They join forces to promote the country's linguistic diversity.

Merry MacMasters

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, August 6, 2025, p. 4

Throughout its broadcasts, the National Indigenous Languages Fair (FLIN) has focused on impacting both institutions and the general population to help change ideologies and awareness. "We know that in Mexico there is still discrimination against the indigenous population, ways of thinking that view their languages as inferior, even referring to them as dialects ," says Almandina Cárdenas Demay, general coordinator of language policies at the National Institute of Indigenous Languages (INALI).

On the eve of the ninth FLIN broadcast, on the 8th, 9th, and 10th, in three locations, the official notes that an increasing number of institutions have collaborated, not only from the cultural sector. This year, for example, we will have the presence of the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation, and the Secretariat of Public Education, as in previous broadcasts, as well as others from the justice sector. In this way, many institutions discover INALI's work, learn about the importance of linguistic diversity and the actions taken to promote it; little by little, they are becoming allies of the cause .

In addition to the impact it has on institutions and the public, FLIN serves as a reference point for the speakers and promoters of their languages, who see themselves represented and made visible . Materials are generated that they later use to continue their work promoting their language and policies in favor of multilingualism , says the Indo-American linguistics specialist.

Pluriverses

Under the theme Pluriversos: Indigenous Women in Contemporary Mexico , the 2025 edition of FLIN commemorates the Year of the Indigenous Woman and is held within the framework of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032. The broad and diverse program revolves around women.

Community-based initiatives and projects will be presented, along with discussions, roundtables, and conferences, some in indigenous languages with simultaneous interpretation. Artistic events, both musical and poetic, will feature narrative content, a film series featuring indigenous communities with a majority of female creators, and an exhibition of artisanal products and traditional cuisine for sale.

Nearly 200 people will collaborate in the activities, joining 36 artistic groups. Many of the participants will be women, with whom we have worked and shared projects, or we know their work and know they make a significant contribution to promoting multilingualism in Mexico , explains Cárdenas Demay.

The main venues are the National Museum of Popular Cultures and the National Arts Center, whose Blas Galindo Auditorium will host the concerts "Sonoridades Viva (Living Sounds )" (Saturday the 9th)—with Irma Pineda, Briceida Cuevas, and Ruperta Bautista—and "Raíz y Fusion Sonido" (Roots and Sound Fusion ) (Sunday the 10th), which will highlight new generations of indigenous creators. On this occasion, the Tlalpan mayor's office will be present with activities at the Tlalpan History Museum and the Villa Olímpica Cinema.

Regarding FLIN's contribution, it has been interesting to see how its reach has increased each year, both in person and virtually , notes Cárdenas Demay. Over the course of the eight broadcasts, more than 700 activities have been held, with the participation of around 200 linguistic variants. I say variants and not languages because they could be, for example, Central Nahuatl and Veracruz Nahuatl.

As in previous years, the fair will offer workshops to raise awareness about learning the languages of indigenous communities: a multilingual recreational workshop in Otomi, Nahuatl, and Mixe; a Nahuatl Language Learning Workshop; and a Chinantec Language Learning Workshop. At INALI, we are in the process of creating a microsite on our institutional website to promote indigenous language teaching. There are many offerings, both from intercultural universities and from individuals working independently; however, there is no connection between supply and demand. We will take advantage of the FLIN to publicize the offerings we have already identified and will open a space for the general public who would like to learn more about a course in an indigenous language .

▲ The Mask Festival in Porto Novo, Benin, is a spectacle held to preserve the history and traditions of the Voodoo religion, the most emblematic of that African nation. In addition to the crafts, seminars, concerts, and exhibitions on the country's history were held last weekend. Photo: Xinhua

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, August 6, 2025, p. 4