UNESCO Unveils Global Roadmap to Promote Multilingualism in the Digital Era

UNESCO Unveils Global Roadmap to Promote Multilingualism in the Digital Era
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UNESCO has launched the Global Roadmap on Multilingualism in the Digital Era: Advancing the Role of Language Technologies to promote linguistic inclusion in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation.

Unveiled during the solutions session “Safeguarding Languages, Empowering Lives: Inclusive AI for Social Progress” at the Second World Summit for Social Development, the initiative aims to ensure that linguistic diversity is fully represented in digital spaces. The event gathered policymakers, researchers, Indigenous leaders, and members of the UNESCO-led Coalition for Linguistic Diversity in AI to discuss how inclusive AI and ethical technology can empower marginalized language communities.

The Roadmap builds on the Doha Political Declaration (WSSD+2), reaffirming global commitments to equality, inclusion, and the principle of “leaving no one behind.” Currently, only 1,000 of the world’s 7,000 languages are represented online, limiting access to education, health, and job opportunities while threatening cultural identity and social cohesion.

By promoting language-inclusive AI systems, UNESCO seeks to make digital participation a matter of human rights and social justice. The Roadmap complements earlier frameworks, including the 2003 Recommendation on Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace, the 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032).

Developed through global consultation involving 53 countries, the Roadmap will be followed by an Action Plan outlining practical steps and monitoring mechanisms. UNESCO emphasized that safeguarding all languages is vital for education, equality, and sustainable development worldwide.