Download - Российский комитет Программы ЮНЕСКО ...

All the above academic, language and language planning institutions
established by central and state governments show the governments’ intentions
to protect the multilingual and multicultural fabric of Indian society and also
to strive for cultural integration of the country with affecting individual
cultures. However, it should be mentioned that these institutions and bodies
do not always function effectively due to lack of vision, authority and funds.
Another major step towards protection and promotion of multilinguality and
multiculturality in India is the establishment of the National Translation
Mission (NTM) on the recommendations of National Knowledge Commission
(NKC). The main objectives of the Mission are: 1) to encourage translations
among Indian languages; 2) to do translations from foreign languages into
Indian and vice-versa; 3) to promote research in Machine translation; 4) to
prepare translation manuals and so on. It is well-recognized that translation is
one of the major means of transferring knowledge from one society to another.
Translational activity enables to enrich languages not only lexically but
grammatically as well. Translation among Indian languages (which is one of the
objectives of NTM) undoubtedly supports the sustainability of multilingual
and multicultural character of India by bringing people of different cultures
together and promotes cultural integration of Indian society.
All these initiatives and measures of governments definitely ensure the
development of multilingualism in India which has been existing historically
since centuries. However, governments should focus on strengthening the
already existing institutions and come up with the national policy on language
studies and promotion of translation studies in the country. Various documents
and recommendations of UNESCO shall be taken as basis while designing
such policy. It is not out of place to mention that the University of Hyderabad
along with the Mahasarakham University recently submitted a document on
‘Preserving and Promoting Asian Languages and Cultures’ to the ASEAN
Secretariat, Jakarta for its consideration.
2. Initiatives by Central and State Governments to Promote Multilingualism
Using Information Technology
Since the promulgation of such significant documents as the Universal Declaration
on Cultural Diversity (2001), Recommendations concerning the Promotion and
Use of Multilingualism and Universal access to Cyberspace (2003), Convention
for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), Convention on
the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)
and a number of subsequent initiatives UNESCO attracted the attention of its
103