Revitalising indigenous languages

The National Māori Language Institute (see http://teipukarea.maori.nz) and The International Centre for Language Revitalisation (see http://languagerevive.org) at AUT University, Aotearoa/New Zealand are committed to the revitalization of Indigenous languages. This side-event will focus on the work being carried out in the Institute and the Centre including: the creation of digital resources, collaboration with Indigenous communities, educating and upskilling future language revitalization strategists and supporting the right to language

Kia kaua te reo e rite ki te moa, ka ngaro: do not let the language suffer the same fate as the moa

More than a third of the world's languages are currently classified as endangered and more than half are expected to go extinct by 2100. Strategies aimed at revitalizing endangered languages have been implemented in numerous countries, with varying degrees of success. Here, we develop a new model regarding language transmission by dividing the population into defined proficiency categories and dynamically quantifying transition rates between categories. The model can predict changes in proficiency levels over time and, ultimately, whether a given endangered language is on a long-term trajectory towards extinction or recovery. We calibrate the model using data from Wales and show that the model predicts that the Welsh language will thrive in the long term. We then apply the model to te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand, as a case study. Initial conditions for this model are estimated using New Zealand census data. We modify the model to describe a country, such as New Zealand, where the endangered language is associated with a particular subpopulation representing the indigenous people. We conclude that, with current learning rates, te reo Māori is on a pathway towards extinction, but identify strategies that could help restore it to an upward trajectory

Kia Kaua Te Reo E Rite Ki Te Moa, Ka Ngaro: Do Not Let the Language Suffer the Same Fate As the Moa

More than a third of the world's languages are currently classified as endangered and more than half are expected to go extinct by 2100. Strategies aimed at revitalizing endangered languages have been implemented in numerous countries, with varying degrees of success. Here, we develop a new model regarding language transmission by dividing the population into defined proficiency categories and dynamically quantifying transition rates between categories. The model can predict changes in proficiency levels over time and, ultimately, whether a given endangered language is on a long-term trajectory towards extinction or recovery. We calibrate the model using data from Wales and show that the model predicts that the Welsh language will thrive in the long term. We then apply the model to te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand, as a case study. Initial conditions for this model are estimated using New Zealand census data. We modify the model to describe a country, such as New Zealand, where the endangered language is associated with a particular subpopulation representing the indigenous people. We conclude that, with current learning rates, te reo Māori is on a pathway towards extinction, but identify strategies that could help restore it to an upward trajectory

Tax Crimes and Illicit Money Flows in the EUs: Comparison and Key Findings

The European Union (EU) is one of the attractive jurisdictions for illicit money flows (IMFs) in the world. This is due to structural weaknesses and a comparatively stable economic and political environment in the EU. Criminals engaged in IMFs use sophisticated methods such as trusts, shell companies, and VAT carousel to commit crimes such as money laundering and tax crimes. The link between tax crimes and other IMFs is built on the principle that financial criminals will ensure that their criminal proceeds are safely placed, layered, and integrated into the legitimate financial system. In all these processes, as usually associated with money laundering, the proceeds are susceptible to tax crimes since the criminals would evade payment of taxes in most cases. Using case studies in eleven European States, this chapter maps the variety of main legal approaches to countering tax crime in these jurisdictions. Despite EU’s efforts to unify counter-crime measures in its Member States, the national legal frameworks and institutional settings produce different approaches to tackling tax crimes. This chapter concludes that effective domestic and international cooperation in approaches towards mitigating tax crimes and IMFs are evermore needed