EBLUL

1. EBLUL European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages

2. Austria Belgium Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Ireland Luxembourg Netherlands Poland Slovakia Spain Sweden United Kingdom Member states- 19

3. Some basic facts…. • founded 1982 • democratically governed NGO • based on a network of Member State Committees • aim: to protect and promote the autochthonous languages of Europe • give a voice to the –then- voiceless

4. In today’s EU there are some 40-50 million speakers of lesser-used: regional, minoritised languages, comprising 10% of the EU population

5. Functions • generation of information, sharing and networking in the field of language promotion at European and international levels • close relations to the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); operational relations with UNESCO and OSCE • linking and servicing linguistic communities, through the MSCs, as well as local and regional authorities in EU Member States, supporting their activieties for the protection and promotion of lesser-used languages in the context of linguistic diversity • providing and disseminationg information on European policies and programmes to its MSCs, European linguistic communities, and local/regional authorities; seeking adequate partnerships • providing information at the European level

6. Major activities • Linking Lesser Used Language communities • Providing expertise • Documenting, mapping, publishing • Organizing seminars, conferences (> PfD) • Lobbying and advocacy

7. Linking linguistic communities Providing advice and assistance Encouraging co-operation Information on EU programmes Functions

8. Funding & Networking • EBLUL works under Irish law • 80% funding from the European Commission • minimum 20% from national, local & regional authorities (governments of Ireland and Luxemburg, Autonomous Region of South Tirol, Province of Fryslân, French & German communities of Belgium) • since 2007 member fees – differentiated for individual MSCs • Project partners • Network for Promoting Linguistic Diversity NPLD • maybe in the future – European Centre for Linguistic Diversity ECLD

9. Legislative • Working toward EU Charter for Regional and Minority Languages • Supporting Framework Convention for National Minorities • Contributing to the draft EU Constitution

10. Languages in EBLUL • mostly those under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages • „traditionally used within a given territory of a State by nationals of that State who form a group numerically smaller than the rest of the State’s population; and • different from the official language(s) of that State*; • it does not include either dialects of the official language(s) of the State** or the languages of migrants” • *exceptions: Irish, Luxemburgish • ** sometimes disputable: Silesian in PL, Võro-Seto in EE, also Meänkieli in FI or Kven in NO

11. Regional languages • the case of Low German has opened the new legal opportunities to the regional languages throughout Europe, especially those with a questionable status in own countries. Germany was the first country to use pragmatically the dichotomy in the official title of the Charter and decided to distinguish between the Minderheitensprachen, with a commonly recognized linguistic status, such as Frisian, Danish and Sorbian and the Regionalsprache Niederdeutsch. • Poland - obviously following the German example - decided to grant the legal status of a regional language to Kashubian and even included the term into the internal legal system. • A way to follow…?  • regional language communities very active in EBLUL MSCs, even if not recognized by States (Silesian in PL, Võro-Seto in EE)

13. Languages of Migrants • the Charter [and EBLUL] applies therefore to languages which belong to the traditional cultural heritage of a State • migrants – persons of foreign origin who are not nationals of a State; the languages of immigrant communities or those derived from immigration, regardless of whether the speakers of these languages are nationals of the state* • languages, also on a territorial base – not speakers with individual rights * Woehrling, Jean-Marie 2005. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. A critical commentary. Counsil of Europe Publishing

14. Woehrling, Jean-Marie 2005.The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.A critical commentary. • „The traditional regional or minority languages are languages which have long been in use in the particular territory*. • (…) are closely linked to the history, the geography (toponymy) and culture of the territory. (…) • they have to be seen as an element of the national linguistic heritage. • The official language is often a more recent arrival (…) • the groups which use traditional regional or minority languages consist of nationals who are usually completely integrated into society in the State. • *Regulations in individual States: e.g. PL and HU defined „traditional” minorities/minority languages as those who have existed on the territory for at least 100 years.

15. Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the EU Parliamentary AssemblyDoc.8993 – 23.01.2001 • distinction between historical or traditional linguistic minorities and the „new minorities” emmerging from immigration was a legitimate one, both from the viewpoint of States and with regard to the needs of those minorities(…)

16. Member State Committees • State based non governmental organisations • Legally constituted • Representative of cultural, educational, and other actors in the area of languages

17. Eurolang® news servicewww.eurolang.net • specialist niche news agency covering topics related to lesser-used languages, linguistic diversity, stateless nations and national minorities within the EU • provides on-line daily service across Europe, to NGOs, media, European, State and local government, academia, researchers and the general public • launched in 2000 by EBLUL • one million hits per month • a viewpoint missing in mainstream media > internationalisation of minority issues • popular way to spread new ideas • communicating Europe to the RML communities (up > bottom) • regular reports from countries and regions in the EU (bottom > up) • linking language communities • helping to initiate language projects, keeping people aware of current best pracices • market place for lan guage-related activities: new language learning software, advertising conferences, new music, theatre, books etc.

18. Partnership for Diversity • established 2000 • series of conferences – the Balears (Catalans), Ireland, Finland (Swedes), Italy (Slovenes), Scotland, Italy (Ladins), Poland (Kashubs) • partnership between regional and local authorities and the language communities

19. Language Policy and the Regions in Europe GdańskGduńsk Danzig Kashubia Poland 2008 www.wrotapomorza.pl/pl/pfd

20. Some observations… • SMILE Report – very small % for RML’s (slightly over 4%…) co-operation between the differing language communities in partnerships large and small • EC Communication on Multilingualism – very little on RMLs http://europa.eu/languages/en/document/74 „Commissioner Leonard Orban launched a Communication on Thursday last week (September 18th) entitled "Multilingualism: an asset for Europe and a shared commitment", addressing languages in the wider context of social cohesion and prosperity. MEPs from the European Free Alliance (EFA) qualified their welcome stating:  “We would welcome specific commitments to the promotion of minority languages and languages that are not yet official at EU level, commitments that have not yet been sufficiently forthcoming. This is a good start but we have a long way to go."

21. in conclusion… • Looking to networks for language teaching and learning in the New Framework for Multilingualism to serve an inclusive diversity • Foster a sense of EU citizenship in an environment “where we are all minorities”

22. EBLUL President  - Neasa Ní Chinnéide (Éire) Vice President - John McIntyre (UK-Ulster) • EBLUL Board: Simon Faber (DE-Schlezwig) Mikel Etxebarria (ES-Euzkadi) Tangi Louarn (FR-Breizh) Domenico Morelli (IT-Arborësh) Pádraig Ó Ceithearnaigh (Éire) Tomasz Wicherkiewicz (PL-Kaszëbe)

23. www.eblul.org www.eurolang.net EBLUL Suur tänan ! Thank you very much ! Большоеспасибо ! Dziękuję bardzo ! wicher@amu.edu.pl