ELEN

Europadagene 2023: The importance of identity, cultural heritage and languages.
2023-05-09 | Falstadsenteret, Norway
Europadagene 2023. Panel on the importance of identity, cultural heritage and languages.
1510-1520: Peter Chin – Associate Dean of Teacher Education at Queen’s University, Canada
1520-1530: Davyth Hicks – Sec. General of the European Language Equality Network (ELEN)
1530-1620: Panel discussion:

Wenche Rønning (Associate Professor at Nord University)
Marja Mortensson (South Saami musician)
Peter Chin (Associate Dean of Teacher Education at Queen’s University, Canada)
Davyth Hicks (Secretary General of the European Language Equality Network)
Moderator: Heidi Anett Øvergård Beistad – Director Museene Arven

XIX International Conference on Minority Languages (ICML)
2023-06-20 09:00 - 2023-06-24 18:00 (Europe/Brussels) | Caerfyrddin
Cynhelir XIX Cynhadledd Ryngwladol ar Ieithoedd Lleiafrifol yng Nghymru rhwng 20 a 24 Mehefin 2023.

Premio Ostana 2023
2023-06-23 09:00 - 2023-06-25 20:00 | Ostana
Scritture in lingua madre/ Writings in the mother language.

Press Conference: EU Official Status for Catalan, Basque and Galician.
2023-09-18 16:00 - 17:00 | European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 60,, Brussels, 1047, Belgium
The European Language Equality Network (ELEN) and its member organisations that represent Catalan, Basque and Galician, will be holding a press conference on Monday 18th September at 16.00 in the press centre of the European Parliament, Brussels.
The organisations will discuss the ongoing campaign for EU official status, the benefits it will bring to their languages and to Europe, and all the other advantages of inclusion as a full EU official language.
In July the Spanish Government issued a proposal calling on the EU Council to make Catalan, Basque and Galician EU official languages. On the 19th September the proposal will be discussed by the EU Council.
Organisations at the press conference:
Òmnium Cultural and Plataforma per la Llengua from Catalonia
A Mesa pola Normalización Lingüística from Galicia
Kontseilua from the Basque Country
Obra Cultura Balear (OCB) from the Balearic Islands
European Language Equality Network (ELEN), the international NGO that works for the protection and promotion of European territorial languages.
Further details will be published on www.elen.ngo
The event can be followed live online at: https://ep.interactio.eu/66e2-hy1p-1w4u
Event Hashtag #EusCatGalEUOfficial
Further details to follow.

Babel Film Festival
2023-10-02 10:00 - 2023-10-07 22:00 | Casteddu/Cagliari, Sardinia.
International film contest for movies in minoritised languages.

ELEN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2023 CASTEDDU, SARDINIA.
2023-10-06 14:00 - 2023-10-09 18:00 | Palazzo Regio, Casteddu/Cagliari, Sardinia.

PROMOTING THE LEARNING AND USE OF INDIGENOUS LESSER-USED LANGUAGES, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BRITISH IRISH COUNCIL.
2023-10-19 | Hautlieu School, Saint Helier, United Kingdom

Event: Safeguarding and regenerating European indigenous minority languages.
2023-11-28 17:30 - 21:00
Safeguarding and regenerating European indigenous minority languages. Event and Reception. Brussels.
17.30 – 20.30 CET.
Office of the Northern Ireland Executive, Chaussée d’Etterbeek 180 – 1040 Brussels
The Office of the Northern Ireland Executive Brussels, Channel Islands Brussels Office, Scottish Government, Welsh Government Brussels Office and Isle of Man Government will be holding an evening panel discussion, with music and local food and drink.
Expert panellists, moderated by Dr. Davyth Hicks, Secretary-General of the European Language Equality Network (ELEN), will draw from their experiences to discuss the benefits indigenous minority languages can bring to communities and the role that government policy can play in supporting effective language recovery.
The panel discussion will be followed by a reception featuring food and drink from our countries, and accompanied by music from Channel Islands band, Lihou, who will perform in both Jèrriais and Guernésiais.
Panel One: Why is regeneration of indigenous minority languages important/ what benefits can this bring?

