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As the lead UN agency coordinating the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032 (IDIL 2022-2032), UNESCO—working closely with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)—is committed to addressing the critical state of many Indigenous languages. This initiative aims to mobilize stakeholders and resources to support their preservation, revitalization and promotion.

In this context, UNESCO and the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a global non-profit dedicated to fostering international understanding through children’s literature, are creating the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages. This collection will showcase outstanding books written in Indigenous and endangered languages, ensuring recognition and accessibility for young readers worldwide. 

The IBBY-UNESCO Collection invites publishers, librarians and institutions (public and private) engaged in promoting books and reading, to submit exceptional works for young readers in Indigenous and endangered languages. 

The selection will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

• High-quality books for children and young people including picture books, novels, biographies, graphic novels and nonfiction that demonstrate excellence in text and/or illustration; 

• Books published between January 2022 and December 2025; 

• Books originally published in an Indigenous and/or an endangered language, as well as bilingual books that include at least one such language; 

• Books expressing the intention of, or relation to, one or more of the 10 outputs of the Global Action Plan of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages; and 

• Publications that adhere to UNESCO principles and maintain political neutrality.

An international committee, composed of representatives from IBBY and UNESCO, and leading international experts in children’s and young adult literature will review submissions and select the most outstanding titles that align with the above criteria. These experts will prioritize books that contribute to the empowerment of Indigenous identities and languages.

The nomination must be submitted digitally to IBBY and UNESCO by email at ibby-unesco.collection@ibby.org between 1 April to 15 December 2025. Each submission must include: 

1. A
2. A PDF of the original edition of the book*
3. A PDF or PNG of the original book cover 
4. A PDF with a translation of the original text into English, French or Spanish
5. In addition, one physical copy must be shipped to: 
   
   IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages 
   UNESCO Publications (CPE/PBM)
   7 place de Fontenoy
   75007 Paris, France 

* The digital file will be used solely for evaluation purposes and will be deleted after the selection process is completed.

Titles for the Collection can be submitted by the following nominating entities: 

• IBBY Sections 

• Publishers of original titles in Indigenous and endangered languages 

• Other relevant organizations and institutions, including but not limited to libraries, foundations, universities and research centres. 

Each nominating entity may submit up to 3 titles in the same language. 

Note: If a book is selected for the IBBY-UNESCO Collection, the publisher will be required to provide three additional physical copies. The copy sent during the nomination phase will also be used in international travelling exhibitions.

The IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages will be officially presented at the IBBY 40th World Congress in Ottawa, Canada, on 6–9 August 2026 with an accompanying catalogue.