formal and informal education. As a part of Turkey’s initiatives to promote multilingualism, an elective course called Living Languages and Dialects became integrated into the Turkish curriculum in 2012. This class authorizes children to study in their home language, and offers a variety of languages including Kurdish. This impactful implementation has already provided opportunities for thousands of children. Turkey highlights the importance of integrating language more deeply into education, proposing this approach as a sustainable solution. However, Turkey underscores that integrating Indigenous languages must be balanced to ensure national unity. Promoting Indigenous languages should complement, rather than challenge, a cohesive national identity, ensuring that all citizens share a sense of belonging while celebrating their unique cultural makeup​.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: China
Delegate Name: Isabel Xiong

Language is integral to the creation of community and stability of societies. But in indigenous communities, historically marginalized and oppressed, traditional languages are disappearing, and taking the culture and political stability of indigenous people with them. As a result, historically marginalized populations are dragged further and further into obscurity. Indigenous languages – over half of all languages spoken – are being wiped out, and the international community must act if it wishes to keep them alive.

In 2007 the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted, declaring among other things that indigenous people have a right to use, develop and pass on their languages to future generations. Since then UNESCO has created an atlas of endangered languages and launched initiatives like the International Decade on Indigenous Languages, meant to promote and revitalize these languages and cultures. Databases like the Endangered Languages Project also exist, with statistics and resources on thousands of languages.

China firmly believes that ethnic ties should not precede national unity; however, all ethnic groups have an equal right to use and develop their language, as stated in the Chinese constitution. China established several self-governing autonomous ethnic zones shortly after its founding, and schools in these regions have always been able to teach their ethnic languages, so long as Mandarin Chinese proficiency is also ensured. For recognized languages, the Chinese government provides interpreters in legal proceedings and parliament. And to preserve these languages, in 2015 China began the Language Preservation Project, one of the largest of its kind; over 1,700 locations were surveyed for language resources in just 4 years, with millions of entries collected for an audiovisual database of 123 dialects and ethnic minority languages. China is committed to finding and maintaining the balance between social harmony and ethnic heritage – it is imperative that ethnic peoples aren’t divided from the country by linguistic or cultural barriers, and thus education in common and ethnic languages are equally crucial.

China proposes solutions that will not only help current ethnic populations integrate more smoothly with society, but ensure that culture and language is passed from generation to generation. Firstly, the creation of a global archive for endangered languages, with vocal databases, audiovisual resources, digital translators and possibly artificial intelligence. With the breadth and quality of preexisting data gathered by China and other countries, the international community can come together and create an invaluable resource for linguists and minority populations. Next, the creation of language immersion schools, which allow any child to learn the culture and language of their heritage, and also allow governments to collect data and input from indigenous populations. Like the schools in China’s autonomous regions, students will learn the culture and language of their own ethnic group, as well as that of the country as a whole. Instead of remaining removed from the rest of the country, unable to advocate for themselves and slowly fading away, they can integrate into society without sacrificing their heritage or culture. With government support and community involvement, China’s methods can be replicated and developed to be even more successful. Finally, countries must make it easier for indigenous people to exist outside of their communities. Implementing policies that guarantee translators in government proceedings, from court cases to parliamentary sessions, not only creates more incentive to learn indigenous languages, but also makes things more accessible to native speakers of those languages. And creating government-sponsored education programs about indigenous culture and language can help recover some of the knowledge lost, from traditional medicines to ancient ways of life. China believes action must be taken at all levels, from community to international, and is eager and committed to working with other nations to recover indigenous languages – and with them, indigenous cultures – before they disappear completely.

Works Cited
Glass, Philip. “Preserving China’s Indigenous Minority Languages.” The Borgen Project, 7 December 2019, https://borgenproject.org/preserving-chinas-indigenous-minority-languages/.
Herfkens, Eveline. “Indigenous Peoples and the MDGs: Inclusive and Culturally Sensitive Solutions.” UN Chronicle, 1 March 2008, https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/indigenous-peoples-and-mdgs-inclusive-and-culturally-sensitive-solutions.
Shuo, Zou. “Largest project for preserving language built.” China Daily, 20 October 2020, https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202010/20/WS5f8e297ea31024ad0ba7fab3.html.
United Nations General Assembly. “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” United Nations, 13 September 2007, https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/11/UNDRIP_E_web.pdf.
‘Utoikamanu, Fekitamoeloa. “Safeguarding Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in the Context of Global Citizenship.” UN Chronicle, 18 January 2018, https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/safeguarding-cultural-and-linguistic-diversity-context-global-citizenship.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Venezuela
Delegate Name: Eddie Wuerthele

Indigenous languages have always been a core aspect of culture around the globe. Over 4,000 languages have been spoken by more than 370 million indigenous peoples. However, indigenous languages are on the decline. According to UNESCO, 40% of languages are endangered, with that number continuing to rise. Due to this, the United Nations have declared the matter of indigenous languages to be of great importance. 2019 was declared the International Year of Indigenous Languages. There were conferences, cultural events, and campaigns all with the goal of persuading governments to prioritize indigenous languages. Beyond this, Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states “Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures…”.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela acknowledges the need to confront this matter, as their cultural identity has been severely affected by the decline of indigenous languages. There are around 40 indigenous languages spoken by 1.5% of the population. Approximately 50% of those languages are critically endangered, which negatively impacts Venezuelan linguistic diversity and creative expression. In response, Venezuela has consistently advocated for the protection of indigenous languages. Over the years, Venezuela has been a member of numerous groups including the Organization of American States, International Labour Organization, Union of South American Nations, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. All of these have dealt with the matter of indigenous language decline and Venezuela continues to support them, particularly the UNASUR.

When dealing with this issue, the delegation of Venezuela calls upon other delegations to have funding at the forefront of their minds. While Venezuela was a signatory of ILO Convention No. 169, which recognizes indigenous peoples and respects their languages, it has been unable to ratify it due to economic and developmental concerns, such as hyperinflation and a decreased GDP. Venezuela has also been unable to put their 2007 Law of Indigenous Languages, which will increase educational programs and publish indigenous language media, into effect for the same reasons. In order to preserve and promote indigenous languages, aid needs to be sent towards nations in need. Venezuela, keeping national sovereignty mind, recommends that with funding, this problem can be fixed through national efforts, not international efforts, therefore to not put pressure on other nations. However, the delegation of Venezuela has an open mind when dealing with this situation and is willing to work with other delegations.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Tunisia
Delegate Name: Amelia Hewitt

Indigenous Language is defined as the “language native to a region and spoken by indigenous people”. Tunisia has a rich linguistic heritage which reflects its diverse cultural history.

Using the indigenous language outside of their native communities can be enriching and respectful practice when done appropriately. Some context that it can be used in is museums or public events this is a great way to raise awareness and appreciation for indigenous language, through music and literature celebrating their language through music, artistic expression, and writing can help bring their language to a broader audience. Social media is a great way to encourage the use of their language and it’s a great way to promote their usage and visibility. Legal and political context helps recognize that using indigenous languages in legal documents and government communication can help acknowledge the importance of their language and community. Other appropriate ways are through schools and universities, television and film, tourist attractions, guided tours, apps and websites, and public signage.

There have been many successful methods of protecting the indigenous language in the past and many of them can be replicated today some methods have included community-based language programs which is when elders and fluent speakers teach younger generations their language that way they can help keep it alive. Another example is cultural events and practices like celebrating indigenous languages through storytelling, and traditional practices help maintain their importance and relevance in the community. Both the member states and private sector have several incentives to preserve their language.

Some things that Tunisia can help contribute to this situation is by collaborating with other countries and international organizations to share how to practice and resources for language preservation. Another way they can help is by officially recognizing Amazigh as a national language and supporting its promotion. Also they can have teacher training programs that teach the teacher how to effectively teach the Amazigh language in schools.

In the document Preservation of Indigenous Languages in the United States it states the legal regulation around the indigenous language preservation. It highlights the practices for international experiences. It also discusses the challenges that the indigenous communities had to face in preserving their languages and the role that the legislative initiatives played in supporting language preservation. The Indigenous language has been slowly fading away in the world but with the help of others and by using some of the examples listed, there is a chance that the language can be revitalized.

