Indigenous knowledge in education policies in Latin America: Experiences for revitalizing indigenous languages and cultures

This international seminar commemorates the International Year of Indigenous Languages, which has been proclaimed by the United Nations, by providing a space for the launch and discussion of the second report on Indigenous knowledge and education policies in Latin America: Towards an epistemic dialogue.

This international seminar commemorates the International Year of Indigenous Languages, which has been proclaimed by the United Nations, by providing a space for the launch and discussion of the second report on Indigenous knowledge and education policies in Latin America: Towards an epistemic dialogue.

This event is part of UNESCO’s efforts to promote interculturality from a comprehensive, human rights approach based on the global aims of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 goals for transforming our world. In the sphere of education, this involves making progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4-Education 2030: to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

In the case of indigenous peoples, this means moving towards cognitive and epistemic justice through the redistribution of learning opportunities, the recognition of cultures and languages and the design of public policies that incorporate the cultural practices and forms of knowledge of indigenous peoples into their plans and programs.

In this context, UNESCO’s Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean is working with the Ministry of Education of Chile, its Intercultural Bilingual Education Program (PEIB) and Indigenous Intercultural Education Secretariat in order to promote intercultural education through the revitalization of the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples based on the respect for and appreciation of their world views.

The goals of the seminar are:

- To contribute to academic, political and social dialogue around ways to incorporate and develop indigenous knowledge and linguistic and cultural revitalization in education systems in Latin America;
- To share innovative experiences in interculturality and the development of indigenous knowledge in Latin America;
- To analyze their scope as strategies for improving education and social inclusion among academics, decision-makers and the educational community.
- To identify elements for the development of public policy proposals for revitalizing and developing the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples in education systems in Latin America.