Eurolang notices

[Harold Schiffman]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UK 2nd ECRML report:"a disorganised and misleading mishmash"

Brussel-Bruxelles, 28/07/2005 by Davyth Hicks

The UK’s second report on implementation of the European Charter for Regional or
Minority Languages (ECRML) was published last week. Activists have criticised
the report, yet overall there has been some gradual improvements for the
lesser-used languages of the UK since it ratified the ECRML in 2002. Initial
reactions look at the Scottish Gaelic and Cornish content in the report.


£1m for Welsh language courses at universities

Penygroes, 28/07/2005 by Dafydd Meirion

The Welsh Assembly Government has announced a package of measures aimed at
supporting the development of Welsh medium provision in Higher Education. This
includes almost £1m over three years to expand the provision. Over the last
three years, Welsh speaking students have been protesting at the lack of Welsh
language courses at Welsh universities, and have been calling for a Welsh
language federal college where all the courses would be in Welsh, being taught
from various colleges using the latest technology.

[ cy]


Restitution of Polish property in the Czech Republic discussed by Foreign
Ministers

Praha / Prague, 28/07/2005 by Candida Hornakova

The Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cyril Svoboda, met his Polish
counterpart, Adam Daniel Rotfeld, in Cesky Tesin last Saturday (July 23rd). The
meeting followed straight after the last official visit of the Polish Premier
Marek Belka to the Czech Republic before the Polish parliamentary elections in
September. The Foreign Ministers focused on outstanding issues affecting the
Polish minority including the restitution of confiscated property, bilingual
signage and Polish-medium education.

[cs]


Breton: “We can’t wait any longer, we are losing 20 000 speakers a year, the
house is on fire."

Kemper, Breizh / Brittany, 26/07/2005 by Yann Rivallain

After a number of lectures on media, culture, the Breton language, and popular
culture, the final session of the Summer University of the Quimper music
festival on Friday concentrated on the possibilities to support minority
language and cultures through European integration. However, minds focused on
the current situation of Breton which is facing a sharp decline in numbers of
speakers. [ fr]


New Galician government to prioritise language regeneration

Cangas, Galiza, 25/07/2005 by Alexandre Giráldez

The Galician section of the Spanish Socialist Party (the PSdG) and the Galician
nationalist Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG) have reached an agreement on
governing Galicia for the next four years. Emilio Pérez Touriño (PSdG) and Anxo
Quintana (BNG) signed on Wednesday 23th a “contract” which will let Touriño
become president in the next few days. Promotion of Galician is one of the five
main aims set out in the agreement.

[gl]