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.
