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As part of this commitment, UNESCO and the Endangered Language Fund (ELF) offer traineeship opportunities for Indigenous language practitioners. The programme enables participants to contribute to UNESCO’s work and engage in global discussions on education, languages and inclusion, while bringing perspectives rooted in the realities, priorities and aspirations of their own Peoples.
Supporting languages through community-based action
During her traineeship, Danika reflected on the importance of ensuring that Indigenous voices remain central to decision-making processes affecting their languages and communities. She supported a mapping exercise of Indigenous Peoples and organizations around British Columbia’s Central Coast, helping identify opportunities for future collaboration and knowledge exchange, while giving visibility to community-led efforts led by Indigenous Peoples across the region.
A member of the Háiɫzaqv Nation, Danika has contributed to language immersion programmes, curriculum development, dictionary and grammar projects, and initiatives supporting members of the Háiɫzaqv Nation living away from their traditional territories. Among the developments she finds most inspiring is the growing number of opportunities for learners to reclaim and use Háiɫzaqvḷa in their daily lives. She points in particular to the first children learning Háiɫzaqvḷa as a first language in more than 50 years, a milestone that has brought renewed optimism within the Háiɫzaqv Nation.
The opportunity to engage in global conversations on multilingual education brought to light the value of connecting local action with international dialogue, while keeping Indigenous Peoples at the centre of revitalization efforts.
Collaboration can indeed help elevate our projects, but those projects need to be initiated by and led by Indigenous Peoples to have a meaningful impact on the communities those projects are intended to serve.
Danika
Her reflections highlight the importance of supporting spaces where Indigenous languages can flourish through leadership by Indigenous Peoples, intergenerational learning and shared commitment.
Language as a foundation for learning
Documenting and safeguarding languages is essential to ensure that the knowledge, histories and cultural practices they carry remain accessible to future generations and to promote linguistic diversity.
For Gracelyn Ay-yawan Buyagan, a lecturer and researcher from the Cordillera region of the Philippines, this work begins with understanding the role language plays in preserving cultural memory and identity. A proud member of the Igorot Peoples and a speaker of Northern Kankanaey, she has combined her interests in language, education and cultural heritage through her teaching and research.
During her traineeship, Gracelyn found new inspiration in UNESCO’s holistic approach to language, culture and inclusion.
Initially, I expected the experience to focus mainly on technical training, but my engagement with UNESCO broadened my perspective on how language and education are deeply interconnected. This shifted my view of documentation from a purely linguistic task to one that is also educational, cultural and community-centred.
Gracelyn Ay-yawan Buyagan
The experience also allowed her to connect with colleagues and practitioners working in diverse contexts around the world. For Gracelyn, these exchanges reinforced the value of language documentation not only as a way of recording words and structures, but also as a means of preserving and sharing the stories, knowledge and cultural heritage that languages carry.
Her work reflects UNESCO’s broader commitment to supporting linguistic diversity, safeguarding cultural heritage and ensuring that Indigenous knowledge and languages continue to enrich future generations.
Indigenous leadership at the heart of language revitalization
Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the experiences of Danika and Gracelyn serve as a reminder that language revitalization efforts are truly sustainable and most effective when they are led by Indigenous Peoples and grounded in their priorities. Their stories demonstrate the diverse ways in which Indigenous Peoples are strengthening their languages through revitalization, transmission, education, research and documentation.
By supporting multilingual approaches, fostering partnerships and creating spaces for knowledge exchange, UNESCO continues to advance the recognition of Indigenous languages and cultures as vital components of inclusive, equitable and sustainable societies.
read more: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/indigenous-practitioners-work-unesco-revitalize-languages?hub=701
