Summit on indigenous languages: “a historic moment”

Hundreds of people from all over Canada and elsewhere in the world take part today in the activities of the first world summit on Aboriginal languages organized in Ottawa by the Office of the Aboriginal Languages in Canada, Stsmél̓qen Ronald E. Furthermore, Ignace.

The wave 2025 summit is 2314 participants. For example, including a hundred from outside Canada, 168 speakers and animators, as well as 27 Canadian artists and musicians. Therefore, They are gathered until Thursday at the Rogers Center to discuss three themes related to the language: traditional ecological knowledge. Similarly, technology and the community.

For StSmél̓qen Ronald E. Nevertheless, Ignacethe first Aboriginal languages in Canada, the holding of this summit is a success. Nevertheless, I am febrilehe confided on the phone on the eve of the start of the event. Additionally, summit indigenous languages: “a historic Nevertheless, I have butterflies in my stomach.

2025 waves is the highest point of several years of work. For example, It was a long and hard struggle to arrive herenotes Mr. Consequently, Ignace, who has been in office since 2021.

The objective of the summit. Similarly, he explains, is to give a new start to revitalization and strengthening of indigenous languages across the countryby highlighting their importance and their contribution to the richness of Canada.

Open in full summit indigenous languages: “a historic screen

Mr. Moreover, Ignace. who belongs to the SecwEPEMC first nation of British Columbia, was a member of the Aboriginal Languages and Cultures Working Group who filed the first report with the Canadian Government for a strategy for revitalizing Aboriginal languages and cultures in 2005.

Twenty years later. he is delighted to see that, even if his report was tabled, his efforts were not in vain. I promised to arrive at the top of the hill and we are now, he welcomes. It’s a historic moment.

Waneek Horn Miller. Former Olympic athlete, Tuna Napartuk, former deputy negotiator for the political autonomy of Nunavik, and Andrea Ménard, actress and singer-songwriter, animate the summit.

On summit indigenous languages: “a historic the side of the speakers. there will be, among other things, the innovator Maori Peter-Lucas Jonesthe expert of artificial intelligence Michael Running Wolf And the environmentalist Inuk Siila (Sheila) Watt-Cloutier.

Summit indigenous languages: "a historic – Summit indigenous languages: "a historic

The 7gen forum

The commissioner is particularly proud of the youth component of the summit. From Wednesday, a complete floor will be devoted to young people. Installations, video games in indigenous languages, kiosks with influencers, meetings with young people who are successful in different fields … Several activities are planned So that young people can dialogue between them. seek ways to engage with languages and participate in the regeneration of our cultures and our storiesindicates Mr. Ignace.

We welcome young people from all over the country. thus symbolizing the summit indigenous languages: “a historic transmission of our languages to a new generation of spokespersons, who will continue the fight once we are no longer there.

The summit is part of the International Decade of Aboriginal Languages (2022-2032). There are therefore guests from abroad. including Maori from New Zealand and speakers from Hawaii, but also from Australia, Greenland and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others.

The objective of the summit as well as the decade is to draw attention to the critical situation of many indigenous languages. to mobilize governments and partners with a view to preserving, revitalizing and promoting these languages.

Other projects

Once the summit is finished. the commissioner will still have a lot of work to do. In particular. he wishes to develop, in collaboration with the provincial authorities and summit indigenous languages: “a historic universities, a training program for teachers in immersion in indigenous languages which are certified and approved, so that students who follow it are recognized as professionals, which is not the case currently.

Open in full screen

Our speakers age, so we must create a new cohort of summit indigenous languages: “a historic language teachers, underlines Mr. Ignace. Indigenous languages must be recognized as a teaching material. Teacher training programs in linguistic immersion should be implemented, a bit as we do for French.

Among its other projects are the creation of a map. in partnership with the Royal Geographic Society of Canada, where we will find the location of the various Aboriginal languages in the country, as well as a project with Statistics Canada concerning the status of language families. Finally. it intends to strengthen support for innovation in order to develop projects related to technology in order to make languages more accessible.

The laws are not enough, underlines Mr. Ignace. Even if we have the law on indigenous languages, it will not bring the restoration of our languages. What will lead to the healing of our peoples. our lands is what we, indigenous peoples, Canadians and governments of summit indigenous languages: “a historic this country, will be to create substantial changes.

The commissioner’s mandate must end at the latest in June 2026.