ELEN

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 (Europe/Brussels) | 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/

ELEN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | ASSEMBLEA GENERAL DE L'ELEN 2025, Barcelona, Catalunya.
2025-11-14 - 2025-11-16 | El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria, Plaça Comercial, 12, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08003
ELEN GA General Timings and Location
El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria,
Plaça Comercial, 12
08003 Barcelona.
Catalonia
Friday 14th November 10.00 to 18.00
Official Reception 19.00 -21.00
Saturday 15th November 09.00 to 18.00
Reception 20.00 to 23.00
ELEN GA advert

UN Forum on Minority Issues, UN Geneva, Switzerland
2025-11-27 - 2025-11-28 | Palais de Nations, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
18th session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues
Theme: The Contribution of Minorities to Diverse, Vibrant, and Peaceful Societies.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/events/forums/2025/eighteenth-session-forum-minorities-issues

ELEN Side-Event at the UN Forum for Minority Issues
2025-11-27 14:00 - 15:00 | Palais de Nations, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland
Join us for our ELEN Side-Event during the 18th UN Forum on Minority Issues, featuring Dara Keeve (Committee on the Administration of Justice NI), Elena Jimenez (Omnium Cultural), Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones (ELEN President), and the UN Special Rapporteur for Minority Issues, Nicolas Levrat. Moderated by Davyth Hicks (ELEN Secretary-General).

Our session — “How Minoritized and Endangered European Languages Contribute to Peace Building, Social Cohesion, and Resilient Societies, and How We Can Develop Better Protection for Them” — will explore the vital role that Europe’s endangered and minoritized language communities play in building inclusive, peaceful, and resilient societies.

Thursday, 27 November 2025 at 14:00
Room V, Palais des Nations, UN Geneva

We warmly invite all participants at the Forum to join us for this important conversation.

Plurilingmedia General Conference, Warsaw 2025.
2025-12-04 09:00 - 2025-12-05 18:00
The first PLURILINGMEDIA General Conference will take place in Warsaw on 4–5 December 2025. The main theme of the conference is ‘Media and Language Vitality’, reflecting the role of Working Group 3 as the lead organisers.
It will be hosted by the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences under the leadership of WG3 Leader Nicole Dołowy-Rybińska and Vice-Leader Sanita Martena.

Euskarari eta euskaltzaletasunari bultzada emateko deia/ Special Event to support Euskara. Abenduak/ December 27th
2025-12-27 17:00 - 23:30
Abenduaren 27an, Euskalgintzaren Kontseiluak eta bazkideek deituta, Bilbao Arena euskaltzalez beteko duen EKITALDIA antolatuko dugu. Informazio guztia eta sarrerak www.pizkundea.eus webgunean daude eskuragarri.
(On December 27th Euskalgintzaren Kontseilua and its partners will organize an EVENT that will fill the Bilbao Arena with Basque fans. All information and tickets are available on the website www.pizkundea.eus .)
ABENDUAREN 27AN, ZERGATIK BILBORA?
💥 Euskaltzaleon indar eta batasunaren erakustaldi bat egiteko.
Euskarak eta euskal hiztun komunitateak bizi dugun larrialdi linguistikoaren aurrean, zain gelditu baino, ekimen eta ilusio berrituak sortzea. Etsipenean jausi beharrean, euskaraz bizi nahi dugula adierazi, elkarrekin arnasa hartu, eta euskarari etorkizuna emateko prest gaudela erakustea.
💥 Euskal jendarte osoari mezu argi bat helarazteko.
Egiturazko minorizazioan dagoen euskararen normalizazioa eta biziberritzea guztion ardura da, gizarte berdintasunarekin, justiziarekin eta askatasunarekin lotutako beste auzi asko bezala.
💥 Hizkuntza-politiketan ezinbestekoa eta premiazkoa den jauzi sendo bat bultzatzeko.
Eragile instituzional, politiko, ekonomiko, kultural eta sozial guztiei, bakoitzaren erantzukizun eta erabakimenaren arabera, euskararen ezagutzaren unibertsalizazioaren eta erabilera normalerako baldintzen alde egin dezatela eskatzea.

EESC Civil Society Week - People, Democracy - Our Future!
2026-03-02 09:00 - 2026-03-05 17:00
People, Democracy, Resilience – Our Future!
2–5 March 2026 | Brussels, Belgium
Organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Why this week matters
Europe is facing a pivotal moment. Social and economic inequalities, rapid technological change, anti-democratic forces, and geopolitical instability are straining the foundations of the European project.
With democracy and civic space under mounting pressure, civil society organisations, human rights defenders and free media face growing constraints – from restrictive laws and disinformation campaigns to underfunding and public distrust. Deepening polarisation and eroding trust in institutions further undermine Europe’s democratic model.
Civil Society Week 2026 will bring together a wide range of voices, from grassroot activists and youth representatives to EU policymakers, journalists, and organised civil society across Europe including candidate countries.
The event will focus on advancing diversity, civic engagement, equality, and inclusion as key pathways to renewing Europe’s social and democratic promise for future generations. This means tackling poverty, reducing social exclusion, involving citizens, and bridging divides across regions and generations to rebuild trust and foster lasting social cohesion.
The 2026 edition will revolve around two pillars:

the EESC’s overarching priority for the new mandate, delivering on:

a Union of opportunities
a Union of security
a Union of resilience

three of the European Commission’s key priorities:

Supporting people and strengthening our societies
Protecting our democracy, upholding our values and
Delivering together and preparing our Union for the future

Each day will be dedicated to one of the above-mentioned priorities and will feature high-level debates, participatory sessions, and interactive workshops.
Website https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/civil-society-week-2026
Thursday March 5th 14:10 – 15:10 | Panel discussion with ELEN speakers: Intergenerational fairness, gender and minoritised language communities.
