On 13 December 2022, the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris is hosting a high-level launch event of the United Nations’ International Decade of Indigenous Languages, at which Latvia is represented by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gunda Reire, and Valts Ernštreits, Director of the Livonian Institute at the University of Latvia, as well as the head of the Livonian Folklore Ensemble, Skandinieki, Julgī Stalte with her daughters.
Gunda Reire, as she took part in a multistakeholder round table, “Linguistic diversity and multilingualism matter for future generations”, presented Latvia’s contribution to the preservation of the heritage of its indigenous people, highlighting the main lines of action: legal – the Historical Latvian Lands Law and the Official Language Law; practical – the work of the Livonian Institute at the University of Latvia; and the international – close engagement by the members of the Livonian community in UNESCO’s activities in support of indigenous peoples and indigenous languages.
A representative of Latvia and co-chairman of the steering committee of the global task force for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, Director of the Livonian Institute at the University of Latvia, Valts Ernštreits, noted in his remarks the importance of digitalisation of indigenous languages. He also referred to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea as the gravest current threat to indigenous languages and indigenous peoples in the region. In view of the international relevance of the topic, 36 UNESCO member states have issued a joint statement condemning Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its impact on Ukraine’s indigenous peoples.
The event’s cultural programme was introduced by the most distinctive seasonal tradition of Latvia’s indigenous people, the Livonians – “waking up the birds”, performed by a Livonian singer and public figure, leader of Skandinieki folklore group, Julgī Stalte, and her daughters Lelū and Anna Kī. This is the first time that the voice of the indigenous people of Latvia was heard at such a high-level event.
Background information
The United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), proclaimed by the United Nations and administered by UNESCO is a series of initiatives and events devised to draw attention to the diversity of languages across the globe, indigenous languages in particular, which make up the majority of 7000 languages spoken around the world, while also being permanently endangered.
Latvia and Livonians have been actively involved in preparations for the decade: Latvia is currently represented on the global task force for the UN International Decade of Indigenous Languages by Valts Ernštreits, Director of the Livonian Institute at the University of Latvia, who is also the co-chairman of the task force’s steering committee for this year.