Many UNPO members who wish to use their own language in schools and public places have faced harassment, incarceration, and other forms of persecution by the national authorities. This results in younger generations losing the ability to use their own language. Children are also often not allowed to learn about their own cultural history. There are also instances of government reprisals for groups trying to celebrate their own culture.

There is therefore a need for UNPO members to preserve and promote their cultures, histories and identities. One barrier to doing so has been methodological: archives relating to such communities either do not exist, or are uncollated and inaccessible. The UNPO is in an unique position to support academics within the different communities as well as key representatives to initiate the curation and digitisation of archives of stateless nations, Indigenous peoples and minority communities. 

What are we doing about?

With the "Preserving Identities, controlling narratives Campaign", the UNPO is helping its members to protect the cultural, linguistic, religious, and educational rights of the nations, not only helping in preserving their identities but contributing to a more legitimate, diverse and pluralistic Democracies.

In particular, with this campaign, the UNPO aims to support communities to collect, preserve, document and digitalise their archives making those elements available to the community while ensuring that they are safeguarded. Building on it, the UNPO is helping the communities to present their cases in the way that is more meaningful for the communities, being owners of the narrative around their unique identity.