Works Cited:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/indigenous-peoples-day-cultural-appropriation
https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples
https://press.un.org/en/2019/hr5431.doc.htm
https://www.un.org/en/desa/protecting-languages-preserving-cultures-0
https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/dup/inline-files/bia_native_american_revitalization_lit_review_draft_08182023.pdf
https://ghana.uoregon.edu/2024/07/13/preserving-indigenous-languages-challenges-strategies-and-cultural-significance/
https://www.europeanproceedings.com/article/10.15405/epsbs.2021.06.03.34
https://glica.org/glimun/committees/indigenous-languages

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Syrian Arab Republic
Delegate Name: Julia Serraiocco

Indigenous languages are found in many countries, both with larger and smaller populations. The people in Syria evolved from several indigenous origins over a long period of time. Indigenous languages are spoken and known all over Syria such as many Semitic languages. More recently, indigenous languages have been a point of concern because they are a significant part of the cultural heritage and identity of various ethnic groups in Syria.

Syria contains various cultural groups. The largest being Arabs, but there are also significant populations of Kurds, Turkmen, Circassian, Assyrians, and Armenians. Each of these cultural groups have their own traditions, languages, and histories which contribute to the diversity of Syria. Sunni Muslims account for about three-fourths of Syria’s Muslim population.
The native language in Syria is Arabic. Arabic has evolved over thousands of years due to the country’s longer and complex history. Ancient civilizations in Syria have influenced early languages, the main influence being Aramaic, which was a prominent language in the 8th century BCE. Aramaic has a long history in Syria being widely used for communication across various empires. Aramaic continued its use well into the early centuries of the Common Era and is still used to this day by a small percentage of people in Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

Indigenous languages are an important part of Syria’s cultural heritage and identity. These indigenous languages carry historical significance as well as traditional knowledge and the uniqueness of Syrian culture. The loss of these indigenous languages would result in the loss of cultural diversity and connection to the country’s history.

Maintaining these languages is important to Syria and many communities in the country. The Syrian government, as well as various cultural organizations, have shown high interest in protecting indigenous languages. Preserving languages like Aramaic is part of protecting cultural identities and traditions, which aligns with the UN’s goals of peace and understanding among different cultures. Efforts initiated by these organizations and the government contain educational programs and work to support communities that speak these languages to ensure they are not lost. Implementing these initiatives will ensure the country’s cultural diversity and heritage are not lost. Syria hopes our communities will work towards saving indigenous languages by encouraging efforts to preserve and promote linguistic diversity.

Works cited
https://stj-sy.org/en/killing-mother-tongues-as-a-form-of-the-continued-cultural-genocide/

https://www.britannica.com/place/Syria/Settlement-patterns

https://www.newarab.com/analysis/preserving-syrias-linguistic-heritage-internationally-new-dictionary

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aramaic-languag

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Philippines
Delegate Name: Rousseau Mamo

Like many other nations around the globe, the Republic of the Philippines is home to a plethora of indigenous languages that are prominent within the country. Many native languages are threatened by land displacement, land distribution, and land usage by the government, and other industries. In more detail, growing industries and technologies create a need for expansion and urban growth, this then displaces native people from their homes. When native people are displaced from their homes, they lose pieces of their culture, and they become further distant from their culture and language. Other nations are currently losing their native connections and heritage because of the neglect that these cultures face.

The Philippines has always been a diverse hub for language, race, religion, and culture. The Philippines’ population consists of 20% native people, and many protections have been put in place to preserve and protect these unique and valuable cultures. One of said protections is The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, which created national protections for land preservations and freedom of culture. As of now, 35 indigenous languages are endangered, and 11 are close to extinction. Indigenous languages like Arta, spoken in the north of the Philippines, have less than 5 speakers, and the same with Ata, another indigenous language. Filipino, one of the Philippines official languages, is one of the largest thriving languages based off of an indigenous language, Tagalog. In the Philippines, most people have native roots, and without the proper preservation of indigenous languages and cultures, Fillipinos could lose part of their cultural identity and individuality. The Philippines is a nation that will fight to protect its diverse indigenous cultures. Therefore, the Republic of the Philippines is for the protections and actions that save and preserve indigenous languages.

The Philippines wants to pass resolutions that will provide protections for native lands, freedom of religion, and the education of native cultures and people. Making federal protections for native lands would combat the displacement of indigenous people, this then helps with the connection to culture. Education is also an issue in the Philippines, and by creating systems where the future generations can learn about different cultures, and remove the ignorance of endangered indigenous languages, we can help preserve said languages.

Works Cited:
Hernandez, Carolina G, and Gregorio C Borlaza. “Philippines – Sports and Recreation.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 Mar. 2019, www.britannica.com/place/Philippines/Sports-and-recreation.
PoliLingua. “Official, National, and Native Languages of the Philippines | Translations of Philippines Languages.” Www.polilingua.com, 21 Aug. 2023, www.polilingua.com/blog/post/official-national-native-languages-of-philippines-translation.htm.
Poole, Gregory. “Indigenous Languages – GLICA.org.” Glica.org, 4 Sept. 2024, glica.org/glimun/committees/indigenous-languages/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
Saliga, Romeo. “Full Recognition for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in the Philippines | International IDEA.” Www.idea.int, 30 Nov. 2023, www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/full-recognition-indigenous-peoples-rights-philippines.
“The Role of International Labour Organization in the Promotion and Protection of Indigenous Languages.” Un.org, 10 Jan. 2008, www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/EGM_IL_Flores.doc.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Colombia
Delegate Name: Cameron Balis

Colombia has over 70 known languages that derive from 10 separate groups. As a nation that has many different languages, we hold them to a high value that we want to protect due to their cultural and historical significance. Around the world, Indigenous languages are disappearing at an alarming rate, by 2100 more than half the world’s languages will be lost to time according to the Library of Congress. In South America, this is very important due to the cultural borders that are broken between countries and wanting to reunify them.

Many languages make up Colombia as a whole even inside of our government that are implemented in legislation. The preservation of these languages can teach not only our children but also other countries about Colombia’s own culture and history. What can be done to preserve these many languages? bringing more attention to each culture that utilizes these languages, such as setting up different days of the year for each language to celebrate them and have them taught around Colombia. Colombia has already implemented a policy to recognize different languages inside of the Constitution giving indigenous languages certified recognition in government. Colombia has also implemented law 1381 which regulates the promotion, protection, use, and preservation of local indigenous languages along with ethnic groups.

Colombia proposes the creation of an organization in the UN set up by a coalition of countries to help preserve cultural languages and texts. A directive of this organization can be the complete preservation of indigenous cities, towns, and people.

Saving all of these monumental ideals are highly important to Colombia but help is needed. Colombia currently does not have the funds so including other countries in this idea is very high on our agenda. The overall importance of Indigenous languages to Colombia is empowering and the future ruin of them is concerning. We implore all countries far and wide to help in our plan to solve this problem. We hope to see the UN more aggressively fund education and preservation in policies or organizations. Moving forward in the preservation of indigenous languages is exciting, Colombia is looking forward to working with the United Nations to continue this path to preservation.

Works Cited

Language data for Colombia

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Albania
Delegate Name: Jada Wynn

Indigenous languages are the soul of a culture besides art, music, and religion. It is a type of oral communication that indigenous people have used for centuries and has a lot of history behind it. If these languages go extinct, a piece of history from cultures will be lost to time. That is the main issue: preventing more languages from going extinct. Many indigenous languages or minority languages have unfortunately been lost to time, so many stories through oral tongue, music, and more have also gone with it because of the lack of documentation. As more minority languages suffer from extinction, many countries now focus on the preservation of these indigenous languages to preserve not just only their language but also their culture and history.

