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<TD bgColor=#ede2c2><BR><BR>National Indian Education Association<BR>110
Maryland Avenue, N.E.<BR>Suite 104<BR>Washington, D.C. 20002<BR>P: (202)
544-7290 / F: (202) 544-7293 <BR><BR>June 2, 2006<BR>Broadcast
#06-029<BR><BR><BR><B>National Indian Education Association Urges Congress
to Pass Native American Language Immersion
Legislation</B><BR><BR>WASHINGTON – June 2, 2006<BR><BR>President Wilson
Issues Unprecedented Call To Action For Indian Country To Defend Our
Sacred Native Languages<BR><BR>On the heels of his moving testimony to the
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs concerning the rapid decline of Native
languages, President Wilson calls for all of Indian Country to rally
around pending legislation that would support Federal funding for Native
American Immersion Programs.<BR><BR>Wilson stated that the pending bills
represent our best and possibly our last hope in revitalizing our Native
languages. He also added,<BR><BR>“The fierce urgency of now cannot be
overstated. We have denied and been denied, through apathy and
indifference, the sacred birthright of generation after generation of
Indian children. This must end. We owe our children an opportunity to
express themselves in the languages used here since the beginning of time.
A thousand generations have carried on these languages before us, and now
it comes down to this defining place in history where we will decide if
our languages and cultures are to be relegated to the cluttered dust bin
of history; or if history will record that when Indian Country was faced
with this decisive moment, it chose to act, it chose to stand up, it chose
to carry on, and it chose to honor its sacred legacy that so many lived
and died for. Our generation truly has a date with destiny and on July
12th we will take together, with one motion, a significant step toward
destiny. We will speak together with one voice, saying that Native
languages have a place in Indian Education and Indian Education is
incomplete without inclusion of our languages.”<BR><BR>Under the
leadership of Joe Garcia, President of the National Congress of American
Indians, Native language revitalization has become NCAI’S number one
education priority. Other national Tribal leaders have weighed in as well.
Tex Hall, the co-chair of the NCAI and NIEA Tribal Leader’s Education Task
Force, added,<BR><BR>“Here’s a mission we actually can accomplish. It’s
time for Indian Country to show the rest of the Nation just how proud we
are of our culture. We can do this by getting Congress to pass a Native
American Language Protection Bill.” <BR><BR>Events surrounding the Summit
include an opening assembly on Capitol Hill from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
The assembly will feature Congressional guests, a special presentation for
the Code Talkers, and dissemination of advocacy materials on the pending
Immersion Bills. Hill visits to key Congressional Offices will take place
from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m., and a staff briefing will be held on the Senate
side in the afternoon. The Summit will conclude with an evening reception
at the Museum of The American Indian co-hosted by the National Indian
Gaming Association honoring the Code Talkers, and the Native Language
Revitalization movement.<BR><BR>The Summit is free, but registration is
required. This will help us secure appropriate Hill visits for our
members.<BR><BR>We urge our elders, educators, tribal leaders, cultural
practitioners, youth, veterans, and all those concerned with the future of
Native Languages to attend.<BR><BR>Updated information will be made known
as details are worked out such as hotel information, speakers in
attendance, and exact locations. A flier, in text format, will follow this
broadcast. A formatted flier will be posted on our website for
downloading, printing and dissemination.<BR><BR>For more information,
please contact NIEA at 202-544-7290 or at
niea@niea.org.<BR><BR>---------------------------------------<BR><BR></TD>
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