28 In addition to the private use of an individual name (personal name and patronym), state authorities must recognize and use the names of individuals in their own language, including in the issuance of birth certificates. For names written in a language that uses a script that differs from the one used by the state authorities (Arabic vs. Latin; Chinese vs. Cyrillic, etc.), these must be transliterated, which means approximating the sounds of the characters of one script to the corresponding sounds of the other used by authorities. Where names are written in a different language but share the same script as the official language (such as with Spanish and English, or Lithuanian and Polish), the authorities must reproduce the name literally (letter by letter) without alteration or translation. Street and locality names and topographical indicators intended for the public are important as markers of social identity, culture and history. A good, practical approach adopted in most countries is for the authorities to provide transparent legislation or procedures to allow bilingual or even trilingual signs, usually following the proportionality principle where there is a sufficient concentration or demand for such signs in minority languages. While national legislation varies, the low threshold where it is considered practicable and reasonable to provide such signs tends to vary between 5  per cent and 20 per cent of the local population, with the lowest threshold usually associated with the use of a minority language that also has some kind of official status or for traditional, historical reasons. The criteria for the display of signs in minority languages must be given a clear and unambiguous legislative basis for it to be effectively implemented. Bilingual or multilingual signs used by public authorities demonstrate inclusiveness, and that various population groups share a locality in harmony and mutual respect. Good practices • In Bulgaria, members of the Turkish minority can restore their names to their original linguistic form. • Iceland recently removed the requirement that new citizens adopt an Icelandic name. • In Morocco, since 2010, individual names in the Amazigh language are defined as being ‘Moroccan in nature’, meaning that first names in this language are acceptable for official registration and use by the authorities. • Legislation in Albania allows individuals to revert to the traditional linguistic and cultural forms of their names. • In the Russian Federation, street signs and topographical designations are often bilingual or trilingual: in addition to Russian, these are also usually in the official language(s) of the constituent republics, oblasts (or krais). • In China, topographical and street signs are usually bilingual or trilingual in areas where minorities are concentrated (Mongolian, Uyghur, Tibetan, etc.). Trilingual signs and topographical indications can also be found in Algeria, Singapore and Switzerland, among many other places. • A number of initiatives that include projects involving the recording of languages in decline are being implemented in different countries, including Cameroon47 and the United States48. 47 48 A/HRC/25/56/Add.1 http://recoveringvoices.si.edu/index.htm