Professor Mererid Hopwood, Aberystwyth University (Wales)
Dr. Niall Comer, Ulster University (Northern Ireland)
Dr. Frank Ferguson, Ulster University (Northern Ireland)
Ms Ealasaid MacDonald, CEO Bòrd na Gàidhlig (Scotland)
Professor Julia Sallabank, SOAS University of London (Guernsey)

Panel Two: How can government policy and initiatives support language regeneration?

Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, ELEN President and Director of the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies (Cymru)
Mr Ben Spink, Head of Office du Jèrriais (Jersey)
Mr Rob Teare, Manx Language Officer, Isle of Man Government (Isle of Man)
Sir Richard Collas, Guernsey Language Commission (Guernsey)

Attendance at the event is by invite only.
T

UN Forum on Minority Issues
2023-11-30 - 2023-12-01
30 November 2023 – 01 December 2023

LOCATION
ROOM XX, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA / HYBRID

THEME
MINORITIES AND COHESIVE SOCIETIES: EQUALITY, SOCIAL INCLUSION, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Registration: All participants are required to register for the Forum using an online registration system Indico following this link.
Registrations are open from 12 October and will close 20 November 2023. No application will be accepted after this date.

Participants will need to create a profile and complete the online registration before receiving confirmation of their registration by the Forum Secretariat. Confirmed participants will receive a QR code by email.
The QR code will be scanned by UN Security upon arrival in order to issue a badge of accreditation to the UN premises.
Please note that participants will need to plan and fund their travels to Geneva. Participants are also responsible for organizing their own visas, if necessary.

Limited number of pre-recorded interventions by minority delegates will be accommodated bearing in mind time limitations.
Participants from minority groups who wish to intervene via a pre-recorded video statement must register as soon as possible clearly indicating their wish to use this form of intervention. The Secretariat will provide further technical instructions on submitting the pre-recorded statement to delegates shortlisted to the List of Speakers.
Participants, as well as individuals and organizations who will not be able to participate in the Forum or who do not wish to take the floor, can contribute to the discussions by sending a written submission that includes proposal for recommendations at the following email address: hrc-sr-minorityforum@un.org
The event can be followed via livestream at the UN Web TV. Link to the livestream will be provided at the webpage of the Forum a few days before the event.
Preparatory meeting: A preparatory meeting for all delegates will be held on 29 November at Palais des Nations in Geneva. Information related to the specifics on the Room will be provided at a later stage.
More information on the 16th session of the Forum will be provided soon, keep an eye on the developments.
Background: The UN Forum on Minority Issues meets annually for two working days allocated to thematic discussions pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 6/15 of 28 September 2007 and resolution 19/23 of 23 March 2012. The Forum is open to Member States, United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies, funds and programmes, intergovernmental organizations, regional organizations and mechanisms in the field of human rights, national human rights institutions and other relevant national bodies, academics and experts on minority issues, representatives of minorities and minority and non- governmental organizations. The Special Rapporteur on minority issues guides the work of the Forum, prepares its annual meetings and reports on the thematic recommendations of the Forum to the Human Rights Council. The recommendations of the Sixteenth session will be presented at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, in March 2024.
General inquiries: hrc-sr-minorityforum@un.org

Website: https://www.ohchr.org/en/events/forums/2023/sixteenth-session-forum-minority-issues

