25th anniversary of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages

Image: Council of Europe

March 1st marked the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages, one of the principal conventions of the Council of Europe for the protection and promotion of traditional languages and national minorities. It is not only a measure of anti-discrimination in the use of languages, but also requires States that ratify it to “actively promote the use of these languages in education, justice, administration, media, culture, economic and social life, as well as cross-border cooperation”.

To commemorate the anniversary, a statement was published by Aleksandra Oszmiańska-Pagett, Chair of the Committee of Experts (COMEX) which monitors the implementation of the Charter. She emphasized the importance of the Charter in “reinforcing cultural diversity” and its ability to adapt to the emergence of new challenges like the role of minority languages with regard to technology, social media, and artificial intelligence. She called on more states to join in ratifying the Charter and the promotion of the more than 80 regional and minority languages that it currently includes.

The full statement can be found on the Council of Europe website.

Author: Laura Vizi