According to the LT4All website, the “2nd International Conference on Language Technologies for All (LT4All 2025) has as its theme Advancing Humanism through Language Technologies and as its aim furthering the agenda of language technologies with a focus on community empowerment. It will try to explore the relationships among technologies, languages, and their related communities from scientific, technical, cultural, linguistic, economic, political, and ethical perspectives. Its goal is to harness technology not only to advance itself but also to support and enhance individuals’ capabilities.”
This year the conference was held in the framework with the International Decade of Indigenous Languages- IDIL 2022-2032 and in celebration of the Silver Jubilee for International Mother Language Day.
The United Nations (UN) estimates that every two weeks a language disappears, eliminating an entire culture. Of the estimated 8,324 spoken and signed languages, less than a hundred have a place in the digital world.
This year’s LT4All conferences aimed to bring together the technological solutions with members from the linguistic communities. In attendance were representatives from UNESCO, governments, academia, language technology researchers, linguists, industrialists, indigenous communities, and language policymakers worldwide. This wide range of audience members gave a unique opportunity to hear different perspectives around the same issue, creating space in the digital world for minority languages.
On February 26, 2025, on day three of UNESCO’s “Language Technologies for All” conference, Lic. Baldomero Cuma (author, community leader, Maya Spiritual Guide, and MLPP Board of Advisors member) delivered a presentation entirely in Kaqchikel on behalf of the Mayan Languages Preservation Project.
Speaking about the importance of language preservation, he captivated both in-person and remote audiences. Not only was the language astonishing but, more importantly, Cuma represented the linguistic groups behind the technological advances. He feels honored in his role “to be the voice of the Mayan people at this global event, which is both a cultural and social responsibility, with the hope of continuing to contribute to other latent languages.”
When reflecting on his historic presentation, Cuma comments:
"Before the presentation, I had many ideas in mind, thinking that maybe the audience would leave and/or not pay attention to a presentation in a language they were not used to hearing. But during the presentation, I felt confident using my language and sharing about the project — breaking stereotypes about academic presentations. Afterwards I was filled with peace and thought about the acceptance of the public. Some approached me to congratulate me. It was a moment full of emotions."
Read the full press release here.
While in Paris, the Mayan Languages Preservation Project, alongside our colleagues Dr. Walter Little, Gerber Mux, and Ludmila Golovine, visited the Paris Codex in the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand. We extend our deepest gratitude to the library and its staff for hosting us and giving us a private presentation of the Paris Codex. Although the actual codex is too fragile to be handled, we were given access to the facsimile and a detailed description of the codex and its history. It is estimated to be 500-600 years old. These ancient documents give a glimpse into precolonial Mayan civilization and connect us to our ancestors and their wisdom. As we pursue efforts for digital preservation, we identify profound ancestral wisdom rooted in these documents and note the necessity of sharing them with future generations.
As part of their trip to Paris for UNESCO’s LT4All 2025 conference, our delegation met with the UNESCO library team, which houses a global collection of reading material across many languages. The Mayan Languages Preservation Project, alongside Dr. Walter Little from the University at Albany and Gerber Mux of Editorial Cholsamaj donated a few books. These include, Ediitorial Cholsamaj publications donated by the Executive Director, including a Kaqchikel dictionary, A book on Kaqchikel grammar and cosmovision, “Tawetamaj Kaqchikel “(Learn Kaqchikel), authored by none other than Baldomero Cuma, “La ütz awäch?”, Co-authored by R McKenna Brown, Judith M. Maxwell, and Walter E. Little, the latter attending the event as part of our delegation.
After day two of the LT4All 2025 conference, Dr. Winston Scott reflected on the importance of the Mayan Languages Preservation Project being in attendance, a remarkable achievement in under two years. He also imagined his reaction to Baldomero’s speech, which happened the following day.
The day before Baldomero Cuma’s historic speech at UNESCO’s LT4All 2025 conference, Dr. Winston Scott, director of the Mayan Languages Preservation Project, asked him to reflect on what he considers to be the three crucial steps to continue language preservation.
Thoughtful as ever, Baldomero considered the question for a moment before answering:
1. Remember the communities
2. Continue preserving and using the written form of languages, and
3. Help communities build a technological foundation
Baldomero Cuma’s speech inspired our communities to use their voices and languages to express themselves, not only in private but also in public spheres.
Listen as Gaspar Tomas, Mayan Languages Preservation Project Board of Advisors member and Mayan Language Initiative Specialist, conveys his thoughts and feelings after witnessing Baldomero’s presentation.
In the days after the conference, Dr. Walter Little from University at Albany’s Institute for Mesoamerican Studies, reflected on the conference, Baldomero’s speech, and spending time with Indigenous friends and colleagues in Paris.
As we continue reflecting upon UNESCO’s “Language Technologies for All” conference, let’s listen to Gerber Mux, Executive Director of Editorial Cholsamaj.
He shares his thoughts and feelings about Baldomero’s speech, the work of organizations, like the Mayan Languages Preservation Project and MasterWord, and offers advice for those working in digital language access in Guatemala.