Photo: © Flickr/ Oisin Mulvihill
The International Year of Indigenous Languages started with an opening ceremony in Paris, where UNESCO headquarters is located, Komsomolskaya Pravda informs.
Politicians of different countries, scientists and public figures from all over the world participated in ceremony. The importance of indigenous languages for sustainable development, peace building and conciliation became the theme of the year.
Delegation leaded by Head of Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs Igor Barinov represented Russia at the forum. Barinov recalled that Moscow, Tokyo, Dubai and many others advocated the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
He also reminded that Russia would hold about 700 various events and actions in the framework of the Year.
Igor Barinov is convinced that Russia as multinational and multilingual country understands that it is important to solve the problem of preservation and supporting the indigenous languages that are getting lost during globalization and this process is inevitable. Russian authorities support the languages belonging to even the smallest ethnic groups, he emphasized. Language is not only a communication tool, it is a huge piece of cultural heritage and a nation’s chronicle, Igor Barinov concluded.
He also added that last week Russia has officially established the Support Fund for Indigenous Languages. One of its functions is to develop textbooks and training programs for children belonging to small indigenous peoples of North Siberia and Far East.
Russian singer Zara represented our country in the Artists for Peace UNESCO group.
The International Year of Indigenous Languages in Russia will start in Khanty-Mansiysk in the beginning of spring.
Russkiy Mir
