Heritage Revival: How Preserving Speech Protects Identity

Language and culture are the heart of every community. They carry the stories of ancestors, the wisdom of generations, and the values that shape who we are. When a language disappears, it’s not just words we lose—it’s a whole way of understanding the world.

According to a 2024 report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), at least 40% of the world’s estimated 7000 languages are at risk of disappearing within the next few generations

Language and culture go hand in hand. Songs, stories, skills, and traditions are often rooted in a community’s language. They pass on knowledge about the land, healing, community life, and moral values. When a language dies, much of that knowledge is lost too.

Simply put, preserving them isn’t just about keeping traditions alive—it’s about building resilience. Indigenous and local knowledge can offer answers to today’s challenges, from protecting nature to adapting to climate change. By saving these traditions, we are both honoring our past and giving the future powerful tools.

One inspiring example is in Tanzania’s Yaeda Chini Valley, where UNESCO is working with the Hadzabe people to save their endangered language and tracking knowledge.

With help from Juǀ’hoansi San trackers from Namibia, local youth are learning to record ancestral skills using digital tools. This shows how old wisdom and new technology can work together to keep culture alive

Protecting language and culture means keeping the voices of the past alive, guiding the present, and inspiring the future. It’s a promise to the next generation—that they will inherit not only the land, but the stories, skills, and spirit that define their people.