International Conference Language Technologies for All (LT4All): Enabling Linguistic Diversity and Multilingualism Worldwide

Within the framework of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages, a three-days International Conference will be organized. The event will contribute towards the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms of all language users to access information and knowledge in languages that are best understood. It also aims to encourage all relevant stakeholders to take concrete measures for the promotion of linguistic diversity, truly multilingual internet and language technologies, with special focus on indigenous languages.

The development of Language Technologies (LT) provides opportunities to improve the free flow of ideas by word and image in different languages and should leave no one behind regardless of users’ age, gender, abilities, language or location. All language users should have the right to access and use LT in their own languages. Equipping indigenous language speakers with the necessary tools to benefit from latest digital developments requires the joint-efforts of multiple stakeholders, from indigenous language users themselves, to the public and the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations.

Within the framework of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages, the three-days International Conference will look at the evolving environment of linguistic diversity and multilingualism in a world where plays an increasingly relevant role in our societies. It also aims to identify recommendations on how to best harness technology to preserve, support and promote languages, including lesser-used ones, as well as to increase and facilitate communication between them. The conference will conclude its work with an outcome document in order to set out the direction for future global actions in the area of language technologies.

The major objective of the event is to promote the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all language users to access information and knowledge in languages that are best understood. It also aims to encourage all relevant stakeholders to take concrete measures for the promotion of linguistic diversity, truly multilingual internet and language technologies, with special focus on indigenous languages, in view of existing international normative instruments and international cooperation mechanisms such as the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages.

LIVE STREAMINGS (Coming soon):

• 4 December 2019 – CONTEXT. Multilingualism for building knowledge societies
• 5 December 2019 – ACHIEVEMENTS. Applying language technologies for linguistic diversity and multilingualism
• 6 December 2019 – CHALLENGES. Addressing the digital divide and multilingualism

LINK:

• LT4All Website

Fonte: UNESCO