1. All languages are equally important and necessary. The world’s tongues are the natural manifestation of a faculty common and exclusive to humankind, that of language, a communication system that is unique in the natural world.
As an expression of that faculty, every group of humans has developed its own language. Their wealth and diversity notwithstanding, all languages share certain characteristics (universals of language), and they can all be learned.
Linguistic diversity is the plural expression of the universal legacy that is language, which unites all peoples and enables everyone to contribute to humanity on an equal footing.

2. Linguistic diversity is a natural state for humankind and a fundamental expression of our wealth. Diversification is a natural process, a phenomenon inherent to the human race, its circumstances and its environment, just as cultural diversity and biodiversity are. The human race has developed over time on the basis of linguistic diversity.

3. Languages are created by societies and are one of the most notable manifestations of a culture. Languages are one of the traits that define a community. Furthermore, they express, reflect and reinforce cultural identity. Each language conveys a particular way of viewing the world, a specific, complex imagery that allows us to organise, classify and name everything that surrounds us, by means of both abstract concepts and concrete applications, through which information and knowledge can be imparted.

4. A language is an intrinsic part of collective memory and an instrument for shaping its future. Human beings use their memory and words to remember the past, traditions and legends, and to pass on skills and technology. As an instrument for shaping the future, language makes it possible to express and disseminate the dreams, plans and wishes of peoples. A language is the fundamental element on the basis of which it is possible for a culture to recount its past, and a vital mechanism for preserving its memory.

5. Languages are crucial to the coexistence, identity and cohesion of groups of humans. Each language is a medium for coexistence which creates a common, convenient habitat for life in a society. We use languages to live and to share experiences, as individuals and groups alike. They aid the integration of newcomers from different cultural backgrounds and make it possible to jointly develop new imageries. A language also expresses the identity of a people. It is the emblem of its speakers, the basic element that unites them and makes them members of a given community. Our language reveals our links with the past and thus gives us a place in the world.

6. A spoken language is a living language. Languages are dynamic and adapt to communities’ social circumstances and new requirements. In essence, languages are activity. The best way to ensure the survival of a language is to use it in all areas of life and to pass it on to subsequent generations. In the face of the challenges of the present, all languages are capable of moving with the times and adapting to new social requirements, whether through innovation (the creation and introduction of new vocabulary) or through enrichment as a consequence of contact with other languages. All languages are open, dynamic and incomplete.

7. Accepting difference and diversity paves the way for genuine intercultural dialogue. Dialogue concerning the future of the human race can take place from the perspective of any language and any culture. The progress made by humankind is directly related to our capacity for intercultural communication.
Like other social and cultural elements, language allows for communication and complicity. It thus acts as a link and a gateway to intercultural dialogue, making it possible to develop an authentic culture of peace and to establish international coexistence based on understanding and cooperation.

8. We must seize the opportunity for linguistic diversity afforded by globalisation. It is necessary to cultivate a new perspective on globalisation processes and to portray them as an opportunity to further the presence of languages in all areas of the planet’s social, political and economic life, public and private alike. Economics and technology are potentially crucial means of nurturing equitable linguistic diversity.

9. The disappearance of a language is the loss of part of the wealth of humankind. Languages do not vanish due to natural causes.
The process whereby a language ceases to exist involves major ruptures in terms of intergenerational cultural integration and a community’s social cohesion. The substitution and eradication of a language not only entail the loss of a basic element of communication, but also of an entire knowledge system developed over time. All languages are worthy of preservation, as the disappearance of a tongue means the loss of a unique, unreproducible universe connected to a specific environment. Depriving a people of its language means depriving it of its most outstanding and natural manifestation of its form of being human. There are no winners when a language is lost.

10. Preserving linguistic diversity and guaranteeing its future is a major challenge for the human race. Guaranteeing linguistic diversity and the survival of every language must be a common goal for humanity.
Every individual and institution, including local authorities, governments, states and international bodies, must make commitments and assume responsibilities in relation to linguistic diversity and coexistence between languages. The planet’s linguistic heritage must be dignified, reinforced and protected on the basis of understanding and cooperation.