The 2^nd International conference “Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Cyberspace” is launched in Yakutsk

 

2011-12-07

 

The opening gala of the 2^nd International conference “Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Cyberspace” took place today in Yakutsk, Russian Federation. The conference will last until July 14.

 

The Russian Committee of the UNESCO Information for All Programme, the North-Eastern Federal University, the Interregional Library Cooperation Centre, the MAAYA World Network for Linguistic Diversity, and Union Latine are principal organizers of the event held in the framework of Russian chairmanship in IFAP. Financial support is provided by UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

 

Over 100 participants  represent 31 countries of all continents: Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, the Central African Republic. Cape Verde,China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the UK and the USA.

 

Heads and leading experts of international organizations, government agencies, educational research and cultural institutions, civil society organizations, professional associations and ICT industries will discuss political, cultural, social, ethical and technological aspects of activities aimed to support and develop linguistic and cultural diversity. The discussions will focus on specific tools of multilingualism promotion, in particular in cyberspace.

 

The conference programme envisages 4 Plenary meetings and 3 section: Instruments for Language Preservation and Promotion in Cyberspace, Institutes to Promote Linguistic and Cultural Diversity, Creating Positive Environment for the Promotion of Linguistic and Cultural Diversity.

 

The event is seen as a preparatory meeting for a World Summit on Linguistic Diversity. Special attention will be paid to the presentation and discussion of educational, political and practical guide Net.Lang, Towards the Multilingual Cyberspace, prepared by the MAAYA Network with the support of UNESCO, Union Latine, ANLoc and IDRC.

 

Evgeny Kuzmin, Chair of the IFAP Intergovernmental Council and Co-Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee stressed that the event would become a platform for innovative international experience exchange on policies, standards and tools necessary to ensure linguistic and cultural diversity preservation and promotion.

 

 

Evgeny Kuzmin, Chair of the IFAP Intergovernmental Council and Co-Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee

 

 

From the left to right: Adama Samassekou, President of the MAAYA World Network for Linguistic Diversity; Evgenia Mikhailova, rector of the North-Eastern Federal University, and  Nicolay Zhirkov, Vice-head of Yakutia Parliament

 

Indrajit Banerjee, Director of the UNESCO Knowledge Societies Division

 

 

Adama Samassekou, President of the MAAYA World Network for Linguistic Diversity