Albania holds a variety of languages, which deserve to be protected and preserved so that no more history about these languages and the people who speak them will be erased forever. Albania’s main dialect, Albanian, is not at big risk of extinction, but many minority languages in Albania, such as Aromanian (Vlach) and Romanian, are slowly disappearing. Aromanian is an Eastern-Romance language spoken by Aromanians native to the Southern Balkans, according to the European Journal of Language and Culture Studies. Around 200,000 people seem to speak the language, and therefore, it is increasingly endangered. While yes, Albanian is the official language of the country,

As of present, Albania hasn’t made a major impact on tackling this issue. However, the government did make some efforts. According to the Minority Rights Group, Albania has approved and implemented Law 96/2017 on Protection of National Minorities, which acknowledges national minorities like Aromanians, Bosniaks, Bulgarians, Egyptians, Greeks, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Roma, and Serbs and eliminates previous differences between national and linguistic minorities. Acknowledging these minorities is a good first step in the preservation of languages in Albania. Instead of trying to erase indigenous people’s individual culture, it actually brings more light to it. Bringing more light to these minorities is good because it reminds people of the existence of indigenous people’s culture, language, way of life, etc. Albania’s actions show the people that the government does acknowledge these people and their culture and advocates for protecting said culture.

In this committee, the delegation is open to hearing more ways to preserve indigenous languages. While acknowledgment is a good start, educating younger generations may be a good step. The country of Albania advocates for the education of the public on certain topics that need to be addressed, and the preservation of languages is one of them. While education is good, it can only do so much, and if the main goal is to preserve endangered languages, there needs to be documentation, and recordings of these languages. Documentation and recordings of languages is one of the main contributors when preserving endangered languages and is beneficial to mention these tactics when writing a resolution. Enforcing laws to prohibit the assimilation of languages is also another effective tactic. According to a document by the Republic of Albania’s parliament when discussing Law 96/2017, in article 12 it mentions the assimilation of someone who is in national minority is prohibited. The delegation of Albania strongly suggests taking inspiration from article 12 of Law 96/2017 and implement more laws enforcing the preservation of endangered languages, and prohibit the assimilation of these said languages. Ultimately, the delegation of Albania hopes to ally with other delegations with similar ideals to make a resolution that every country and it’s respective citizens can benefit from.

Works Cited
Britannica. “Albanian Language.” Britannica, Oct 25, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Albanian-language.

Minority Rights Group. “Albania.” Minority Rights Group, March 2024, https://minorityrights.org/country/albania/.

European Journal of Language and Culture Studies. “Aromanian Vlach and Greek: Shifting Identities.” European Journal of Language and Culture Studies, Mar 30, 2024, https://www.ej-lang.org/index.php/ejlang/article/view/54.

Republic of Albania Parliament. “On the protection of national minorities in the Republic of Albania.” Republic of Albania Parliament, Oct 13, 2017, https://rm.coe.int/law-on-protection-of-national-minorities-in-albania-english/1680a0c256.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Sudan
Delegate Name: Matthew Seshul

Sudan has numerous indigenous languages spoken within its borders. Most of these languages are regional languages popular before the widespread adoption of Arabic in many nations in Africa including Sudan. There has been tension between the many groups of Sudan in the past due to the lack of connection and cohesion as a nation. Previously this has lead to civil wars including the war that resulted in the creation of South Sudan. Indigenous languages only being spoken in small parts of Sudan is a problem because it lead to further separation between cultural groups.

Nation’s Stance:

Sudan has prioritized the connection of indigenous languages as well as the mixing of cultures between its diverse groups. One way of this being implemented is by stating the protection of indigenous languages in the constitution when it says,” all indigenous languages of South Sudan are national languages and shall be respected, developed, and promoted.” This inclusion of all indigenous languages as national languages helps protect these languages by officially stating their meaning to the nation. This isn’t the only step Sudan has taken to protect these languages. Sudan also created the Council for the Development and Promotion of National Languages in 2009. These steps have greatly helped promote these languages.

Resolution:

Although many steps have been taken to protect these indigenous languages, the main problem is that there is a lack of education in Sudan. The average age that a child spends in school is between seven and eight years. This lack of education limits the learning of other languages and cultures found within Sudan and leads to sectionalism. Since children aren’t sufficiently learning other languages, there are greater divides between the groups found within Sudan. A further focus of education could help solve this problem by teaching the diverse indigenous languages found within Sudan and allowing Sudan to become a more cohesive nation.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Peru
Delegate Name: Izzy Sheppard

Delegate Name: Izzy Sheppard
Position: Republic of Peru
Committee: SOCHUM
School: Williamston High School
Topic: Indigenous Languages

As globalization of the world, socially, culturally, and economically, and major global languages emerge, smaller, local indigenous languages suffer. By the year 2100, experts predict that 50-95% of indigenous languages may go extinct, a shocking statistic when considering there are over 6,700 languages. The United Nations has made many steps to combat this loss of culture One such way the UN has done this is by drawing more attention globally to indigenous languages, and the threat which they are under, encouraging governments and NGOs alike to aid in preserving the language of indigenous peoples. Furthermore, the UN has declared many rights that should be given to those speaking indigenous languages. These rights range from education, and the right that Indigenous speakers have to teach and develop their languages and traditions to younger generations and control of their education, their rights to produce media in their languages, and their rights to appropriate access to interpreters and translators in legal proceedings to ensure they can communicate in their mother tongue. Despite these efforts to protect indigenous languages by the UN, many more steps must be taken to ensure the centerpiece of many’s ancestral culture is protected.
In Peru, the indigenous languages have a rich history and tradition that is under threat. There are over 48 officially recognized languages spoken in Peru, all very distinct from one another, with even more separate dialects totaling approximately 90 dialects. Peru has taken many steps to aid the preservation of these languages. In 2011, Peru Signed Law 29735 into law and provided rights for the development, revitalization, use, and preservation of indigenous languages. This was the first of its kind legislature in Peru as it required the government to recognize, protect, and promote the languages of Indigenous people. It required actual government acknowledgment of Indigenous languages, and that the government conduct a nationwide registration for native languages, and update a ethnic and linguistic map. It additionally requires all public administrations to communicate in all languages and dialects of Peru. This represents Peru’s commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples to preserve their heritage. Furthermore, Peru has also participated in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages, Peru has implemented plans to preserve the languages of Kukama Kukama, and Taushiro, a language spoken by only one person, further showing Peru’s commitment to preserving the culture of their native speakers.
Moving forward, Peru would like to see further interest in developing strategies for preserving indigenous languages. A possible solution would be to develop a strategy of getting more and more Indigenous languages and cultures to be digitized and stored on the web so that they can dodge the threat of being completely lost. Solutions to this could be to establish a digital library of Indigenous languages, that would encourage natives to upload their languages to a virtual space that could allow all people to access it, further supporting interest in a country’s culture, and likely promoting the global interest in more Indigenous related items, such as books, or art, and the sharing of cultures, language, and ideas globally.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Belarus
Delegate Name: Julian Andare

On the world stage, the spread of languages more dominant than others is ultimately for the better of society. Small, unused, or easily misinterpreted languages should be phased out in favor of languages that are easily understood on the world stage. As President Lukashenko said, “Nothing great can be expressed in Belarusian There are only two great languages in the world: Russian and English.” Smaller languages, including Belarusian should not be taught in schools and instead greater languages should be taught to improve intercooperation in the international community, and to strengthen alliances around the world. Resistance to the change is nothing short of a display of nationalism and over-patriotism for one’s nation. Any individual who resists this change deserves to be seen as an extremist and someone who is fighting against the greater good of their nation. The government of Belarus is working to integrate the languages and ideals of Russia into schools and institutions in Belarus. This allows for greater cooperation with Russia, and other nations who speak the language. English speaking nations should take a secondary role. Under no circumstances should any form of indigenous languages be used in any sort of official business. While usage of these languages in non-official settings is inevitable, such usages should be limited and contained. Meanwhile, the private sector and the other member states should have absolutely no incentive to protect and maintain these languages, as it is in their best interest to promote international business deals and trade. Such preservation will show the nationalist and extremist agenda of these entities and their attempt to stall international cooperation and delay advancements in technology. Misutilization of municipal resources on these superficial concerns should be of the utmost priority for any entity. However, governments and local municipalities should work in cooperation with local indigenous groups to preserve their cultures and lands within their own communities. This knowledge is successful in contributing to the wealth of knowledge that is held around the world. However, this should not take precedent over the international cooperation of nations.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Ireland
Delegate Name: Anna Preston