ELEN Steering Committee Meeting
2024-06-14 13:00 - 18:00 | Barcelona, Catalonia

ELEN - CATESCO CONFERENCE: "Protecting Education in Minoritised Languages, Strengthening Language Rights: How to Progress?
2024-06-15 | Institut d’Estudis Catalans, Carrer del Carme 47, Barcelona, Carrer del Carme 47, Barcelona, Catalonia.
(Catalan version below)
Venue: Institut d’Estudis Catalans, Carrer del Carme, 47, 08001 Barcelona. Catalonia.
Date: Saturday June 15th 2024, 9.30-17.30.
What are the objectives of the conference?
The conference, in partnership with CATESCO, with the collaboration of Omnium Cultural, and with the support of the Catalan Government, has two main objectives. Firstly, to work to further develop awareness on territorial/minoritized language (RML) rights, in particular the role of education and immersion programmes in the normal use of these languages in society, taking as one reference the case of Catalonia. Secondly, to examine what actions NGOs can take to protect RMLs that will have a lasting and substantive effect.
What is the target audience?
The conference is open to everyone interested in linguistic rights, the role of education in the normalization of the language, and in the defense and promotion of linguistic immersion systems from a legal perspective. It is especially aimed at civil society organisations working in the field of human rights and language rights, educationalists, public administrators, policymakers, and trade unions.
Who will be speaking?
The conference will feature presentations from the UN Special Rapporteur for Minorities, the Council of Europe’s ECRML Committee of Experts and Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for National Minorities, a UNESCO education specialist, legal experts on strategic litigation, academic experts on immersion education, policymakers, and civil society representatives from ELEN. Participants will also be able to contribute to the discussions.
The event will have simultaneous English-Catalan translation and lunch will be provided by the organisers. Below you can find the conference programme and the link to the online registration form.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
09.00 | Arrival and Accreditation: Participants collect conference badges, programme and headsets.
09.30 | Welcome Remarks

Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, ELEN President
Maria Corominas i Piulats, CATESCO Representative
Xavier Antich i Valero, President Òmnium Cultural
Adam Majó Garriga, Catalan Government, Director-General Human Rights.

Moderator: Davyth Hicks, ELEN Secretary-General.
10.00 | Opening Presentations. Language Rights are Human Rights: International Perspectives on the Rights of Minoritised Language Speakers in Education.
The opening section will discuss language rights within the broader human rights framework, international perspectives on education in minoritised languages, its successes and challenges, and how it has become one of the benchmarks employed for language recovery. Speakers will discuss which international institutional legislation and treaties have been most effective in protecting language rights more generally, and in particular minoritised language immersion education.

Prof. Nicolas Levrat, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues.
Ms. Lusine Kharatyan, Member of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Council of Europe.
Prof. Petra Roter, President of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Council of Europe.
Ms. Tamara Martí Casado, UNESCO, Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality.
Prof. Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, ELEN President (University of Wales).

Moderated by Dr. Davyth Hicks, ELEN Secretary-General
11.30 | Coffee break
12.00 | Panel I: Local Perspectives on Language Education and Language Rights, Successes and Challenges.
This panel, comprising civil society representatives from ELEN member organizations, will discuss their insights and experiences with minoritised language education models and the guarantee of language rights within different legal and public policy frameworks, and the varying types of challenges they face.

Mr. Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Irish (Glór na Móna).
Dr. Mirjam Vellinga, Frisian (Afûk).
Ms. Anna-Vari Chapalain, Breton (Kevre Breizh – Diwan).
Dr. Elsa Quintas Alborés, Galician (A Mesa pola Normalización Lingüística).
Ms. Idurre Eskisabel, Basque (Euskalgintzaren Kontseilua).
Mr. Marc Guevara, Catalan in Catalonia (Plataforma per la Llengua).
Ms. Catalina Bibiloni, Catalan In Illes Balears (Obra Cultural Balear).
Ms. Núria Betoret Olives, Catalan in País Valencià (Acció Cultural País Valencià).

Moderated by Prof. Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, ELEN President.
13.30 | Lunch
14.30 | Presentation of the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights, 1966, by the CIEMEN President, Mr. David Minoves.
14.45 | Panel II: Developing Adequate Protection for Education in Minoritised Languages.
What should the focus be for activists to develop adequate protection for education in minoritised languages? Panellists will make separate presentations which will be followed by discussion.

