Intervention of the Russian Delegation at IFAP Intergovernmental Council meeting in UNESCO on 22 June
Distinguished M-me Chairperson,
The Russian Federation as a responsible member of IFAP Intergovernmental Council and Bureau takes every effort to promote recommendations of the 11th session of the IFAP Council and decisions of the 33rd meeting of IFAP Bureau.
As the Chair of IFAP Working Group on Multilingualism in Cyberspace the Russian collaborated to contribute to the development of comprehensive language-related policies and to encourage multilingual access to digital resources and production of digital content. The activities of the IFAP WG on Multilingualism in Cyberspace are aimed at analysing emerging challenges and opportunities, developing recommendations for intensifying efforts to preserve and develop indigenous languages and multilingualism, and at identifying tools to increase the efficiency of these measures, using advanced IT.
Russia as the WG Chair pioneered in the activities within the International Decade of Indigenous Languages through establishing a National Organizing Committee for the Preparation and Holding of IDIL in early 2022 and through launching numerous projects to promote and implement the Decade’s goals.
The high-level international conference “World Treasury of Mother Tongues: Nourish and Cherish”, attended by 150 international experts from 44 countries was held in Moscow in July 2022. It was the first event within the Decade to provide a platform for expert discussions on the most topical issues of indigenous languages revival and preservation and for building effective global cooperation.
The Russian side also prepared the Almanac ”My Mother Tongue”, providing the analysis of the current state, problems, and prospects of preserving ethnic languages and sharing experience on promoting multilingualism and preserving language diversity.
Another major event was the Third Scientific and Practical Conference on Raising the Efficiency of Activities to Preserve and Develop Indigenous Languages, that was organized in December, 2022.
In June 6-8, 2023, the 5th international conference "Tangible and Intangible Impact of Information and Communication in the Digital Age” was organized by the Russian National IFAP Committee and the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra with the support of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO in Khanty-Mansiysk. The event was attended by 150 experts from 48 countries - representatives of intergovernmental, international, regional and national non-governmental organizations, public authorities and prominent experts. The conference provided a platform to discuss the most pressing and significant issues related to the rapid and continuous changes in the field of information and communication. The outcome document is now being finalized and will be circulated among the IFAP Council members.
To sum up, being a responsible IFAP member, the Russian Federation contributed to promoting the Programme’s goals and reassures IFAP members, that we will continue further efforts for the benefit of all Member States.
Thank you.