Country: Ireland
Topic: Indigenous Language
Committee: SOCHUM
Delegate: Anna Preston
School: Williamston High School

Indigenous Language background globally. 96 percent of the world’s approximately 6,700 languages are spoken by only 3 percent of the world’s population. Although indigenous peoples make up less than 6% of the global population, they speak more than 4,000 of the world’s languages.The extinction of these 6700 languages is predicted by 2100 if not helped. Indigenous languages are the central identity for indigenous people that includes the preservation of their cultures, worldviews and visions as well as a form of self expression. The main threat to these languages is colonization and the decimation of indigenous people. Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People states that these people have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their languages, oral traditions, writing systems and literatures
The Gaelic language in Ireland – Gaeilge or Irish, is a Celtic language and one of the oldest and most historic written languages in the world. This language has been intertwined with Ireland’s cultural identity, literature, and history. Gaeilge was the prominent language of Ireland until the 19th century when the British ruled dominant and English was used more heavily. In America Irish immigrants were shunned for their identity and the native language of Gaeilge was almost entirely wiped out. This caused efforts to revive the language and in the early 20th century it became the official language of the Republic of Ireland. Gaeilge/Irish is taught in Irish schools and used heavily in some parts of Ireland. To protect the indigenous languages of Ireland, the Irish language is a mandatory subject in schools across the Republic of Ireland. This ensures as time goes on, that the language will not be completely lost and that most of the country will have a basic understanding of it for the sake of their culture. Another way is the Gaeltacht Regions. The Irish government has set in place designated areas in which Irish is a “community language” instead of English. These areas receive special support to promote the use of the Irish language. Government policies such as the Official Languages Act of 2003 mandates the use of the Irish language in public services and documentation to ensure that people can access government services in their native language. Technology and Media have also been used to promote the speaking of Gaeilge. TG4 is an Irish language TV channel that provides content to help people learn and understand Irish and there’s been a push to incorporate Irish language into apps, social media and online resources to make it more accessible to younger generations.
To continue promoting the indigenous language of Ireland, the Irish government aims to improve and expand Irish language education making it more effective and engaging. This includes better training for teachers, updated curriculum, and increased funding and support for Irish language schools (Gaelscoileanna). Another strategy to promote the indigenous language is through laws and legislation. Strengthening language laws such as the Official Languages Act will ensure that this language is being taught and it ensures the culture of the Irish language will survive. Listening, talking, writing and thinking in Irish, and being able to fluently swap to English, gives better understanding of language structure. Listening and communication skills in general can be more developed if more than one language is spoken. Countries who would most likely collaborate with Ireland are countries that have smaller populations that speak the indigenous language and have English taking over.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Guyana
Delegate Name: Andrew Gerrits

In a world where communication is of the utmost importance, language is our most valuable tool, and when 40% of all languages are considered indigenous it is vital to protect them. Whether from discriminatory practices in legislation and education, or a rise in culturally dominant languages many Indigenous languages face extinction. The delegation of Guyana believes this committee must explore every solution to protect not just the several vibrant and unique indigenous communities and languages in Guyana but also around the globe.

The UN has worked continuously to address the issue of the disappearance of indigenous languages. The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous issues has called for action on the issue since as early as 2003, including recommending UN country offices as well as local governments to publish materials in indigenous languages. UNESCO has also done work to preserve indigenous language and culture, such as creating language and cultural centers in universities as well as leading the “International Year of Indigenous Languages” in 2019 that sought to fund and draw attention to indigenous languages and their preservation.

The preservation of Indigenous languages is a top priority for Guyana, so much so that it is enshrined in the constitution (article 149G) and Guyana has made a commitment to protect its 9 indigenous languages. Much of the work in Guyana to protect indigenous languages is through community, such as creating radio and TV stations in Indigenous languages, holding indigenous festivals, and investing in education such as summer language schools, and different books in indigenous languages. In the words of Dr. George Norton (former MP of the Guianan parliament) “The effects of colonization took its toll and eventually, much of what was indigenous, faded, however, we cannot allow the language and culture to die.”

The delegation of Guyana believes that the best solution to prevent the disappearance of Indigenous languages is to instill Indigenous languages into education and community, this can be done by continuing the work the UN has done to help preserve indigenous languages, and by implementing policies like the ones in Guyana to help reinstill the language into indigenous cultures.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Spain
Delegate Name: Madelyn Lower

Committee: The Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Topic: Indigenous Languages
Country: The Kingdom of Spain
Delegate: Madelyn Lower, New Prairie High School, New Carlisle, IN

The United Nations defines indigenous languages as not just methods of communication but also “extensive and complex systems of knowledge.” Indigenous languages are critical to the cultural identity of numerous communities, but many are at risk of extinction. The Division for Inclusive Social Development estimates that almost 50 percent of today’s spoken languages will be extinct by the year 2100. In response, the United Nations General Assembly launched the International Decade of Indigenous Languages between 2022 and 2032, highlighting the urgency to take action. Spain has officially recognized Basque, Catalan, and Galician as endangered indigenous languages spoken in various regions of Spain. These languages are experiencing significant declines in usage, along with approximately 3,075 additional languages worldwide.  

The Kingdom of Spain expresses deep concern for the increasing disappearance of these languages and promotes immediate measures to be taken to prevent their loss internationally. Spain would like to draw the attention of the United Nations in conjunction with the Permanent Forum in efforts to restore and protect indigenous languages worldwide. Spain has utilized digital media, including news articles and social media platforms, to make these languages more accessible. Semente, meaning “seed” in Galician, is a social movement focusing on providing education to revive the Galician language. In 2023, Spain passed legislation permitting the use of Galician, Catalan, and Basque to be used for conventions in the lower house of parliament, making the languages more politically relevant.  

In order to restore endangered languages and prevent the disappearance of any additional indigenous languages, the Kingdom of Spain proposes the creation of language resources and interpreting services. Our globalized world can utilize digital media platforms to promote the usage of these services and resources. Teaching younger generations these languages will encourage their usage in modern society. A partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) would boost the bilingual education of youth, which would not only accelerate language revival but also advance global trade and relations with easier communication. These bodies, in cooperation with local groups, would foster the use of heritage languages in contemporary society.

Citations:

Indigenous Languages, www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/04/Indigenous-Languages.pdf. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.
“UN DESA Policy Brief No. 151: Why Indigenous Languages Matter: The International Decade on Indigenous Languages 2022–2032 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/un-desa-policy-brief-no-151-why-indigenous-languages-matter-the-international-decade-on-indigenous-languages-2022-2032/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.  
Wyschogrod, Ezra. “Indigenous Languages in the Internet Age.” JNCL, JNCL, 27 Nov. 2019, www.languagepolicy.org/post/indigenous-languages-in-the-internet-age.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Estonia
Delegate Name: Tejas Karumudi

Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Indigenous Languages and Human Trafficking
Republic of Estonia
Tejas Karumudi
Forest Hills Eastern High School

Topic A: Indigenous Languages:
There are over 6700 languages that are spoken by humans across the world. Many of the 6700 languages spoken around the worldthese Indigenous languages are rarely heard due to a low amount of people communicating in the language, but these languages survived. However, in the 21st century, Indigenous languages are disappearing rapidly with zero speakers. Due to globalization, assimilation policies, and the popularity of global languages like English, little some indigenous languages are now passed down to younger generations. Estimates predict that by the year 2100, more than half of the world’s spoken languages will become extinct. Also, estimates suggest that one indigenous language dies every two weeks. Indigenous languages are mediums for communication and storage for complex knowledge of distinct cultures and environments. Therefore, if indigenous languages disappear, indigenous groups will also disappear. This disappearance restricts scientists and researchers from discovering medicines and other benefits in rainforests because indigenous knowledge of plants and animals will disappear along with the indigenous languages. Disappearance of indigenous languages will also lead to lower cultural diversity, decreasing. This will decrease cultural tourism, which is a major contributor to the economies of some nations. In response to the extinction of Indigenous languages, the United Nations established the United Nations Permanent Forum, which deals with matters related to Indigenous groups and their cultures. The United Nations Permanent Forum recommended governmental initiatives that would introduce Indigenous languages in public administration. In addition, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, suggested the use of indigenous languages in education and training as a way to ensure equal access for indigenous peoples. The United Nations General Assembly also declared 2019 as the International Year for Indigenous Languages to highlight the critical situations of Indigenous languages.

