This project involves the creation of a language and cultural center for the indigenous tribes in Baitabag village in the area of Madang in PNG. The Center will help the tribes to protect and promote their culture, languages and traditions in an area which is not only home to some of the planet’s richest biodiversity but is also the most concentrated area for cultural and language diversity in the world. Some 850 languages, all endangered, are spoken in PNG, with around 280 of those in Madang province alone. The Center will be the first of its kind and will complement the science, education and conservation work being done by the Binatang Research Centre, PNG’s leading conservation organization. Schools with 24,000 students, a large university and an important teacher training college are all close by and, overall, we expect that the Center will be accessible, on foot or via short drives, to more than 60,000 people speaking over 50 languages. Construction will begin the coming months.

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