Dr. János Fiala-Butora , University of Galway. The European Court of Human Rights, the ECJ and UN on language rights issues.
Dr. Fernand de Varennes, former UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues. Recent rulings at the European Court of Human Rights, the ECJ, pathways to success.
Prof. Eva Pons i Parera, University of Barcelona. How to legally protect education in minoritised languages, with reference to the Catalan model.
Dr. Benet Salellas i Vilar, Lawyer. Catalan, Basque and Galician: Rights to education in minoritised languages.

Moderated by Ms Elena Jiménez i Botías, Òmnium Cultural.
16.15 | Coffee Break
16.30 | Panel III: Recommendations: Developing a Roadmap Towards Achieving Better Protection for Minoritised Languages.
Based on the work of the previous panels, what are the conclusions and recommendations that we can draw from them? What are the next steps? The closing discussions will be led by experts who help to implement language policies and, in collaboration with conference participants, will focus on developing a roadmap towards better protection for minoritised languages.

Dr. Davyth Hicks, ELEN Secretary-General.
Ms. Marina Gay i Faura, CATESCO Director.
Prof. F. Xavier Vila i Moreno, acting Secretary for Language Policy, Catalan Government.

Moderator: Prof. Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones (ELEN President).
17.30 | End of the Conference
REGISTRATION
Protegir l’educació en llengües minoritzades, enfortir els drets lingüístics: com avançar?
Quins són els objectius de la conferència?
La conferència té dos objectius principals. En primer lloc, conscienciar sobre els drets de les llengües minoritzades d’Europa, especialment pel que fa al paper dels programes educatius d’immersió en la normalització d’aquestes a la societat prenent com a referència en cas de Catalunya. En segon lloc, analitzar quines possibles accions es poden prendre per part de les ONG per protegir aquests drets, pel que fa l’educació en particular, així com pel que fa el marc més ampli dels drets lingüístics per un efecte substantiu i durador.
A qui va dirigida?
La jornada és oberta a tothom interessat en els drets lingüístics, el rol de l’educació en la normalització de la llengua i en la defensa i promoció dels sistemes d’immersió lingüística des d’una perspectiva jurídica. Està especialment dirigida a entitats o actors de la societat civil vinculats amb l’àmbit jurídic i dels drets humans, membres de la comunitat educativa i de l’administració pública.
Qui hi intervindrà?
La conferència comptarà amb la participació de representants del sistema de Nacions Unides: l’actual Relator especial sobre Qüestions de les minories, Nicolas Levrat, i el seu antecessor, Fernand de Varennes. A nivell europeu, la jornada comptarà amb la participació de representants del Consell d’Europa: Lusine Kharatyan, membre del Comitè d’Experts de la Carta Europea de les Llengües Regionals i Minoritzades i Petra Roter, presidenta del Comitè Assessor de la Convenció Marc per a la Protecció de les Minories Nacionals. A més de representants de les organitzacions membres d’ELEN, experts jurídics i acadèmics.
L’esdeveniment comptarà amb traducció simultània anglès-català i l’esmorzar i el dinar corren a càrrec de l’organització. A continuació podeu trobar el programa complet de la jornada i el formulari d’inscripcions. Us hi esperem!
09.00 | Acreditacions
09.30 | Benvinguda

Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, presidenta d’ELEN.
Maria Corominas i Piulats, Institut d’Estudis Catalans i representant de CATESCO.
Xavier Antich i Valero, President d’Òmnium Cultural.
Adam Majó Garriga, Govern de Catalunya, director general per a la Promoció i Defensa dels Drets Humans.

Presentat per Davyth Hicks, secretari general d’ELEN.
10.00 | Ponències inaugurals. Els drets lingüístics són drets humans: perspectives internacionals sobre els drets dels parlants de llengües minoritzades en l’àmbit educatiu.
Aquesta secció d’obertura abordarà els drets lingüístics dins del marc més ampli dels drets humans, perspectives internacional sobre l’educació en llengües minoritzades, els seus èxits i reptes, i com el model d’immersió s’ha convertit en un dels referets emprats per a la recuperació lingüística. Els ponents parlaran de quina legislació i tractats institucionals internacionals han estat més eficaços per protegir els drets lingüístics en general i, en particular del model d’immersió lingüística.