Estonia is determined to protect its indigenous language, Estonian, and related dialects of Estonian. Estonia is willing to work with the United Nations and other countries to promote the usage of indigenous languages. Estonia has multiple languages such as Võro, Seto, and Sõrve, and has multiple dialects such as Tartu. On April 15, 2023, The Council of Estonia’s Indigenous Languages, a cooperation and advocacy group with representatives from different ethnic groups in Estonia, held a seminar in Setomaa in southeastern Estonia to exchange solutions for revitalizing traditional languages. In October 2023, Estonia also held the Conference on Indigenous Languages in Setomaa to discuss issues related to the United Nations Decade of Indigenous Languages. Furthermore, in 2022, Estonia created plans to host several events that were connected to UNESCO’s language-revitalizing activities. Estonia participated in the UN Working Group on a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous people, Estonia sent experts to represent Estonia in the UN Forum of Indigenous Peoples, Estonia supported voluntary UN funds for Indigenous Peoples, and financially contributed to the UN General Assembly’s hosting of the International Year of Indigenous Languages in 2019. The Republic of Estonia is also willing to financially and politically support any country that desires to preserve its indigenous languages. Estonia is proud of its diversity and is concerned about the endangerment of Finno-Ugric languages in Russia. Being a former territory of Russia, Estonia understands Russia’s hostility towards ethnic groups that are not Russian. Being a developed country with a high GDP, Estonia does not need help reinvigorating its indigenous languages, but Estonia desires the support of the UN and the cooperation of other countries to fortify Finno-Ugric languages in Russia.

In conclusion, the Republic of Estonia has always respected its indigenous languages and cherished its cultural diversity. The Republic of Estonia encourages other countries to work with Estonia to execute the UN Forum of Indigenous Peoples and encourages other countries to take pride in their indigenous cultures. The Republic of Estonia advises other countries to recognize and protect their indigenous languages, such as introducing indigenous language education in schools and creating social programs to spread awareness of indigenous cultures. The Republic of Estonia is willing to donate the necessary resources and funds for the UN to continue its work on restoring indigenous cultures.

Works Cited
admin. “Indigenous Languages in Estonia – RISE UP.” RISE UP, 12 May 2023, www.riseupproject.eu/indigenous-languages-in-estonia/. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

“Protecting and Promoting Respect for Human Rights – Estonia in UN.” Un.mfa.ee, un.mfa.ee/estonia-and-un/protecting-and-promoting-respect-for-human-rights/. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024

“Statement by Estonia at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, on 27. April – Estonia in UN.” Un.mfa.ee, 27 Apr. 2022, un.mfa.ee/statement-by-estonia-at-the-un-permanent-forum-on-indigenous-issues-on-27-april/. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

United Nations. Indigenous Languages Language Rights of Indigenous Peoples. UN Department of Public Information, 19 Apr. 2018, www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/04/Indigenous-Languages.pdf. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Germany
Delegate Name: Macie Minor

Human trafficking is defined as “the unlawful act of transporting or coercing people in order to benefit from their work or service, typically in the form of forced labor or sexual exploitation”. Yet, that definition is far from covering the convoluted business that is human trafficking. There are about 27 million victims of human trafficking each year, around 60% of victims will be female, and about 38% of all victims will be sexually exploited with the rest being forced into labor(“Human Trafficking – Polaris”). More than 155 countries deal with human trafficking with only a few having truly effective legislative actions against offenders, with some lacking any form of policies or repercussions against said offenders. T The biggest obstacles the UN faces with human trafficking is the securing of unmonitored borders, loose migration policies, and the lack of reporting as well as victim resources.
Germany as of recent years has done its part to increase the funding and efforts surrounding the fight against human trafficking. Germany has funded multiple projects such as Ukrainian victims in “lover boy” trafficking and a widely used victim hotline which helped implement more hotlines across the country. With regard to more trafficked labor practices, Germany has cracked down on forced labor and employment passing multiple multiple pieces of legislation such as The Human Rights Due Diligence Act requiring companies with over 1,00 employees to do their due diligence through risk management and risk control all overseen by the Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control. 2023’s Passport Act is a great example of Germany’s efforts toward preventive methods of trafficking that have shown an increase of awareness and safety (“2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: Germany”).
Considering the increase of human trafficking and its now digital life Germany can not emphasize the vitality of preventative measures and greater governmental involvement in the passing of new and stricter legislation. The Protocol passed in November of 2000 covers a majority of increasing campaigns, stricter convictions, and more restrictive border and migration practices, but lacks to address the evolution of trafficking facilitated online. Training and awareness campaigns should now also be shared to social media with greater focus on online safety and the warning behaviors that traffickers and risky messages exhibit. Similarly, tourism destinations need to be far more regulated, such as permission forms and passes granted in specific areas including background checks of criminal history. Funding in all areas should continue to increase annually even in small percentages. Support for NGOs, investigative organizations and efforts, and victim support resources must be more widespread and distributed between all areas. It is the UN’s responsibility to ensure the safety and future of upcoming generations as well as protecting past victims in all areas.

Works Cited
“Human Trafficking – Polaris.” Polaris Project, https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/. Accessed 25 November 2024.
“2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: Germany.” U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/germany/. Accessed 26 November 2024.
United Nations. “Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.”
United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, www.unodc.org/res/human-trafficking/2021the-protocol-tip_html/TIP.pdf.
“Germany – United States Department of State.” United States Department of State, 24 June 2024, www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/germany.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: India
Delegate Name: Evangeline Harris

Topic A: Indigenous Languages
India has one of the most linguistically diverse populations in the world. With 780 languages, 600 of which are incredibly endangered, the Union of India only recognizes around 20 of them to be official and only uses around 14 of them to print important information. Despite the large number of indigenous languages in India, the Union of India considers any language with fewer than 10,000 speakers extinct and does not make a great effort to conserve it.
While the primary speakers of these languages are the Indigenous communities themselves, promoting their use in broader contexts—such as educational environments, media, and public information—could help preserve them and increase awareness. India does have experience with integrating a small number of Indigenous languages like Santali, Bodo, and Manipuri into education putting some effort to help maintain cultural diversity. India advocates for the approach of: Indigenous languages being celebrated and respected outside their communities, but their use must prioritize the consent of Indigenous people. India has successfully protected some Indigenous languages through constitutional implementation. For instance: The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India recognizes 22 scheduled languages out of the existing 780, including some Indigenous languages, granting them official status and access to state resources. Educational policies such as the National Education Policy 2020 emphasize “mother tongue-based” multilingual education to sustain linguistic diversity. Cultural preservation initiatives like the Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) and the promotion of Indigenous art, literature, and festivals. Indigenous languages can attract cultural tourism. For example, India’s tribal art and literature are valuable cultural exports. Supporting languages helps create jobs in education, publishing, and cultural industries. India encourages collaborative efforts among states, Indigenous communities, and private companies to preserve Indigenous languages while respecting their origins. India does believe that Indigenous languages are fundamental to preserving cultural diversity and ensuring that Indigenous communities maintain their unique identities in an interconnected world. By emphasizing education, cultural preservation, technology integration, and international collaboration, India aims to support the sustainable revival of indigenous languages both within its borders and globally. As a nation committed to cultural diversity, India calls upon member states to work collectively to implement more innovative, inclusive, and effective strategies to protect the world’s linguistic heritage.

