The United Nations launched what it calls the International Decade of Indigenous Languages—a ten-year “survival plan” to protect global Indigenous languages from extinction, in response to predictions that more than half of all languages will be lost by the end of the 21st century. From the remaining Ika-speaking Arhuaco people of Colombia to remote Indigenous Arctic communities, this initiative gives hope to thousands of native peoples fighting to keep their ancestral tongues alive. The plan urges countries to support their own Indigenous communities, working together to understand the importance and nuances of each microculture in order to protect and nurture their rights. In addition to a continued legacy of heritage, history, and education, the conservation of linguistic diversity is key in safeguarding Indigenous communities from exploitation. Statistics published by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) cite that Indigenous communities amount to less than 6% of the global population yet claim more than 4,000 of the world’s estimated 6,700 languages. Credit: NOW THIS
