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<DIV dir=ltr>Language, Education and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)<BR>November 9-11, 2010 * Bangkok, Thailand </DIV></DIV>
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<DIV><A href="http://www.seameo.org/LanguageMDGConference2010/">http://www.seameo.org/LanguageMDGConference2010/</A></DIV>
<DIV><BR>3rd Announcement & Call for Papers</DIV>
<DIV><BR>An international conference on “Language, Education and the Millennium Development Goals” will be held November 9-<BR>11 in Bangkok, Thailand sponsored by a consortium of organizations from the Asia Multilingual Education Working<BR>Group, including: UNESCO, UNICEF, SEAMEO, Mahidol University, SIL International, Save the Children, CARE, Asia<BR>Pacific Basic and Adult Education, Asia Institute of Technology and the Royal Thai Institute.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Join with representatives of government and intergovernmental agencies, NGOs, academics and local civil society during<BR>a three-day forum to dialogue about: the state of development of ethnolinguistic minorities, the relevance of local<BR>languages in achieving education and development goals, and the development of programs and policies that better reach<BR>these underserved groups.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Purpose<BR>Languages are more than tools for communication; they help shape the identity of individuals and groups, as well as<BR>serving as a key element in social integration and cultural development. As such, languages are also strategically<BR>important for the attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA).<BR>Despite aggregate gains worldwide in achieving the MDGs and EFA, the state of development for the world’s<BR>ethnolinguistic minorities continues to lag behind, putting them at risk for even greater disparities that hinder efforts to<BR>overcome poverty, illiteracy and disease; as well as increasing the likelihood of conflict arising from exclusion.<BR>This conference provides a forum to enhance understanding, inspire meaningful action and increase access to<BR>education and development opportunities for ethnolinguistic communities, through:<BR>• Increasing understanding of the linkages between language and achieving the MDGs and EFA<BR>• Fostering connections among a broad set of actors to support activities that integrate language and education as<BR>crosscutting themes in achieving the MDGs and EFA<BR>• Informing policy makers and development partners on good practices to effectively incorporate language and<BR>education into strategies and policies to achieve the MDGs and EFA</DIV>
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<DIV>Tracks<BR>The conference features four thematic tracks, which incorporate language and education as crosscutting themes:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=webkit-indent-blockquote style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 40px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none">1. Language and Universal Primary Education (MDG 2 / EFA 1, 2, 6)<BR>• Linguistic and cultural considerations in strategies that seek to achieve universal primary education<BR>• Access and retention of children speaking non-dominant versus dominant languages in primary education<BR>• Role of learners’ first language (L1) – or mother tongue – versus languages of wider communication (national,<BR>official or international languages) in primary education<BR>• Multilingual education as a way towards universal primary education (UPE)<BR>• Language in early childhood education and development: multilingual education to facilitate smooth integration<BR>into primary school<BR>• Relationship between adult literacy in L1 and UPE<BR>• Integration of local language and culture effectively into education policies and programs<BR><BR>2. Language and Gender Equality (MDG 3 / EFA 5)<BR>• Linguistic and cultural considerations in strategies to promote gender equality and empower women<BR>• The role of life-long learning in overcoming gender biases and discrimination, including how lifelong learning<BR>empowers both girls and boys, women and men<BR>• Situation of women and girls in ethnolinguistic minority communities relative to their counterparts in dominant<BR>language speaking communities<BR>• Ways that local language and culture have been effectively integrated in policies and programs to ensure equitable<BR>development opportunities, improved status and treatment of both sexes<BR><BR>3. Language, Health, Nutrition and Protection (MDGs 4, 5, 6)<BR>• Evidence and support for integrating local language and culture into policies and programs on health,<BR>nutrition and protection<BR>• Providing equitable access to appropriate health and social welfare services for ethnolinguistic minority<BR>communities<BR>• Utilizing language and culture to build good knowledge and practice for early childhood care and<BR>reproductive health<BR>• Linguistic and cultural strategies to minimize the impact of communicable diseases (i.e. HIV/AIDS, TB and<BR>malaria)<BR>• Professional social work practices across languages and cultures to prevent and respond to violence, abuse,<BR>neglect and exploitation<BR>• Community-based mechanisms (e.g. diversion and restorative justice programs) to uphold the rights of<BR>children in ethnolinguistic minority communities<BR><BR>4. Language and Sustainable Development (MDGs 1,7 / EFA 3, 4)<BR>• Language diversity and intangible cultural heritage in poverty reduction and environmental preservation<BR>strategies<BR>• Language as a determinant of access to resources to alleviate extreme poverty and hunger, or mitigate<BR>environmental degradation<BR>• Role of language in adult education and poverty reduction<BR>• Language and participation in poverty reduction programs<BR>• Community-based approaches to poverty reduction and environmental sustainability<BR>• Drawing on language and culture to expand access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities</BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><BR>Abstract Submissions:<BR>Abstracts of proposed papers will be accepted until July 30. Selected presenters will be notified by August 20. We<BR>welcome submission of papers and perspectives representing a broad range of viewpoints and that highlight relevant<BR>local, national or comparative research and practice in the four thematic areas of the conference.<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=webkit-indent-blockquote style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 40px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none">• Abstract submissions should be no more than 250 words in English and should clearly identify the paper's<BR>topic and the relevance to the conference.<BR>• Abstract submitters should identify the track they feel is best suited to their work out of the four tracks listed<BR>in the conference announcement. The conference steering committee reserves the right to include your<BR>paper for consideration in a track other than the one you identify, if deemed appropriate.<BR>• Abstracts will be compiled and reviewed by three independent reviewers per track.<BR>Registration Fees<BR>Registration fees cover the following items: conference kit, access to plenary and panel sessions, morning and afternoon<BR>refreshments and buffet lunches for the three days of the conference. Online registration will open mid June 2010.<BR>• Thai Participants: 4,950 Thai Baht<BR>• International (Non-Thai) Participants: US$250/person</BLOCKQUOTE>
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<DIV><BR>Scholarships<BR>A limited number of scholarships are available for participants that demonstrate financial need as well as ability to bring<BR>relevant expertise and a diverse perspective to the conference. Scholarship applications will be available through the<BR>online registration process beginning in mid June.
<DIV><BR>More information on the conference program, venue and plenary speakers will be forthcoming. To submit abstracts or<BR>request further information about the conference, please email <A href="mailto:lcssw@mahidol.ac.th">lcssw@mahidol.ac.th</A> and cc: <A href="mailto:rm.gesuden@unesco.org">rm.gesuden@unesco.org</A>.<BR>
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