Aboriginal Languages Month (fwd)

[Phillip E Cash Cash]

Aboriginal Languages Month

by: Government of the Northwest Territories | Mar 2nd, 2011

During Aboriginal Languages Month, residents across the Northwest
Territories are encouraged to celebrate our Aboriginal languages and
culture by spending time with elders and participating in community
events.

Languages are about identity who we are and how we understand and
interact with each other, says Minister of Education, Culture and
Employment (ECE), Jackson Lafferty. Promoting Aboriginal languages
encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, and family and
cultural values.

In 1993, the Assembly of First Nations declared the month of March as
Aboriginal Languages Month. Since then, March is a time when Northwest
Territories residents celebrate and reflect on the importance of
language and culture in their lives.

In addition to celebrating Aboriginal Languages in March, ECE is
developing a full implementation plan for the Aboriginal Languages
Strategy. The Strategy, Northwest Territories Aboriginal Languages
Plan A Shared Responsibility, outlines a strategy to strengthen
peoples understanding of Aboriginal languages, encourages people to
use their languages and establishes practical approaches to deliver
government services in Aboriginal languages. The implementation plan
will outline timeframes and give more detail to the actions and
outcomes proposed in the Strategy.

For more information, contact:

Amy Doerksen
Manager, Public Affairs
Education, Culture and Employment
Telephone: (867) 920-6222
Email: amy_doerksen at gov.nt.ca