Nicolas Levrat, relator especial de l’ONU sobre qüestions de les minories.
Lusine Kharatyan, Consell d’Europa, membre del Comitè d’Experts sobre la Carta europea de les llengües regionals o minoritàries.
Petra Roter, Consell d’Europa, presidenta del Comitè Assessor del Conveni Marc per la protecció de les minories nacionals.
Tamara Martí Casado, UNESCO, Secció d’Educació per a la Inclusió i la Igualtat de Gènere.
Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, presidenta d’ELEN i professora de sociolingüística a la Universitat de Gal·les Trinity Saint David.

Moderat per Davyth Hicks, secretari general d’ELEN.
11.30 | Pausa cafè
12.00 | Taula I: Perspectives locals sobre educació lingüística i drets lingüístics, èxits i reptes
Aquesta taula, formada per representants de la societat civil d’organitzacions membres d’ELEN, abordarà les seves perspectives i experiències amb els respectius models d’educació en llengües minoritzades i la garantia dels drets dels seus parlants en diferents marcs legals i de polítiques públiques, així com els diferents reptes als quals s’enfronten.

Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, irlandès (Glór na Móna).
Mirjam Vellinga, frisó (Afûk).
Anna-Vari Chapalain, bretó (Kevre Breizh-Diwan).
Elsa Quintas Alborés, gallec (A Mesa pola Normalización Lingüística).
Idurre Eskisabel, basc (Euskalgintzaren Kontseilua).
Marc Guevara, català a Catalunya (Plataforma per la Llengua)
Catalina Bibiloni, català a les Illes Balears (Obra Cultural Balear)
Núria Betoret Olives, català al País Valencià (Acció Cultural País Valencià).

Moderat per Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, presidenta d’ELEN.
13.30 | Pausa dinar
14.30 | Presentació de la Declaració Universal dels Drets Lingüístics, 1966, a càrrec del president del CIEMEN, David Minoves.
14.45 | Taula II: Desenvolupar una protecció adequada per a l’educació en llengües minoritzades.
Quin ha de ser el focus dels activistes per desenvolupar una protecció adequada per a l’educació en llengües minoritzades? Els ponents faran presentacinos separades que aniran seguides d’un debat.

János Fiala-Butora, Universitat de Galway. El Tribunal Europeu de Drets Humans, el Tribunal de Justícia Europeu i l’ONU sobre qüestions de drets lingüístics.
Fernand de Varennes, antic relator especial de l’ONU sobre qüestions de les minories. Sentències recents del Tribunal Europeu de Drets Humans, el Tribunal de Justícia Europeu, camins per a un litigi exitós.
Eva Pons i Parera, Universitat de Barcelona. Com protegir legalment l’educació en llengües minoritzades, amb referència al model català.
Benet Salellas i Vilar, advocat. Català, basc i gallec: dret a l’educació en llengües minoritzades

Moderat per Elena Jiménez i Botías, Òmnium Cultural.
16.15 | Pausa cafè
16.30 | Taula III: Recomanacions: Desenvolupar un full de ruta per aconseguir una millor protecció per a les llengües minoritzades.
A partir de les ponències anteriors, quines són les conclusions i recomanacions que en podem extreure? Quins són els propers passos? El debat de cloenda serà dirigit per experts que ajuden a implementar polítiques lingüístiques i, en col·laboració amb els participants de la conferència, se centraran en l’elaboració d’un full de ruta cap a una millor protecció de les llengües minoritzades.

Davyth Hicks, secretari general d’ELEN.
Marina Gay i Faura, directora de CATESCO.
F. Xavier Vila i Moreno, Govern de Catalunya, secretari de Política Lingüística en funcions.

