<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Language, Education and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)<br>November 9-11, 2010 * Bangkok, Thailand<div><br></div><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 worlds<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><div><br></div><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="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;">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="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;"> 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><div><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><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><p><font size="2"><br>
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