Bibliography:
Cultural invisibility – India’s 600 potentially endangered languages – Tribal Cultural Heritage in India. (n.d.). Retrieved from indiantribalheritage.org website: https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=6039#gsc.tab=0
her. (n.d.). The Silent Crisis: Indigenous Languages on the Brink of Extinction in India. Retrieved from www.hercircle.in website: https://www.hercircle.in/engage/get-inspired/trending/the-silent-crisis-indigenous-languages-on-the-brink-of-extinction-in-india-6805.html
UNESCO launches Report on India’s Tribal and Indigenous Languages | UNESCO. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.unesco.org website: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-launches-report-indias-tribal-and-indigenous-languages

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Australia
Delegate Name: Fiona Apraez

Committee: Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Country: Australia
Delegate: Fiona Apraez
Topic A: Indigenous Languages
Australia has no official languages, but English is the dominant language with 72% of the population speaking only English at home. Despite this dominance, Australia has more than 250 Indigenous languages, most of them originating from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Indigenous languages are an essential part of people’s cultural identity and heritage. Indigenous languages not only serve as a means of communications but are deeply tied to cultural identity, heritage, and history. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples highlights the right Indigenous communities to preserve and revive their languages. However, Australia recognizes that Indigenous communities alone cannot fully resolve the challenges of the diminishing languages without further institutional support.

Australia acknowledges the risk its own indigenous languages and is actively committed to revitalizing and increasing the usage of indigenous languages. The Australian government has already worked towards this goal as our Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) program, which funds over 150 community-led language initiatives. These community led programs play a critical role in preserving, reviving and maintaining the use of indigenous languages. We have also had participation in UNESCO’s Global task Force for Indigenous Languages. Though UNESCO’s objectives of focusing on addressing the critical risks confronting Indigenous languages, Australia believes these efforts will lead to an improved quality of life, strengthen understanding between different cultures, and keep indigenous traditions and languages alive. This demonstrates our commitment to the development of language preservation.

To address the threat of indigenous language loss, Australia proposes a global strategy centered on the creation and expansion of community-led programs. Community led programs would ensure accurate teaching of both the language and culture, allowing indigenous communities to be at the forefront in preserving their heritage. Another initiative is the integration of indigenous languages into educational material within technology. With technology’s wide reach, it has resources to connect with larger audiences of interested learners, creating more opportunities for education on an unprecedented scale. Through integrating indigenous voices and incorporating educational material into technology, Australia aims to expand the reach of indigenous languages and halt their depletion.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Republic of Korea
Delegate Name: Lydia Harlan

A study showed one indigenous language disappears every two weeks, there are so many indigenous languages all over the world, but one thing they have in common is a slow extinction. While the world houses about 6,700 languages 96% of them are only known by 3% of the population. Some conservatives estimate that more than half of the world’s languages will be gone by 2100, close to only 80 years from now. The root cause of this problem is colonization, this practice strips the colonized territory’s culture, practices, religion, and language. One instance of this was the discovery of the New World when Spanish conquistadors sought gold, god, and glory. They did this by putting in place Spanish Missionaries where they forced cultures into a new religion, way of life, language, and overall everything. This greatly affected them and brought upon them forced assimilation, stripping them of their culture, and way of life. This continues to happen but even greater are the effects. The lost ways of life are even more buried as the rapid growth of the world continues. While school becoming more required around the world may seem all good, Indigenous peoples’ languages are being passed less easily, in multiple cases as well they take children away and send them to school. These both prevent the continuation of indigenous languages.
The Republic of Korea has done many things to prevent the loss of Indigenous languages as well as culture. They have established the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, which is government-established and was created 40 years ago. Although, it was originally called the Association for the Preservation of Korea Cultural Properties. The Korean Republic also has The Jeju Language Preservation Society, Jeju is an Island off the Coast of the Republic of Korea. There are about a few less than 600 thousand inhabitants and the Island of Jeju has its own language, a mix of multiple Asian languages. Although Japan also has Jeju speakers as they immigrated as a result of the Korean War, the language is still suffering. The Jeju Language Preservation Society is doing everything it can, the UNESCO is helping too, holding a contest and the speech and putting other investments into it. They have also signed the declaration on rights for Indigenous people.
In the future, the Republic of Korea would like to continue supporting bills passed by the UN to help prevent the loss of indigenous languages. Additionally, continuing and furthering their bill and other actions will continue to prevent the loss of indigenous languages like Jeju. The Republic of Korea would also like to keep and grow support for the National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea. The Republic of Korea would also like to fund other things That would help partially fund other countries struggling with the loss of Indigenous languages. The Republic of Korea proposes that other countries encourage the use of Indigenous languages by putting together museums, poem contests in the native language, and other actions similar to ours. The Republic of Korea wants to preserve languages, and the loss of many continues to cause us deep sorrow. Our republic would like to lend our signatory and assist any of us in the legislative documents. The Republic of Korea does not want the disappearance of Indigenous languages to continue and wants to help save them.

https://www.koreanculture.org/korea-information-economy#:~:text=After%20overcoming%20the%20economic%20crisis,largest%20total%20in%20the%20world.
https://www.kh.or.kr/cms/content/view/889
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https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/10/113_96644.html
https://hir.harvard.edu/the-death-and-revival-of-indigenous-languages/
https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/04/Indigenous-Languages.pdf

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Mexico
Delegate Name: Gwyneth Wyckoff

Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Indigenous Languages
Mexico
Portage Central High School

Being from The Republic of the United Mexican States we want to define indigenous languages and its ultimate view from across the UN. A “language native to a region and spoken by indigenous people” refers to the world definition on indigenous language. In Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it states that Indigenous people have the right to use, transmit, develop, and revitalize the language to future generations. Nearly all countries in the UN supported the declaration so it was drafted into effect on September 13th of 2007.

The Republic of the United Mexican States has recognized 364 different varieties of indigenous languages. Mexico has given public support to the restoration of the indigenous languages across the nation. But the use of these languages in formal settings is at a rapid decline, now informal settings, such as family households are relied on to continue the language on. Inside these households there is a big contrast between the parents and the children who know the indigenous languages. Only 41.5% of Indigenous mothers know or speak their indigenous language, while only 36.8% of Indigenous children speak their indigenous language.

Mexico will push Indigenous languages in schools, and continue building organizations to rebuild the native languages like they started to do after the Mexican Revolution. An organization made in the 1990’s is the IBE, Intercultural Bilingual Education. Now over 22,000 Indigenous schools have implemented the IBE to their curriculum. Mexico will be able to say that our country is no longer in the top 5 at risk to lose our Indigenous languages.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: France
Delegate Name: Emily Chen

Great Lakes Invitational Conference Association

Delegation of France
Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee

Tackling the Disappearance of Indigenous Languages

Within the 7,000 languages in the world today, more than 4,000 of them are indigenous languages. UNESCO predicts that 50-90% of them will disappear by the end of the century (Heckmann). The causes of this struggle to keep these languages alive are plenty, but some of the biggest reasons are colonization and climate change. Since the 15th century, land has been taken away from indigenous people, and along with their land, their language and culture were stripped away from them. Diseases and the violence caused from seizing land during the early years of the New World caused the deaths of elders who held knowledge of indigenous language and culture and the deaths of the children that this knowledge was to be passed on to (Effects). Along with the dangers brought upon colonization, Countries such as Canada, the United States of America, and Australia all implemented government policies that supported the removal of indigenous children from their homes. These policies were made in an attempt to get them to learn the national customs and culture, but it also prevented them from learning their own culture and language in the process (Effects). From the 17th century and 18th century, one of the governmental policies these countries implemented forced indigenous kids to attend residential schools and separated them from their families, prohibiting traditional customs to be passed down from generation to generation (Effects). Climate change is also affecting the decline in indigenous languages. These communities often suffer from insufficient infrastructure and limited access to healthcare due to economic and political factors. Indigenous people also tend to have a higher likelihood of developing chronic medical conditions, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Both these conditions along with the worsening air pollution cause many lives and their languages to be endangered (Effects). Rapid changes in climate also caused many indigenous groups to relocate and grow accustomed to the culture in other countries, often abandoning their own in the process (Effects).