Moderat per Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, presidenta d’ELEN.
17.30 | Fi de la conferència
REGISTRATION

Premio Ostana
2024-06-28 - 2024-06-30
The “Ostana Prize: Writings in the Mother Tongue” is a celebration of the cultural biodiversity of humanity. It is a festival organised by the Occitan community of the mountain valleys (Valadas) of Piedmont, Italy, and it was born to defend and promote linguistic and cultural diversity throughout the world.
In its 13 editions, the Prize has given voice to 80 authors representing 46 from all five continents, with the desire to know and make known writers, filmmakers, musicians from different parts of the planet, has become a formidable opportunity to meet and exchange experiences for dozens of authors who in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and in Oceania illustrate and make the language of their community alive with their creative work.
Website: https://www.premioostana.it/

Plurilingmedia - Launch of the new COST Action for language diversity in European media.
2024-10-02 17:30 - 19:30
Plurilingmedia – Launch of the new COST Action project for language diversity in European media.
Brussels

ELEN GENERAL ASSEMBLY BILBO 2024
2024-11-08 - 2024-11-10
ELEN GENERAL ASSEMBLY BILBO 2024, EUSKAL HERRIA, 8-10th November
ELEN is delighted to announce that it will be holding its 2024 General Assembly in the vibrant Basque city of Bilbo hosted by the outstanding Basque language NGO and founding member organisation, Kontseilua. The theme for the 2024 ELEN General Assembly will be, “The importance of public policies in the normalisation of minoritised languages.” We’re looking forward to welcoming expert speakers to what has become the main annual event in Europe for organisations working for the protection and promotion of European minoritised and endangered languages, and featuring Basque experts who will deliver a plenary speech on the successful revitalisation of Basque in Tolosa.
The General Assembly will start on Friday afternoon November 8th at 14.30 with the new “Research and Activism” section featuring the latest relevant language-orientated research from the Basque Country and elsewhere, as well as our success with the new COST Action network on Language Plurality in European media. The session is open to ELEN members and invited guests.
The Saturday (Nov 9th) session is more NGO-orientated and features presentations on successful public policies and language recovery in the Basque Country, the new Welsh Government report on areas of higher density linguistic significance. In the afternoon the event features a presentation from the EU Commission DG Education and Culture on EU funding for language projects as well as a workshop with Basque MEPs on how to work effectively with the EU institutions.
We’ll also be following up on our very successful conference in Barcelona on strengthening language rights, and hearing about our success with the Horizon project application on Fostering Linguistic Capital in Europe (Fosterlang, led by Univ. of Warsaw) as well as the new COST Action Plurilangmedia led by ECMI.
Saturday afternoon also features a series of workshops for ELEN members. We’re looking forward to a workshop with NGOs on the impact of over-tourism and 2nd homes on our languages. Parallel workshops will feature discussion on next steps from the new working group on strategic litigation as well as a workshop on developing ELEN Youth with a presentation from the successful HIGA young language activists project. Saturday afternoon is also open to invited guests.
The timings are below:
FRIDAY November 8th
14.30 Research and Activism (Open to Members and Invited Guests)
Presentations and workshops
17.30 Close
19.00 Civic Reception
20.00 Dinner
SATURDAY November 9th
8.45 Accreditation opens.
9.05 Opening speeches (ELEN, Basque Government, MPs, MEPs, Bilbao Mayor)
9.30-12.30 Plenary Speech Presentations and Panels (Open to Members and Invited Guests).
– The importance of public policies in the normalisation of minoritised languages
– Successful language recovery for the Basque language in Tolosa.
12.30 ELEN Business (Members Only).
13.30 LUNCH
14.30 Afternoon presentations, resolutions, workshops (with MEPs and the EU Commission), new members.
– EU funding for language projects, a guide for NGOs
– Workshop with MEPs on working with the EU institutions
– Workshop with NGOs on the impact of over-tourism and second homes on our languages.
– Workshop on strategic litigation for NGOs
– Workshop for ELEN Youth
– Resolutions
– New Members
– Special Items
17.30 GA Closure
19.30 Reception, Dinner and Party.
SUNDAY November 10th
10.00 Visit to the Fine Arts Museum.
Delegates depart.
General Assembly Hotel: Hotel Carlton, 2 Federico Moyua Plaza, Bilbo.
General Assembly Venue: Itsas Maritime Museum, 1 Ramon de la Sota Kaia, Bilbo.
Basque TV, EiTB, will be broadcasting the whole event live.

