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UNESCO’s Lunar Mission: Preserving Humanity’s Languages and Cultures on the Moon
Carl Sagan, American astronomer and popular science communicator, famously remarked in 1994, “Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives.” These profound words spoken as the Voyager I satellite transmitted an iconic image of Earth from the outermost fringes of the solar system, resonate deeply as humanity ventures into a new era of space exploration.
As nations and organizations advance towards a future where human life extends beyond our planet, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on our shared existence on this “pale blue dot”.
Language serves as the connective tissue of humanity, facilitating interaction, collaboration and shaping our perceptions of the world. Its preservation in all its diversity is essential to safeguarding human identity.
In a joint initiative with Barrelhand, UNESCO has co-created a "Memory Disc", a nano-engraved nickel plate that will be sent to the Moon on board ispace's HAKUTO-R Mission 2 RESILIENCE lunar lander to be launched in Winter 2024. The disc bears the UNESCO Constitution's Preamble "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men and women that the defences of peace must be constructed" translated into 275 languages. This symbolic gesture underscores global unity and the imperative of preserving linguistic diversity and culture. Utilizing nanofiche technology, the disc is engineered to withstand extreme conditions for millions of years.
The Memory Disc also serves as a repository of cultural heritage, featuring an array of treasures including “Le Petit Prince” by the renowned French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - one of the world's most translated books. Furthermore, it houses a curated collection of 100 paintings, representing artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and historical epochs.
This initiative comes as we enter the second year of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032 and the release of the in its Beta version where Focal Points from 127 countries actively contribute language data. By incorporating a variety of languages, including indigenous languages, the Memory Disc embodies an invitation to celebrate humanity’s cultural richness and embrace a future that cherishes linguistic diversity.
About Barrelhand
Barrelhand Inc., headquartered in California, USA, is expanding access to the space economy through collaborations with industry leaders, scientists and cultural institutions. As a platform for innovation, Barrelhand welcomes pioneers from various fields to uncover opportunities within the new chapter of space exploration.
Instagram: @barrelhand
About ispace
ispace, inc., a global lunar resource development company with the vision, “Expand our Planet. Expand our Future.”, has business entities in Japan, Europe, and the United States. In 2022, it launched the first private, commercial mission to the moon, achieving 8 of 10 of its mission milestones and has multiple lunar missions planned for the future. Later this year, it plans to launch the RESILIENCE lander as part of the HAKUTO-R Mission 2 with commercial payloads destined for the lunar surface.
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