In France, there have been efforts in supporting indigenous languages. In 2008, indigenous languages such as Alsatian, Basque, Breton, Catalan, Corsican, Francoprovençal, Occitan, and the langues d’oïl, a dialect continuum composed of several northern dialects, have all been inscribed into the Constitution. These languages can be spotted in day to day life in regions such as Avignon, which have shops, signs, and street names in both French and Occitan. There is also an effort to teach these more obscure languages through “bi-lingual schools, regional language publications and community awareness efforts” (Research). That being said, France also believes in the ideals of “one nation, one language” that can be dated back to the French Revolution (Mehring). That is also the reason why France has only signed but not ratified the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages. Although France is not opposed to helping the indigenous population in the world, France also wishes to not be in conflict with its constitution. By ratifying this Charter, the French Constitutional Council would be recognizing specific rights to certain groups. The Council found this aspect of the Charter “disrupted the principle of equality before the law and was contrary to the unity of the French people” (France). The clauses in this Charter encourage the use of regional languages in the public, which to many is also contradictory to the constitutional rule of French being the Republic’s language. Even when change does occur, heavy compromises are done to said changes that render it almost ineffective. On April 8th, 2021, the French National Assembly approved the Molac Law, a law on the protection and promotion of regional languages, by a large majority. Although the French National Assembly approved of this law, the French Constitutional Council found parts of it to be unconstitutional and decided to remove the provisions on teaching said languages before passing it. These provisions are the only really effective way to pass these endangered languages on to younger generations, rendering this law to be not as impactful as it could’ve been (Obiols).

Although the Delegation of France recognizes the importance of the preservation of indigenous languages, it also stresses the importance of sovereignty. While the Delegation of France is willing to sign and approve proposals helping the indigenous people, it is not willing to go against the French constitution. This is why the Delegation of France proposes a plan that allows countries who are willing to teach indigenous languages to get the support needed from the UN. This plan, under the name Preservation of Indigenous Language Initiative or PILI, will get indigenous people’s voices heard and create educational plans unique to each country on teaching regional languages. Through the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples, representatives from indigenous organizations and institutions can be brought to bring their insights on the matter as well as provide the knowledge needed to pass their languages to the next generations (Stocktaking). The PILI will hold annual meetings with these representatives to give reports on progress as well as change aspects of these educational plans if need be. If funding is needed for the representatives’ travel, PILI can rely on ECLAC and UNDP who have provided funds in the past in support of indigenous people (Stocktaking). Representatives from indigenous organizations can help create lesson plans for teachers and provide pre-service teacher training. Similar to the education transformation that happened in 2021 with Trinidad and Tobago, cash grants can be given to cover education expenses and will be funded by countries willing to contribute to PILI (Transforming). This proposal is not mandatory and based on each country’s sovereignty. Countries’ representatives who are willing to create an educational plan will work along with representatives from indigenous institutions and those who are unwilling will simply not receive the funds needed to sustain such plans.

Bibliography

“Effects of Colonization and Climate Change on Indigenous Languages.” Climate in Arts and History, www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/effects-of-colonization-and-climate-change-on-indigenous-languages/#:~:text=Photograph%20of%20people%20from%20the,climate%20change%20adaptation%20more%20difficult. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
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Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Morocco
Delegate Name: Rosalia Lascola

Great Lakes Invitational Model United Nations Conference

Delegation: Morocco 
Committee: Social, Humanitarian, & Cultural Committee  

Only about 6% of the world’s population is made up of indigenous people but 60% of languages spoken in the world are indigenous languages (Indigenous). There are groups of indigenous people all over the world, with most groups having their own languages. As a result of all these different languages, most indigenous people speak 2-3 languages, (their indigenous language, the language spoken by society around them and any other language they may need). For many years, indigenous languages have been disappearing. The United Nations predicts that more than half of the indigenous languages we know now will be extinct by 2100 (Indigenous). The UN also predicts that 96% of all the languages in the world will be extinct in the next century (Indigenous). This is a problem because the languages that these people speak are a significant part of their history. Most of the time, indigenous people start using the common language in the area around them because it is easier to communicate with everyone. After many years, indigenous languages start to disappear. Indigenous groups losing their languages, usually leads to groups losing more of their history over time. These indigenous languages are hard to be preserved in society as there are so many of the languages. In some countries, the indigenous language in that area may be taught to help preserve it and sometimes teachers who know the languages will be hired to help indigenous students. Other than people knowing about indigenous languages, there is not much that the world is doing to help preserve these languages for the groups. 

In Morocco, there are a few different indigenous groups. The one that is most popular with over 100 tribes is Amazigh (Amazigh/Berber). In 2011, the language of Amazigh was recognized as one of Morocco’s official languages (Safaa). Since 2011 and even before that, schools across Morocco have been teaching Amazigh. In 2024, 31% of Moroccan schools teach Amazigh and there has been a 50% employment increase for Amazigh teachers (Safaa; George). Most of these schools that are taking a step to include the Amazigh people more are in areas around an Amazigh group. This step allows for any Amazigh student that might be attending the school to feel safer and for the students to know the history of the people around, them even if they are not Amazigh. The Moroccan Government has also recently taken many steps towards more Amazigh inclusion. There are plans to have Amazigh taught in 50% of schools by 2026 and in all schools by 2030 (George). In Morocco, other than Amazigh, there are a few different indigenous groups but nothing as big as the Amazigh group. As a result of this, Morocco’s focus is on integrating the Amazigh language into everyday lives more before bringing in other groups languages. This would make life for the Amazigh people much better and allow for more people in Morocco to know about their history. 

There are many ways that countries around the world could integrate indigenous languages into daily lives, but they must start small first. Teaching the common indigenous language in the area around them would be the first step. Schools would be the best place to start this transition. The Global Language Network (GLN) could help fund the language classes in less affluent areas (Indigenous). Other ways to be more inclusive towards the indigenous languages could be as simple as writing signs in both the common language and the indigenous language in that area. People who do not know the indigenous language would become more familiar with starting conversation in that language. Governments in the individual countries could incentivize this change through allowing places that do this, better benefits.  

The Amazigh/Berber, Morocco’s impressive people. SAHARA DESERT TOUR. (2021, January 6). https://saharadeserttour.com/the-amazigh-berber-moroccos-indigenous-people/#:~:text=There%20are%20well%20over%20a,unique%20customs%20and%20cultural%20practices.  

George, A. (2024, August 12). Morocco implements Amazigh for all. Language Magazine. https://www.languagemagazine.com/2024/08/20/morocco-implements-amazigh-for-all/#:~:text=Amazigh%20is%20now%20being%20taught,to%20incorporate%20the%20Amazigh%20language.  

Indigenous languages. (n.d.). https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/04/Indigenous-Languages.pdfhas context menu 

Safaa Kasraoui – Morocco World News. (n.d.). 31% of Moroccan primary schools teach Amazigh language. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2024/01/360030/31-of-moroccan-primary-schools-teach-amazigh-language  

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Belgium
Delegate Name: Izabella Smeak

Indigenous languages are languages spoken by the indigenous population of a specific area. These languages often hold great cultural significance to these individuals. There may be up to 7,000 languages that exist. Still, many are never recorded or cannot easily be passed on to future generations because they tend to be found in more isolated societies. The use of these languages brings respect and awareness to these communities. For businesses, the use of local languages attracts tourists who are interested in an authentic cultural experience. Another reason indigenous languages are important is the valuable knowledge they encode, particularly in biodiversity and environmental practices. This can assist with intellectual property rights for the groups the knowledge belongs to.
While Belgium does not have its own indigenous population or language, it would be willing to support international language preservation efforts. Promoting Indigenous languages in Belgium will align with the Sustainable Development Goal regarding culture and education. Currently, Belgium endorses UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL), which aims to enhance the visibility of Indigenous languages through collaboration and educational efforts. This reinforces Belgium’s commitment to cultural heritage and the necessity to protect indigenous languages.
Belgium is interested in a collaborative and supportive stance on indigenous language preservation. Countries that support and prioritize cultural heritage and language diversity would work efficiently with Belgium. Education and resource programs for Indigenous programs to preserve knowledge, culture, and language would coincide with Belgium’s stance on Indigenous languages. Belgium would also look favorably upon creating more accessible resources and tools to promote the preservation and education of indigenous languages.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Kenya
Delegate Name: Ruby Bohanan

Committee: Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Committee
Country: Kenya
Delegate: Ruby Bohanan
Topic A: Indigenous Languages

Kenya has a rich history of indigenous languages, with there being sixty-eight individual ones actively spoken inside the country. The preservation of these languages is extremely important to Kenya, with an official clause in the constitution protecting them explicitly. While English is spoken in Kenya, being one of the official languages, the national language, Kiswahili, is favored by citizens. Indigenous languages are a key part of Kenya’s culture, connecting communities and tribes. However, with the increasing urbanization throughout Kenya, these languages are at danger of extinction. There is a growing standardization of language, specifically English, in education and political systems. Many countries have prioritized big languages over the indigenous languages when teaching, neglecting to teach younger generations the culture of the languages. All countries need to acknowledge these concerns and work together to achieve a sustainable plan for the preservation of indigenous languages.

