The UN General Assembly is launching the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages today in New York City.

 

It’s because most of the languages in the world at risk of disappearing are indigenous languages.

Ron Ignace, the Chief of the Skeetchestn Band is in New York and says it’s important to preserve these languages.

“They enrich society,” he said. “The world is beginning to see the significance using traditional language to combat climate change.”

“It also contributes to a sense of well being or people, to academic performance and self-esteem and all of those good things. It gives us back our dignity and brings Canada closer to becoming whole.”

Ignace says B.C. has is home to about half of the 65 indigenous languages in Canada.

“It’s a significant cultural heritage in British Columbia and unfortunately, a majority of those languages are waning or threatened and endangered,” he added. “There are a number of them that have lost all their speakers some within this last year.”

As for what he’ll be doing at the UN – Ignace says it’ll be mostly listening and networking.