Under the aegis of the upcoming International Year of Indigenous Languages declared by the United Nations in 2019, the Institute of Humanitarian Research and Problems of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Russian Academy of Sciences, International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) and the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North of Sakha Republic will hold an International Scientific and Practical Conference “Indigenous Languages and Sustainable Development in the Arctic”.
 
This International Scientific and Practical Conference is aimed to unite the efforts of researchers, civil society, practitioners, Indigenous communities, and indigenous language speakers to discuss the issues and possibilities of sustainable development of indigenous peoples living in the North and the Arctic. The discussion will include the issues related to learning, development and preservation of indigenous languages and cultures in the frames of the diverse approaches of folklore, literature, anthropologic, ethnographic, historic, politic, social, cultural, legislative and economic practices.Conference themes cover diverse areas of socio-economic development of Indigenous peoples of the North and the Arctic:
 

• Languages of Indigenous Peoples of the North and the Arctic: issues of interaction and language typology;
• Traditional epistemologies and Indigenous languages;
• Indigenous languages and globalization: tendencies and perspectives of development, successful and effective practices of indigenous communities in language revitalization and maintenance;
• Indigenous written languages of Russia: contemporary state and functionality issues;
• Yakut language: contemporary state and new dimensions in the research;
• Literature and folklore as sources of safeguarding and enrichment of Indigenous languages;
• Ethnic history of Indigenous peoples of the North and the Arctic: past, present and future;
• Current issues related to traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples as the bases of their sustainable development;
• The role of contemporary technologies and mass media in revitalization and development of Indigenous languages.

The program of the conference includes a symposium, exhibitions and presentations of new publications and projects. As part of the Conference the participants are invited to take part in the traditional Yakut celebration of solstice “Yssylakh” (https://www.rbth.com/arts/328601-yakutia-sakha-russia-holiday)  
 
It is expected to publish an electronic peer-reviewed collection of papers upon the selection of the articles made by the organizing committee. Criteria for the article format will be defined in a second information letter.
 
This conference invites linguists, philologists, historians, anthropologists, ethnographers, cultural scientists, philosophers, sociologists, policy scientists, economists, teachers, Indigenous language speakers and leaders of the Indigenous organizations, and graduate students.
 
Conference working languages: Russian, English.
 
There is no registration and publication fee.