Preserving identities, re-owning narratives
Why Preserving Identities and Re-Owning Narratives Matters
Cultural diversity is a source of strength. Yet, nowadays, many UNPO members face persecution for expressing their unique identities, further marginalized by the distortion of historical narratives by states. “Peoples” are distinct groups recognized in international law with specific rights, including self-determination, allowing them to preserve their identity, culture, and autonomy. However, authoritarian states often attempt to erase these identities through forced assimilation and repression to maintain control and the distortion of historical narratives by states further marginalizes these communities, perpetuating inequalities and societal misunderstandings.
Preserving these identities is crucial for maintaining cultural heritage, fostering community, and supporting global diversity, which enriches human experience and promotes tolerance.
Our Goal
Our goal is to support UNPO members in preserving their cultural heritage and reclaiming their authentic narratives, while promoting the identities that define them as Peoples, ensuring their right to equal representation and participation, and contributing to global diversity and pluralism.
Objectives
We aim to collect and make accessible key documents related to members’ cultures, histories, and identities from UNPO’s archives.
We support members in presenting their identity, culture, and history to external audiences in ways that resonate with the community.
Monitor and research the challenges faced by Peoples in preserving their identities and develop strategies to address these challenges.
We empower members and artists to communicate and celebrate their cultures through various mediums such as videos, podcasts, and art, fostering awareness and appreciation.
Promote the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and best practices among UNPO members and their allies to enhance cultural preservation efforts.
Taking Action
We collaborate with members to create digital repositories documenting their historic and contemporary struggles for political participation while establishing community-led documentation initiatives to record oral histories, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices.
We work with members and artists to produce multimedia content celebrating their cultures and identities, building communication skills and awareness organising workshops and seminars focused on storytelling, cultural expression, and advocacy, empowering community members to share their narratives.
We provide capacity-building trainings to to empower members to advocate for the preservation of their identities effectively.
We work on public awareness campaigns using various media to support UNPO members to re-own their narratives promoting their cultural heritage and historical narratives
We work with academics, researchers and partners in order to preserve languages and cultures that are under threat including building international networks to share resources, knowledge, and support for cultural preservation efforts.
Create online exhibitions and virtual museums to make cultural heritage accessible to their own communities as well as a global audience implementing at the same time robust cybersecurity measures to protect digital archives and cultural materials from cyber-attacks and unauthorized access.
Develop strategies to counteract misinformation and disinformation that distort cultural narratives and identities.
- Cultural appropriation: Advocate against the misuse and exploitation of cultural heritage in digital spaces, ensuring that communities have control over their cultural expressions.
- Digital literacy: Promote digital literacy among community members to help them navigate and protect their cultural heritage in the digital age.