Council of Europe Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion - CDADI
2024-11-26 - 2024-11-28
Plenary Session

UN FORUM FOR MINORITY ISSUES
2024-11-28 - 2024-11-29 | Palais de Nations, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
UN Forum for Minority Issues, 17th Session.

ELEN - ECMI Side Event at the UN Forum for Minority Issues
2024-11-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Palais de Nations, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
ELEN – ECMI Side Event at the UN Forum for Minority Issues.
Minoritised Language Media
Thursday 28th November, 14-15.00, Room XXII.
Title: Improving policy and representation for minoritised language media – challenges, best practices, and looking to the future.
CONCEPT The media landscape globally is transforming rapidly with an ever increasing array of platforms and social media outlets. At the same time we, as speakers of minoritized languages, work to ensure that we can live every aspect of our lives in our languages. Having a wide variety of media in our own languages and being fully represented in mainstream media is vital to that aim. This side event will explore the current challenges to, and best practices in, minoritized language media, looking at successes, the current legal framework and how to improve it, as well as challenges such as the exponential rise in hate speech against minoritized language speakers and how rapid digitalisation is adversely affecting media in endangered languages. Experts from across Europe will discuss these issues with the event having a focus on new initiatives and looking to how minority language speakers can ensure the future for their languages in all types of media.
Panellists:
Prof. Nicolas Levrat – UN Special Rapporteur for Minority Issues.
Prof. Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones – ELEN President / Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant.
Dr. Sergiusz Bober – European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI).
Dr. Elena Jiménez i Botías – ELEN Vice-President/ Omnium Cultural.
Dr. Craig Willis – ECMI.
Moderator: Dr. Davyth Hicks, ELEN Secretary-General.
Topics to discuss:

Dealing with hate-speech against minoritised language speakers
Impact of geo-blocking in the EU on minoritized languages.
Public service media in minoritised languages, the need for greater support.
Social media algorithm promotion.
Highlight the provisions for media in UN and Council of Europe instruments (ECRML, FCNM) and call for more countries to support and/or ratify.
How can we more effectively implement existing provisions?
Need for new legislation to support minoritized language media as media itself transforms.

FORUM SOBIRANISTA. Girona, Catalonia
2024-12-06 - 2024-12-07
Forum Sobiranista, Girona, 6-7th December 2024.
“Minority Languages and Linguistic Diversity in Europe in the Current Context. A Vision from Sustainability.”
Organised by CIEMEN.

LINGUAVITALXA, National Demonstration for Galician, Santiago de Compostela, Galiza.
2025-02-23 12:00 - 17:00
Website: https://www.queremosgalego.gal/

EESC Civil Society Week, Brussels.
2025-03-18 - 2025-03-20

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Plenary Session. Strasbourg, Alsace.
2025-04-08 - 2025-04-10

UN UPR 49th Session, Spain. ELEN Side-Event.
2025-04-29 13:00 - 14:30 | Palais de Nations, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
ELEN side event: The ELEN Report to the UPR 49th session on Spain
The official side event to be held in Room XXII in the Palais de Nations, Geneva, will discuss the main findings of the Report in particular over ongoing attacks against the official languages, Catalan, Basque and Galician, as well as Asturian and Aragonese, and contravention of language rights.
ELEN Report: https://elen.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ELEN-UPR-Report-2024-Spain.pdf
List of Speakers
Marcos Maceira, President, A Mesa pola Normalización Lingüística. ELEN Vice-President (Galicia).
Elsa Quintas Alborés, Vice-President, A Mesa pola Normalización Lingüística.(Galicia).
Marga Payola i Lahoz, International Co-ordinator, Plataforma per la Llengua, ELEN Vice-President (Catalonia).
Manex Mantxola Urrarte, Co-ordinator, Euskalgintzaren Kontseilua (Basque Country).
Davyth Hicks, ELEN Secretary-General. (Moderator)

