Webinars on Linguistic Diversity and Rights

The Coppieters Foundation and the Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (NPLD) launch a series of webinars with experts on linguistic diversity and rights. In October and November 2020, we will be releasing two online discussions around territorial languages in France and language transmission in times of a pandemic.

This first webinar discusses the challenges and implications of Law 2019-791 of 26 July 2019 pour un école de la confiance, the so-called “Blanquer Act”, for the teaching of territorial languages in France. The law, promoted by Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer and adopted by the National Assembly on 4 July 2019 at the end of a tortuous legislative process, represents the greatest threat to the fragile recovery of France’s historic languages.

To shed some light on this issue, the following speakers have kindly agreed to contribute with their thoughts:

• Fulup Jakez, director of the Public Office for the Breton Language
• François Alfonsi, Member of the European Parliament
• Antonia Luciani, General-Secretary of the Coppieters Foundation

If you want to learn more, read the NPLD’s report Réforme du Lycée et enseignement des langues territoriales en France. Les défis après la loi 2019-791 du 26 juillet 2019 pour un école de la confiance, dit « loi Blanquer ».

This second webinar discusses language teaching and learning during a pandemic. The school system is vital to the preservation of minority languages across Europe. But over the past months, due to the pandemic outbreak, schools from all over the world have closed their doors and students have not been able to attend classes. Therefore, how is this lockdown affecting the preservation of minority languages? And what initiatives are, or should be taken in order to stimulate the use and learning of languages outside of school?

To shed some light on this issue, the following speakers have kindly agreed to contribute with their thoughts:

• Estibaliz Alkorta, director of Basque promotion within the Basque government
• Iain Caimbeul, from the Language Sciences Institute of the University of the Highlands and Islands (Scotland)
• Enlli Thomas, professor in education at Bangor University (Wales)

Practicalities

When: the first video will be released on 20 October and the second on 24 November, on our Facebook page
Where: content freely accessible on our website and social media channels

Press

Media inquiries can be addressed to info@ideasforeurope.eu

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This series of webinars is financially supported by the European Parliament. The European Parliament is not liable for the content of the discussions nor the opinions expressed by the speakers during these exchanges.

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