International Year of Languages
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Languages, pursuant to a resolution of UNESCO.{{UN document |docid=A-RES-61-266 |type=Resolution |body=General Assembly |session=61 |resolution_number=266 |highlight=rect_189,1007_828,1088 |page=4 |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=16 May 2007}} The resolution also reaffirmed the need to achieve full parity among the six official languages on United Nations websites.
Origination
The Year was intended to address issues of linguistic diversity (in the context of cultural diversity), respect for all languages, and multilingualism. The resolution also discussed language issues in the United Nations itself.[http://www.crystalreference.com/DC_articles/Langdeath20.pdf Crystal. David. 2007. "What do we do with an International Year of Languages?" Paper to Unescocat, Barcelona, European Day of Languages, 26 September 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216052403/http://www.crystalreference.com/DC_articles/Langdeath20.pdf |date=16 February 2008 }}
UNESCO was charged with coordinating observance of the Year, and officially launched it on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, 21 February 2008.{{Cite web |url=http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID%3D35559%26URL_DO%3DDO_TOPIC%26URL_SECTION%3D201.html |title=UNESCO, "Message from Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, on the celebration of 2008, International Year of Languages," Date Added: 2007-11-05 9:44 am; Updated: 2007-12-19 2:40 pm |access-date=2008-08-15 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080815165332/http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=35559&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html |archive-date=2008-08-15 |url-status=live }}
Observances
In addition to official events run by UNESCO, various national, academic and non-governmental organizations sponsored events, websites, and other observances of the IYL. The UNESCO website has a [http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=35835&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html list of projects] submitted by individuals and organizations.
See also
External links
- [https://archive.today/20121205050629/http://portal.unesco.org/culture/admin/ev.php?URL_ID=35344&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201&reload=1199465343 UNESCO gateway page: "2008, International Year of Languages - Languages matter!"]
- [https://www.un.org/en/events/iyl/ U.N. gateway page: "International Year of Languages"]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080110042640/http://www.icvnews.org/wiki/index.php/World_Network_for_Linguistic_Diversity ICVWiki page on "World Network for Linguistic Diversity" (Maaya) which includes a calendar of events for IYL]
- [http://donosborn.org/iyl/ Support for International Year of Languages 2008]
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- Jostes, Brigitte (2012): Anno 2008: Internationales Sprachenjahr und internationale Fragen der sprachlichen Bildung. In: [http://phin.de PhiN] 60, 14–47.
{{UN International Years}}
Category:United Nations observances