VLADIVOSTOK, September 12. /TASS/. A program to eliminate the language attrition in the low-numbered indigenous peoples needs to be adopted in Russia to prevent languages from extinction, the Kupol ('dome') Social Development Fund's Executive Director Lyudmila Danilova told the Eastern Economic Forum's session on languages of the low-numbered indigenous peoples.

"In Chukotka nowadays, 80% of people aged between 0 and 45 years do not speak their native languages. <...> It's really scary, because this problem exists not only in Chukotka. <...> A lot is being done nowadays to preserve the languages of low-numbered peoples, but this is not sufficient. We need a program to eliminate illiteracy or language attrition among the indigenous peoples. This program will be applicable to Russia's all low-numbered peoples - to train teachers, to write textbooks and much more," she said.

A program of the kind was active in the USSR and it was effective, the expert continued. "Few people can remember that at that time the program was aimed not only at the elimination of illiteracy of Russian, but also of the second, native language. <...> At that time, there were 60% of illiterate people in the country, and that program has solved the problem," she said.

The UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger includes 78 languages in the Russian territory.

The Dome Social Development Fund was established in Chukotka in 2009. The organization is engaged in social projects, including in preserving languages of the indigenous peoples in the Far East.

About forum

The 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is running in Vladivostok on September 10-13, 2023. The slogan for this year’s forum is: On the Path to Partnership, Peace and Prosperity. The Roscongress Foundation is the event organizer. TASS is the forum's general information partner.