INTRODUCTION

Background

The AMARAUNA project follows the World Languages Review of UNESCO and it is a specific project that will start functioning following the recommendations and conclusions of this Review.

The basis of the review gathers the information collected in different linguistic communities, answering a questionnaire designed for this project. Besides, the review has the collaboration of various specialists. The experiences and contributions of these specialists, who are well known throughout the world, are necessary in order to promote the recuperation of the minority languages and the linguistic variety.

After the work done these last four years, a data-base has arisen. This data-base gathers the information of about 1000 questionnaires and 700 different languages. Most of the informants are members of the linguistic community or researchers who are closely related to the community where the language is spoken. Because of this close relation we have been able to collect more real information. This way, we have been able to know the situation of the languages since it is the speakers who have offered the information and they are the ones who show more preoccupation and affection towards the languages.

The group who have directed the World Languages Review have taken charge of the experience of these informants, their perceptions and hopes. That is the reason why we think it is necessary to inform the political and civil institutions and to spread all the information we received from the communities so that it is useful for them.

With this aim, The World Languages Network AMARAUNA is a project that follows the World Languages Review. In order this effort to have the best results, it has to coordinate and link the efforts of all the communities and entities of the world.