SDGs translated into Sami language

22 Now Sami children and youth can discuss the Sustainable Development Goals in their own language, Northern Sami. The indigenous people of northern Norway, Sweden and Finland have yet not had their own translated version of the SDGs. That is about to change as the Northern Sami version of the SDGs will be launched on October 25.

The SDGs have been translated into at least 32 languages, including Norwegian. So far, a translation into Norway’s other official language, Sami, has been lacking.

It is the United Nations Association of Norway that has translated the SDGs with the financial help of the Norwegian UNESCO-commission.

Working together

To reach the SDGs by 2030, governments, businesses, local authorities, civil society and everyone else have to work together to find the solutions to the global challenges the world faces.

An important principle of the SDGs is that no one should be left behind. That is why there should be as many translations of the SDG as possible. By making the SDGs available in more languages, the number of people who will take part in this global effort will increase.   

- It is especially important to reach children and youth with knowledge on the SDGs because this work is so important to their future. Now Sami youth will also be able to join in on the discussions and help find solutions to the challenges in their own language, says General Secretary of the United Nations Association of Norway, Anne Cath da Silva.

The International Year of Indigenous Languages

The UN observance of the International Year of Indigenous Languages in 2019 aims to raise awareness of the consequences of the endangerment of indigenous languages.

The Northern Sami language is the most spoken among the Sami languages. It has had a positive development over the past few years, but even so Sami as a daily used language is on the decline. It is believed to be spoken by 20,000. The translation of the SDGs to Sami is, therefore, an important contribution to safeguard this language.

Further information:
2019 - International Year of Indigenous Languages: https://en.iyil2019.org/
SDGs in your local language: http://archive.unric.org/sdgs