Kenya believes in the active protection of all indigenous languages, in both national and international policy. Kenya believes that indigenous languages should be preserved in their communities due to their cultural significance. In Keyan schools, from preschool to the third grade, the language of instruction is the indigenous language of the area. From then on, the main language of instruction is English. This helps to cement the community in the area and preserve the language. Doing small actions like this can increase the numbers of fluent speakers in any language while still pushing the official language of the country. Additionally, it makes the population more educated, as citizens are fluent in many languages. While the education system needs to increase efforts towards preservation, so does the media. When indigenous languages are not represented in the media, they can be seen as lesser than official languages. Kenya has a personal problem with this, with English being the most broadcasted language on television, despite most citizens being partial to Kiswahili. Creating more networks with various languages can help to publicize native languages across a wider audience, decreasing negative stigma against the languages. Kenya wants to be a leading example in the usage and preservation of indigenous languages, due to the linguistic diversity present throughout the Kenyan populace.

The depletion of indigenous languages is an issue that effects every country, even in small ways. Kenya believes that a combination of national and international efforts can be made to ensure their preservation. The first steps need to be taken within the educational system, with some instruction happening in a language native to the area. While the United Nations does not have jurisdiction over how things are taught within countries, an implementation of standards for indigenous language education in willing states could have the same effect. These standards could include either teaching native languages or using them as instruction languages, if the area has a high populace of those fluent in the language. Signatory states would have to opt into these standards and implement by a certain time. Another aspect of the issue is the stigma of many native languages, such as being called primitive or unsophisticated. This could easily be solved via educational or media programs. More in depth explorations of languages and culture in the educational system, specifically in areas of high native language speakers, could prevent prejudice against the speakers. In terms of media, the UN could implement standards for media recognizing and using indigenous languages in popular media. This could be in the form of local television stations that occur in the native language of the area or translations of media into various other minority languages. Through these measures, the United Nations can ensure the prevention of further extinction of indigenous languages and their respective cultures.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Pakistan
Delegate Name: Nicklas Geraci

Committee: Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
Topic: Indigenous Languages
Country: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
School: Portage Central High School

Indigenous languages are essential to a nation’s history, heritage, culture, etc. These factors define a country and allow it to stand out from those in its geographical, cultural, and historical vicinity. Indigenous languages allowed the ancestors of those in a country to communicate with the people around them. These native languages allowed their language to evolve into what it is today. Overall, 83 unique languages are spoken within Pakistan’s borders, and out of these, 25 languages are spoken in Northern Pakistan.
Community members in Pakistan have taken initiatives to preserve these languages in our modern, digital era. Steps have been taken to protect 26 different native languages throughout the country. Many of these languages spoken in the northern area of Pakistan are classified as endangered, which calls for concern from those who speak these languages and are unable to communicate with others who only know this language.
Indigenous languages are so important for a country’s identity which is why these languages are so vital to our cultures. This is why we should be working towards preserving these languages since they are important to where these people and their ancestors came from. There is so much value in ensuring these languages are kept since they are so special for so many who speak them.

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.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Sierra Leone
Delegate Name: Evan Gagliardo

The erasure of indigenous languages is a huge problem all around the world. For example in Australia out of the 200-300 indigenous languages only 60 are considered unthreatened. It is said that up to 95 % of the world’s languages will be extinct by 2100. The native languages that are endangered are under-represented and are not being taught anymore. They are having to compete with larger languages, like English and not stacking up. Not only are they losing the battle of becoming mainstream, the indigenous that spoke these languages were widely wiped out by colonialism,(English was introduced to Africa by settlers and is the official language of many African countries including sierra leone). Because of this,their language and culture struggles to thrive. The tribe’s elders are dying/have died off, and the children are not being taught/are unable to be taught their language and traditions. These language’s ability to thrive is highly dependent on other factors such as the education system and indigenous peoples reclaiming their culture, as well as teaching it to others.
The United Nations has recently declared the “international decade of indigenous language” in 2022-2023. This was created to protect the rights to speak indigenous languages, which is crucial,but unfortunately does little to promote the spread of them to others. The 2030 “Agenda for Sustainable Development” aims to ensure equal access to education for all indigenous peoples. Both of these recent and future amendments are additions to the “United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Languages”. The forum was originally created to protect indigenous languages against threats, but the results were a mixed bag, positive awareness was spread but there was little to no language actually spread partially due to lack of funding and lack of actually taking initiative. Through protecting indigenous rights, giving them access to education, and trying to spread awareness, The UN is just beginning to remedy the disappearance of indigenous languages.
Given Sierra Leone’s many indigenous tribes Sierra Leone is starving for the erasion of indigenous languages to be stopped. In order to do this Sierra Leone has already made the teaching of Krio, Limba, Mende, Temne more prevalent by funding educational resources such as textbooks, and training the teachers in these languages. On the local level Speakers of the native language are being encouraged by the government to keep speaking and spread the language to others. In the UN general assembly, president Madda Bio has spoken up about diversifying the African voices in the UN.
Sierra Leone feels that the topic of indigenous language erasure must be addressed quickly. To address these issues Sierra Leone urges the UN to integrate native languages into school curriculums and making native culture more mainstream. Sierra Leone also urges for more diversity and representation for natives around the world.

Topic: 2024-Indigenous Languages
Country: Ethiopia
Delegate Name: Finola Green

The delegation of Ethiopia is pleased to address the issue of the preservation and promotion of Indigenous languages here at GLIMUN. As one of the most diverse countries in the world, Ethiopia recognizes the value of our voice on this topic. Our country’s democratic values include protecting Ethiopia’s stance on preserving, promoting, and developing Indigenous languages. Ethiopia has a federal system based on ethnic lines, which grants regional states the right to use their languages for administration, education, and legal proceedings. Also, many Ethiopian officials advocate for the broader use of indigenous languages to preserve cultural heritage, promote inclusivity, and ensure effective communication in public services. Ethiopian indigenous systems, like the Oromo people’s Gada system, demonstrate how integrating traditional knowledge and practices can address broader societal challenges, such as environmental sustainability and equitable resource management.
From a broader UN perspective, using Indigenous languages in non-Indigenous settings is vital for fostering inclusivity and intercultural understanding. For example, UNESCO promotes teaching indigenous languages in non-Indigenous contexts to build cultural awareness and appreciation. Ethiopia’s 1995 Constitution recognized the rights of all ethnic groups to develop and promote their languages and cultural heritage. This policy led to the creation of regional states where indigenous languages became integral to governance, education, and media. Ethiopia is also collaborating with organizations like UNESCO to support the preservation and promotion of Indigenous languages through global initiatives, such as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032). Preserving Indigenous languages helps maintain Ethiopia’s rich cultural diversity, a source of national pride, and social cohesion. In turn, Member states may prioritize this to foster unity within their regions and celebrate their unique identities​.
With economic incentives, companies that use Indigenous languages in advertisements, products, or customer support can build stronger connections with local populations, expanding their market reach. By linking preservation efforts to these tangible benefits, both member states and private entities are incentivized to invest in safeguarding Ethiopia’s linguistic heritage. Overall, these views support integrating Indigenous languages into diverse contexts, provided this is done with respect for their origins and the consent of the communities they represent.

Position papers for GLIMUN 2024 will appear above this line, with the newest being at the top.