A/RES/71/328
Multilingualism
fostering respect for and the promotion and protection of all languages, in particular
endangered ones, linguistic diversity and multilingualism;
16. Reaffirms that linguistic diversity is an important element of cultural
diversity, stresses the importance of the full and effective implementation of the
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural
Expressions, 9 which entered into force on 18 March 2007, and recalls the
Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and
Universal Access to Cyberspace of 15 October 2003; 10
II
Role of the Department of Public Information in multilingualism
17. Reaffirms that the primary mission of the Department of Public
Information of the Secretariat is to provide, through its outreach activities, accurate,
impartial, comprehensive, balanced, timely, relevant and multilingual information to
the public on the tasks and responsibilities of the United Nations in order to strengthen
international support for the activities of the Organization with the greatest
transparency;
18. Emphasizes the importance of making use of all the official languages of
the United Nations, ensuring their full and equitable treatment in all the activities of
the Department of Public Information, with the aim of eliminating the disparity
between the use of English and the use of the five other official languages, and in this
regard reaffirms its request that the Secretary-General ensure that the Department has
the necessary staffing capacity in all the official languages to undertake all its
activities;
19. Also emphasizes the role of the Department of Public Information in
building support for international peace and security, development and human rights
for all and the contribution of multilingualism in achieving these goals;
20. Welcomes the ongoing efforts of the Department of Public Information to
enhance multilingualism in all its activities, and stresses the importance of ensuring
that the texts of all new public United Nations documents in all six official languages,
information materials and all older United Nations documents are made available
through the United Nations websites and are accessible to Member States without
delay;
21. Encourages the Department of Public Information to continue to use other
languages in addition to the official languages, when appropriate, according to the
targeted audience, with a view to reaching the widest possible spectrum of audiences
and extending the United Nations message to all the corners of the world in order to
strengthen international support for the activities of the Organization;
22. Welcomes the work done by the network of United Nations information
centres, including the United Nations Regional Information Centre, in favour of the
publication of United Nations information materials and the translation of important
documents into languages other than the official languages of the United Nations,
encourages the information centres to continue their important multilingual activities
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9
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2440, No. 43977.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Records of the General Conference,
Thirty-second Session, Paris, 29 September–17 October 2003, vol. 1, Resolutions, sect. IV, resolution 41,
annex.
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