IGF 2025 Open Forum #73 Indigenous Peoples Languages in a Digital Age

For a language to thrive, it must be an active part of daily life. Today, this means being seamlessly integrated into screens, keyboards, video platforms, and speech-based systems. Younger generations, in particular, rely on digital platforms for communication. To revitalize, preserve, and strengthen Indingeous Peoples Languages, they must be fully usable in these spaces. If we do not ensure that the Indigenous Peoples languages are included in technological advancements, we risk streamlining the process of cultural assimilation. Large technology companies have failed users of Indigenous Peoples languages. Despite multilingual data systems functioning for over 40 years, Indigenous Peoples languages still lack access to these platforms. To make a real difference, we need international actors to step in. By standing together, we can be much stronger and more effective in supporting Indigenous Peoples languages. We want a future where the younger generations can communicate on social media in their mother tongues, allowing these languages to evolve in step with the times. We want a future where the elderly can use their mother tongue in encounters with new technology, smart homes, or voice-controlled health devices. To achieve this, we must work together. What barriers do speakers of Indigenous Peoples' Languages face in digital domains? How do we overcome these barriers? Join us in understanding the dependencies shaping the survival of Indigenous languages, and how to build a foundation to bridge the digital divide and establish favorable conditions for digital empowerment.

We are planning to have both an online moderator and a onsite moderator to enhance the experience for online audience and participants, as well as the the possibility of sending in questions through chat