Fwd: New Tactics | Promoting Under-Represented Languages | eNewsletter November 16, 2011

[WAVE]

Dear Wavers, 

I'm forwarding this interesting event in case anyone can attend Jan 18-24, since there is no representation from India on the list. 

Thanks,

Sapna. 

Begin forwarded message:

From: New Tactics in Human Rights <newtact...@mailman.cvt.org>

Date: 16 November 2011 8:35:34 PM GMT+05:30

To: <newtact...@cvt.org>

Subject: New Tactics | Promoting Under-Represented Languages | eNewsletter November 16, 2011

Reply-To: newta...@cvt.org

<If this message does not display properly, go to http://www.newtactics.org>

New Tactics eNewsletter – November 16, 2011

 

FEATURED DIALOGUE: Using Citizen Media Tools to Promote Under-Represented Languages – NOW OPEN!

 

Join New Tactics, Rising Voices, Indigenous Tweets, and other practitioners for an online dialogue on Using Citizen Media Tools to Promote Under-Represented Languages from November 16 to 22, 2011.

 

The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) regularly publishes an Atlas documenting and mapping more than 2,500 global languages that are classified as vulnerable, endangered, or extinct. UNESCO also estimates that of the 6,000 current languages spoken today, more than half will be extinct by the start of the next century, adding that "with the disappearance of unwritten and undocumented languages, humanity will lose not only a cultural wealth, but also important ancestral knowledge embedded, in particular, in indigenous languages."

 

These languages require urgent intervention.  In many remote locations, only a handful of speakers remain.  Many languages remain vulnerable due to the pressures of globalization.  At the same time, there is also a growing movement emerging where members of these communities are increasingly recognizing the great value in maintaining their native language despite internal and external pressures. Through the use of participatory citizen media and web 2.0 tools, these individuals are building communities around the common use of these under-represented languages. 

 

Projects like Indigenous Tweets and Blogs have been mapping users of an active indigenous language, making it easier to find one another and encouraging the work that they are doing.  But there are challenges – the digital divide impacts many of these communities and keyboards in minority languages are often unavailable.  In some cases, there are also cultural barriers in the use of indigenous languages in a public setting.  Despite these challenges, there are many examples of innovative approaches to preserving and promoting these languages through citizen media and web 2.0 tools.  Young leaders and "bridge" figures (often referred to individuals that can bridge two different cultures) are building a movement around the use, preservation and promotion of these languages in an online context.

 

The featured resource practitioners committed to help lead this dialogue include:

 

• Eddie Avila of Rising Voices, Bolivia
• Kevin Scannell of Indigenous Tweets
• Martin Benjamin - Executive Director of Kamusi Project International, promoting African languages
• Edmond Kachale - promoting the Chichewa language
• John Paul Montano of www.barbaranolan.com working on the revitalization of the Ojibwe language
• Ian Custalow - promoting the Powhatan language
• Mohomodou Houssouba of www.songhay.org, promoting the Songhay language
• Tēvita O. Ka'ili, PhD - Assistant Professor for Brigham Young University Hawai'i, promoting the Tongan language
• Boukary Konaté - promoting the Bambara language
• Karaitiana Taiuru - web consultant promoting the Maori language
• Adrian Cain of the Manx Heritage Foundation, promoting the Manx Gaelic language
• Ben Frey - promoting the Cherokee language
• Oliver Stegen - promoting the Kilaangi language
• Niamh Ní Bhroin is currently researching how people who use Sámi and Irish are participating in innovation processes in Web 2.0 media
• Emani Fakaotimanava-Lui of Internet Niue, promoting the Niuean language
• José Navarro - promoting the Kapampangan language
• Peter Rohloff, Kara Andrade and Erik Sundelof of Wuqu’ Kawoq, promoting the Kaqchikel language
• Ruben Hilare of Jaqi Aru, promoting the Aymara language
• Adrian Trost - teacher of the Lajamanu Champions, promoting the Warlpiri language
• Keola Donaghy of the University of Hawaii, Hilo, promoting the Hawaiian language

 

Join us in this online dialogue as a way to share some of these experiences and learn about the methods used by many of these pioneering individuals and projects that are using citizen media and web 2.0 tools to promote and preserve the use of their language online!

 

http://www.newtactics.org/en/dialogue/using-citizen-media-tools-promote-under-represented-languages

 

SAVE THE DATES: January 18 to 24, 2012

 

We are taking a break from dialogues in December but we’ll be back in January to start the New Year with an important dialogue on Fundraising for Human Rights Work from January 18 to 24, 2012.  This dialogue will be an opportunity for human rights practitioners and funders to share their ideas, experiences, questions, lessons-learned and resources.  We will keep you updated on this January dialogue!

 

REQUEST FOR IDEAS: 2012 Dialogue Topics

 

As we are wrapping up another great year of tactical dialogues, we want to hear your ideas on topics for 2012!  What dialogue topics would you like to see in 2012?  Share your ideas online today!

 

http://www.newtactics.org/en/blog/kantin/what-dialogues-do-you-want-have-2012

 

FEATURED RESOURCES: Rising Voices and Indigenous Tweets

 

Rising Voices, an outreach initiative of Global Voices, aims to help bring new voices from new communities and speaking new languages to the global conversation by providing resources and funding to local groups reaching out to underrepresented communities.  On the Rising Voices website, you will find citizen media guides and many case studies of citizen media outreach.  If you are interested in learning more about the ways that communities have used citizen media and how you can do it yourself – you’ll want to explore this website!

 

Kevin Scannell founded Indigenous Tweets to enable minority language speakers to communicate on the internet.  Indigenous Tweets is a website that lists tweets from under-represented languages to help indigenous speakers contact each other.  Kevin also tracks blogs written in 50 indigenous and minority languages.  Take a look at Kevin’s blog to read his interviews with practitioners using citizen media to promote their languages, and to learn more about Indigenous Tweets and Blogs!

 

Join Eddie Avila of Rising Voices and Kevin Scannell of Indigenous Tweets in our featured online dialogue!

 

IN THE NEWSROOM: Request for Nominations for the Peacemakers in Action Award

 

Tanenbaum’s Peacemaker in Action award recognizes religiously motivated men and women who put their lives at risk to advance peace in areas of armed conflict around the world. Awardees will be named Tanenbaum Peacemakers in Action and given a cash prize to strengthen their work.  Nominations are open at www.tanenbaum.org and through paper solicitation.  Nominations close on November 30, 2011.

 

~~~~~~~~

SUBSCRIPTION 

You are receiving this eNewsletter because you either recently joined the New Tactics online community, or you subscribed to our eNewsletter independently.  If you would like to subscribe, unsubscribe, or edit your subscription options, please go to http://www.newtactics.org/manage-subscription.

Se puede recibir este boletín en español. Por favor envia un email a newta...@cvt.org.
~~~~~

The New Tactics in Human Rights Project is an international initiative led by a diverse group of organizations and practitioners from around the world. The project is coordinated by the Center for Victims of Tortureand grew out of its experience as a creator of new tactics and a treatment center that also advocates for the protection of human rights from a unique position—one of healing and reclaiming civic leadership.