Approximately every two weeks, a language disappears, putting nearly half of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages at risk of vanishing (UNESCO, 2024). Despite research demonstrating the benefits of using native and mother languages in education, very few of them are included in formal education systems. On International Mother Language Day, Dieneke Blikslager and Ellen-Rose Kambel traveled to UNESCO to showcase the grassroots movements advancing multilingual and mother tongue education.
Dieneke Blikslager, vice-director and teacher of the Sint Janschool, the first Language Friendly School in Amsterdam, and Ellen-Rose Kambel, director of the Rutu Foundation and co-founder of the Indigenous-Led Education Network (ILED) at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on International Mother Language Day.
International Mother Language Day
On the 21st of February, International Mother Language Day, Dieneke Blikslager, vice-director and teacher of the Sint Janschool, the first Language Friendly School in Amsterdam, and Ellen-Rose Kambel, director of the Rutu Foundation, co-founder of the Language Friendly School next to Emmanuelle Le Pichon (University of Toronto), and co-founder of the Indigenous-Led Education Network (ILED), traveled to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. There, they presented the practical solutions and actions that they are taking to fight for the rights of children and the preservation of mother tongues.
Although UNESCO declared this international celebration in 1999, its history dates back to 1948. In that year, the Government of Pakistan declared Urdu as the sole national language, disregarding Bengali, the most spoken language in the region and the mother tongue of most people. Massive protests erupted in response, met with state violence resulting in the deaths of five protestors and injuries to hundreds.
On this international occasion, we commemorate this day to underscore the importance of advocating for the preservation of mother tongues which represent our species’ bloodline and the cultural and intellectual heritage of human societies.
Mother Tongue and Multilingual Education: Pillars for Intergenerational Learning
In their presentations, Dieneke Blikslager and Ellen-Rose Kambel advocated for two innovative projects to make education in children’s mother tongues a reality for all: the Language Friendly School and the Indigenous-Led Education Network (ILED).
“We have known for over 40 years the benefits of multilingual education, the advantages of teaching in languages children understand. The science is clear. So why is this not yet part of official policy? Why isn’t it in schools? Four years ago, we initiated the Language Friendly School. It’s a quality label for schools that embrace and celebrate all the languages of their students, teachers, and parents. We chose this approach to create a grassroots movement, rather than waiting for top-down policy decisions.” Ellen-Rose Kambel, director of the Rutu Foundation, UNESCO 2024
Besides explaining how multilingual education can be made easy and accessible at the Amsterdam-based Language Friendly School, they also emphasized the critical importance of promoting mother tongue education for Indigenous peoples.
Mainstream education systems often overlook Indigenous languages, resulting in the loss of knowledge and cultural heritage crucial for conserving one-fifth of the world’s rainforests. They also contribute to the disempowerment of Indigenous communities which are then unable to receive adequate education in languages they understand.
Therefore, mother tongue and multilingual education become priorities for preserving indigenous languages. The above-mentioned projects have already achieved outstanding results, with 50 Language Friendly Schools in 11 countries, and successful Indigenous-led education projects shaping future generations of communities through the ILED Network. One such example is the Mobile Forest School in the Negritos province of the Philippines. To see this in practice, watch the video below or click here.
To watch Dieneke Blikslager’s and Ellen-Rose Kambel’s full presentations, click here. To view the entire UNESCO celebration, follow this link.
Learn more about the Language Friendly School.
Learn more about the Indigenous-Led Education Network.
Other inspiring projects showcased during the Unesco celebration
Explore this innovative project focusing on strengthening health and well-being through Indigenous-led conservation and sustainable relationships with biodiversity.
Check out “Indigenous Canada” the 12-lesson Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that explores the different histories and contemporary perspectives of Indigenous peoples living in Canada.
Finally, take a look at Dulala, an outstanding initiative pushing for multilingualism in French schools to to promote equal opportunities and fight against discrimination.