The European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to the rights of Indigenous Peoples to revitalize, use, develop and transmit their languages, in a statement delivered on 16 July 2026 at the 19th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva. Speaking under Item 7 on the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032), the EU welcomed progress ahead of the mid-term review in 2027 but warned that many Indigenous languages remain under severe threat, calling for sustained political commitment, adequate financing and the full participation of Indigenous Peoples.
The EU recognized that Indigenous languages are central to cultural identity, self-determination and the transmission of Indigenous knowledge. It highlighted opportunities for digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, to support language documentation, education and revitalization, provided they are developed with the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples and respect their rights and data governance. The statement also expressed serious concern about attempts by certain States to instrumentalize the rights of Indigenous Peoples as a pretext for pursuing geopolitical ambitions.
The EU pledged continued support through its human rights policies and partnerships, and committed to promoting inclusive, rights-based digital transformation. The statement concluded by asking the Expert Mechanism what concrete actions States should prioritize to strengthen financing, accountability and the responsible use of emerging technologies for Indigenous language revitalization.
The statement was issued by the Press and information team of the Delegation of the European Union to the UN in Geneva. It did not name a specific official as speaker. The EU's intervention comes as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages approaches its mid-term review in 2027, with the EU urging accelerated implementation of the Global Action Plan.