LINGUAPAX AWARD 2012 goes to Jon Landaburu

[Anamaría Ospina]

Linguapax
Award 2012 goes to Jon Landaburu, key figure in the dissemination and
revitalization of the linguistic heritage of Colombia.
 
Coinciding
with the International Mother Language Day, Linguapax reveals the name
of the
winner of the only existing prize acknowledging the promotion of
linguistic
diversity.
 
Since1999, February 21 is celebrated worldwide as the InternationalMother Language Day with a view to highlight the
importance of linguistic diversity and multilingual education. As every year, Linguapax - Unescocat seizes
this opportunity to announce the name of the winner of this
prize awarded as a recognition to linguists, researchers,
teachers and members of civil society who have excelled in promoting linguistic diversity and of multilingual education.
 
Jon Landaburu
Illarramendi(1943), Basque with
French and
Colombian nationality is a leading specialist in the field of
indigenous
languages in Colombia. With over 40 years of experience in the field,
he has
combined professional dedication with personal engagement in his work
promoting
linguistic diversity and linguistics ecologies in Colombia.  He has come to be a key name in their
protection and revitalization. 
                                                           
His
academic career spans two continents. Between 1983 and 1996 he
supervised
research, was professor and coordinator of scientific investigation in
both
France and Colombia. He holds a PhD in Humanities from ParisSorbonne University (1976) and was director
emeritus at
the Scientific Research at the National Center forScientific
Research
(CNRS) in France. He founded and directed the master’s degree in
Ethnolinguistics at the University of the Andes in Colombia. 
 
Landaburu
has also been a driving force in the promotion of study programs and
revitalization efforts for indigenous languages within
the Colombian government. He has worked tirelessly on many regional
initiatives
such as translating the Colombian constitution into several indigenous
languages, training native leaders and teachers between 2007 and 2010,
and
directing a political-administrative center, which in collaboration
with the
Program for the Protection of the Ethnolinguistic Diversity (PPDE) of
the
Ministry of Culture, made way for the Colombian Native Languages Act
(2009),
which granted 68 languages (65 native languages, 2 creoles and Romany)
special
legal instruments to stimulate their preservation and revitalization.
 
His main
fields of research are theoretical and applied linguistics,
ethnolinguistics
and sociolinguistics, which have led to the publication of numerous
research
papers, over 15 books and a multitude of scientific articles, as well
as the
supervision of master theses and doctoral dissertations.
 
Jon
Landaburu continues to advise local and international institutions and
his
cooperation and expertise is frequently sought by indigenous
communities.
 
The
Linguapax Award recognizes Jon Landaburu’s human and professional
contributions
to the life of Colombia’s linguistic heritage, a work which is precious
to
everyone working for the world’s languages and paramount for a society
of
coexistence and genuine communication.
 
The
award ceremony will take place
next May 21st in Barcelona.  
 
 
§         Further
information on Linguapax Awards at: http://www.linguapax.org/en/linguapax-award
 §          Further
information of the International Mother
Language Day at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/a_world_without_words_celebrating_international_mother_language_day/
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