The Committee,

1. Recalling that 2019 is declared “International Year of Indigenous Languages” by the UN General Assembly,
2. Recognizing the importance for the indigenous peoples of the world to ensure the sustainability, the learning, the use and the transmission of their language as a fundamental vehicle of intangible cultural heritage,
3. Acknowledging with satisfaction the efforts made by UNESCO, Member States, the Secretariat, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders involved, to celebrate in 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages,
4. Underlines the importance of strategies put in place by State Parties to foster indigenous languages;
5. Encourages States Parties to consider, as part of their involvement in the celebration of the International Year of Indigenous Languages, engaging in future requests for nominations for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as well as proposals for selection on the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, related to the sustainability of indigenous languages as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage;
6. Thanks the Director-General for her efforts to safeguard indigenous languages and invites her to pursue her efforts in this respect.