UN 49th Universal Periodic Review, Spain.
2025-04-30 09:00 - 12:30 | Palais de Nations, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-sessions

International Conference on Minority Languages - ICML XX 2025 Bogotá, Colombia.
2025-06-24 - 2025-06-27
ICML XX 2025, Bogotá, Colombia.
Website https://www.uexternado.edu.co/international-conference-on-minority-languages/

Council of Europe Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI), Strasbourg, Alsace.
2025-07-01 - 2025-07-03

CEARTA - AGÓID NÁISIÚNTA NA nGAEL - National Protest for the Irish language and Gaeltacht.
2025-09-20 13:30 - 18:00
Cearnóg Parnell, Baile Átha Cliath.

Congress on National Minorities, Opole, Poland.
2025-09-23 - 2025-09-24

European Day of Languages Event - Tŷ Cymru, Brwsel.
2025-09-24 17:30 - 20:00
Regenerating Minority Languages through Lifelong Learning and the Arts
Two panel sessions followed by a networking reception, with ELEN President Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones.
Venue: Ty Cymru, RP Schuman 11, Brussels.
By invitation only.

FOSTERLANG LAUNCH EVENT, Wilamowice, Poland.
2025-09-25 - 2025-09-27
FOSTERLANG PROJECT TO HOLD INAUGURAL OPENING EVENT IN WILAMOWICE, POLAND
FOSTERLANG, the new EU-funded Horizon project aiming to boost European endangered and minoritised languages, will be holding its inaugural project opening and conference in the town of Wilamowice, Poland, home to the endangered Wymysiöeryś language, from 25-27th September.
Wilamowice will become a European centre of activity for language diversity and revitalisation over the week with a host of endangered and minoritised language experts from across Europe participating.
Languages represented include Gaelic, Irish, Welsh, Catalan, Basque, Kashubian, Lemko and Wymysiöeryś, acting to underline how the Fosterlang project reflects the rich tapestry of European language diversity.
In addition, the conference will celebrate the European Day of Languages on Friday 26th September with a cultural event following the conference on Friday evening.
Speaking to the media project co-ordinator Prof. Justyna Olko said: “For almost two decades Wilamowice, a small town speaking its own language, Wymysiöeryś, has been the hub of language revival and community agency in restoring its unique ethnic and cultural identity. Over the years, this inspiring community of practice has attracted language activists and socially engaged researchers from all over the world, generating an energizing flow of networking, exchanges and inspiration.
“Wilamowice offers hope that even a highly endangered language can find its place in the current globalized world; that this language can contribute to the community’s wellbeing and healing; and that its speakers can actively shape their own reality.
“I am truly happy that the community has agreed to host the inauguration of the FOSTERLANG project. Our collaborative endeavour is about hope and acting “united in diversity”, and pursuing the vision of the European Union that we all deeply identify with.”
Wymysiöeryś language revitalizer and Vilamovian researcher, Dr. Tymoteusz Król, added that: “While we must also learn other languages, we always want to hear wymysiöeryś”.
The conference, which will be held in the Museum for Vilamovian Culture in Wilamowice, runs from Thursday 25th September to Saturday 27th September featuring presentations and workshops from leading academics from across Europe on a wide range of topics including on revitalising Wymysiöeryś, Lemko and Kashubian, effective intergenerational language transmission, grassroots multilingualism and sustainability, and re-defining and operationalizing linguistic capital. Saturday’s proceedings focus on the Wymysiöeryś language recovery and revitalisation effort.
The conference is preceded by a workshop on the 23 – 24th September looking at the effects of past trauma on endangered language speakers.
For the Conference Programme see: https://elen.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fosterlang-inauguration-program-1.pdf

Plurilingmedia: Governance and Civil Society Meeting, Barcelona, Catalunya.
2025-11-12 - 2025-11-13
PLURILINGMEDIA: GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY MEETING
Venue: CIEMEN, Carrer de Rocafort 242, L’Eixample, Barcelona, Catalunya.
https://plurilingmedia.eu/
