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NIGERIAN LANGUAGES DATA AND SCI-TECH CONFERENCE (NLDSTC) 2023: CALL FOR VIRTUAL CONFERENCE PROPOSALS

Stakeholders are invited to submit proposals for sessions at the 1st Annual Nigerian Languages, Data, Science and Tech Conference, a gathering of linguists, language digital rights activists, science and tech experts, and other innovators through the NLDSTC application e-form. 

The deadline for submission of proposals is July 31, 2023, at 16:00 Nigerian Time. Submit a proposal here.

THE FOUR THEMATIC TRACKS IN THE NLDSTC 2023 CONFERENCE

The language documentation landscape in much of the African continent is at a latency stage due to a lack of adequate support and collaboration among major stakeholders in the technology and linguistic societies. Although there has been a major increase in the past 5 years in language documentation projects, there is a dire need for more concerted efforts. One is expected to think that there cannot be any major growth in the adoption of the Nigerian languages for technology if ample data for use in cutting-edge tech tools are unavailable. Artificial Intelligence; Machine Learning and Deep Learning are being deployed in various fields to make life even easier for humankind, and what do the Nigerian languages make of this development which is going at a fast pace?

Are there any restraints to the emancipation of the Nigerian languages for proper tech implementation? If there are, how best can we curb the restraints or mitigate them for a greater Nigeria? This is a digital divide and marginalization of our languages in global tech development because we have to understand the English language to use technology.

The one-week conference (21 – 25 August 2023) aims to create a virtual avenue for the convergence of science and tech experts, software engineers, researchers, linguists, and language enthusiasts to debate and chart a way forward for Nigerian language inclusion in all science and technology.

The Conference/workshop is a follow-up on the output of a localization project implemented between early 2022 through April 2023, where it was decided that the lexicons of Nigerian languages need to be updated to catch up with the recent advancement in the world including the adoption of science and technology. There was an extensive discussion on a strategic need for neologism for science and tech terms hitherto unavailable in the lexicon of the three major Nigerian languages to start with, and that gave rise to the thematic direction for the maiden edition of the NLDSTC activities in 2023, the NLDSTC committee, otherwise known as the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) identified four priority thematic focus on which to build a focused and cohesive programme this year. These tracks are (1) Data; (2) Science & Technology; (3) Inclusion; (4) Collaboration.

NLDST 2023 Conference and Workshops

Proposers are invited to make submissions on the four thematic tracks:

  1. Data
  2. Science & Technology
  3. Inclusion
  4. Collaboration 

Sessions of the conference/workshop are expected to be a knowledge exchange whereby interactive discussion is at the core of all sessions. Presenters and participants will discuss ways that the Nigerian languages can be developed in regard to science-technological advancement.

Priority will be given to presenters/proposers who want to deliver the session in the Nigerian languages (Hausa, Igbo, and Yorùbá).


Five Criteria for Submission Evaluations

Submissions will be reviewed against:

  • Content 
  • Diversity 
  • Relevance 
  • Interaction ‎
  • Format 

Proposers are encouraged to have diverse speakers from all psycho-graphic and demographic segments of society. Proposers are further advised to limit the number of speakers to 3, so as to give room for participants’ engagement.

Kindly consult the links below for details, in particular: the Session Format Info; and the Session Review Process.


KEY RESOURCES ON NLDST 2023 CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP:

There will be a 4-day neologism exercise at the end of the virtual conference scheduled on 28–30 August 2023. More information will be communicated during the NLDSTC.

For more information contact niglangdatascitech@gmail.com or info@yobamoodua.org