Language plays a critical role in the daily lives, histories and identities of people around the world.<\/p>\n
Despite the important connections tied to the words we speak, UNESCO has identified more than 2,000 languages spoken by Indigenous peoples around the world that are in serious danger of disappearing.<\/p>\n
In an effort to recognize the important contribution these languages play in our cultural diversity, Brock\u2019s UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability has declared the theme of its annual Sustainability Poetry Contest to be aligned with the International Year of Indigenous Languages<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every year, the contest calls for writers from the local community to submit\u00a0unpublished poems and artwork on themes related to sustainability.<\/p>\n The contest is open to all residents of Niagara (inclusive of members of First Nations<\/em>, <\/em>M\u00e9tis and Inuit communities and Six Nations), and will operate in co-operation with Indigenous groups and stakeholders across the region.<\/p>\n UNESCO Chair Liette Vasseur said the contest will raise awareness about the need to preserve, revitalize and promote Indigenous languages and knowledge around the world.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe this is one small step that contributes to the sharing of knowledge with and about Indigenous peoples of Canada,\u201d she said. \u201cTheir knowledge and languages are essential to understanding where we come from as a society and the sustainability of the environment around us.\u201d<\/p>\n