Why this matters now
Starting July 1, China’s new Ethnic Unity Law takes effect.
While authorities describe it as a measure to strengthen national cohesion, many Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other ethnic minorities — along with human rights advocates — fear it will intensify efforts to diminish the use of their languages, reshape cultural and religious traditions, and increase pressure on these communities to adopt a single state-defined identity.
“No community should have to abandon its language, heritage, or religious beliefs to be accepted.”
55
Officially recognized ethnic minorities in China
Many
Distinct languages & faiths now under pressure
Jul 1
Day the law takes effect
What advocates are concerned about
Click each point to read more:
Language in education +
Advocates fear reduced space for mother-tongue instruction — Tibetan, Uyghur, and other minority languages — in schools, with greater emphasis on a single state-defined language, making it harder for younger generations to learn, read, and write in their own language.
Cultural & religious traditions +
Concerns extend to how the customs, festivals, and religious practices of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other communities may be reshaped or constrained in the name of “unity,” eroding traditions passed down over generations.
A single, state-defined identity +
Critics worry the framework pressures distinct ethnic communities to assimilate into one official identity, rather than protecting their right to exist and flourish as they are.
What we are asking for +
We urge governments and international bodies to publicly call for the protection of the language rights of all of China’s ethnic minorities and the preservation of their cultural and religious identity, and to hold all parties to their human-rights commitments.
Raise your voice. Support the petition urging governments to protect the language rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other minorities, and to speak out for the preservation of cultural identity. →
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