From January 2005 the Mercator Common Newsletter is a monthly newsletter. This way you will be kept informed with more recent and updated information.

Lobby MEPs to support linguistic diversity! Campaign of support to MEP Bernat Joan's report on multilingualism

On the 9th of October the report "A new strategic framework for multilingualism" will be submitted to the approval of the Commission of Culture and Education of the European Parliament. This text aims to promote the multilingualism and to bring a protective statute to regional and minority languages present on the territory of the European Union.

If you support linguistic diversity and would like to help ensure a future for Europe's language diversity, you can support the Report by writing to your MEP and by writing to the MEPs on the Culture Committee before the next reading on October 9th. The Report goes to the Plenary session in of the Parliament Strasbourg on 14th November.

Here there is a model of letter to send to MEPs (English)

Dear MEP

On October 9th, the draft report on "A new framework strategy for multilinguism" will be considered by the Committee on Culture and Education at the European Parliament. That report aims at protecting regional and minority languages.

As a supporter of language diversity I urge you to support strongly that report so that it may be adopted. Indeed, the European Union's motto, "United in diversity", must become a tangible reality.

I thank you in advance for your action in favour of the European cultural heritage.

For more details and information about the campaign see under 'Support Linguistic Diversity' on the Eurolang webpage.

http://www.eurolang.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2707&Itemid=52

Report: A new Framework Strategy for Multilingualism PE374.485v02-00 (in 20 languages) 2006. Rapporteur: Bernat Joan i Mari MEP.

EP Culture and Education Committee: Culture Cttee MEPs.

Legislation news - ML

• High level group on multilingualism set up by the european commission [+]
• Mercator-Legislation celebrates the european day of languages in Sardinia [+]
• T The protection of Venetian to be discussed in plenary session from 12 October onwards [+]
• Friulian language and culture act: ten years of enactment [+]
• Asturian civil society mobilizes to claim official status for Asturian language [+]
• The Ukranian Government takes measures to recognize Russian [+]
  

Media news - MM

• Mercator Media and Mercator Education Launch New Websites [+]
• Millions of Roma set to join EU in 2007 [+]
• 2007 Celtic Film and Television Festival [+]
• TG4 to Become Independent from 2007 [+]
• Call for responses to the draft National Plan for Gaelic [+]
• The Roma Press Agency launches internet broadcasts of its Roma national magazine So vakeres? [+]
• Endangered Language Fund announces Lecture by Noam Chomsky [+]
• The Government of Sardinia encourages children to 'play' with the Sardinian language through Internet [+]
• Looking back and looking forward: 10 years of TG4 - Celebration and analysis [+]
• International Conference “Ethnicity in Europe: Sociopolitical and Cultural Processes” to be held in Rēzekne, Latgal2007 Celticia/Latvia 24 – 26 May 2007 [+]
• Macedonian Human Rights Movement International issues Statement about Bulgarian Media [+]
  

Mercator Media and Mercator Education Launch New Websites

After a process of major redesign and restructuring, both the Mercator Media and Mercator Education centres are launching new-look websites at the beginning of October. The aim has been to improve the appearance and usability of the sites and make information available to the public in as accessible a way as possible. Both sites had grown substantially over the many years of the centres’ work and it was felt that the time had come to rethink the presentation. Rhodri ap Dyfrig, webmaster at Mercator Media said, ‘Among the new features on the Media website is a high-profile and regularly updated news section which will make it easy for users to keep abreast of key developments in the field. We believe users will be pleased with the new design’. Cor van der Meer of Mercator Education added, ‘the now very substantial amount of information held on the site is organised in a more user-friendly way and will be easier to navigate’.

Millions of Roma set to join EU in 2007

With next year's entry of Romania and Bulgaria, the EU will see the highest increase of Roma population, topping it up by almost three million Roma citizens. A racist incident in the European Parliament has served to illustrate the problems the EU's biggest ethnic minority group faces.

"The governmental approach to non-registered settlements of mainly Roma community has led to tensions. Forced evictions further increased those tensions," the commission stated in its EU progress report on Bulgaria this week.

For Romania, Brussels noted that the country's authorities "do not yet demonstrate at all levels that a zero-tolerance policy on racism against Roma is applied."

"There are still cases of institutional violence against and assaulting of Roma, such as police raids and evictions in Roma communities, without providing them with alternative accommodation," said the report.

Meanwhile, an incident in the European Parliament on Thursday brought the issue closer to the heart of Europe when Bulgarian observer MEP Dimitar Stoyanov made slighting comments about Roma girls.

Mr Stoyanov (23) was elected as the youngest MP in Bulgaria for the nationalist party Ataka and after months of serving as an "observer" in the EU legislature he is set to become an MEP next year.

Reacting to a proposal to nominate Hungarian Roma centre-right MEP Livia Jaroka for a prize honouring her human rights activities, Mr Stoyanov commented "In my country there are tens of thousands gypsy girls way more beautiful than this honorable one."

"In fact if you're in the right place on the right time you even can buy one (around 12-13 years old) to be your loving wife. The best of them are very expensive - up to 5000 euros a piece, wow!" he wrote in an email sent out to all parliamentarians.

His comments were condemned by the leader of the centre-right EPP group Hans-Gert Pottering who suggested the Bulgarian authorities should withdraw Mr Stoyanov from the parliament "as there is no place for him among European politicians."

Mr Stoyanov later sent an apology to his colleagues, stating he did not want to offend Ms Jaroka but rather "point out that in Bulgaria gypsy girls are still sold like items by their parents."

The incident is likely to give a boost to those MEPs saying it is the high time the bloc paid more political attention to problems of the EU's biggest ethnic minority group.

With the Balkan newcomers, the Roma community in the EU will amount to around ten to twelve million people, with Romania bringing two million Roma citizens and Bulgaria around 700,000.

"Even without Bulgaria and Romania in the EU, there are enough critical issues concerning the Roma community that we must tackle," says Hungarian Roma deputy Viktoria Mohacsi, from the liberal group.

She points out that in several European countries with a bigger Roma minority, there are still cases of Roma children being sent to schools for the disabled without a proper evaluation, as well as clear cases of racism on the part of local authorities and high unemployment.

As was the case with central European states like Hungary, Slovakia or the Czech Republic before they joined the bloc in 2004, the poor situation of Roma in the two Black Sea countries has been closely monitored and highlighted by EU watchdogs as part of their pre-accession process.

Ms Mohacsi and her socialist colleague Katalin Levai visited a Romanian town of Szaszregen earlier this month to hear evidence on the incident between Roma citizens and police which they claim was followed by a "collective punishment against the Roma community, with even women and children being attacked."

"Romanian policemen were surprised to see two parliamentarians there coming personally to find out more about the case, but this is what we want to do more in the future - follow the cases of violence and blunt discrimination against Roma," noted Ms Levai.

Last year, some socialist MEPs suggested that the European Commission should consider appointing one special commissioner for Roma people as a concrete sign that it takes the issue seriously.

The social affairs spokesperson told EUobserver that the proposal is unlikely to see the light of day - despite the fact that jobs have to be found by January for the two new commissioners from Bulgaria and Romania.

The commission has however created a panel of ten experts "to promote inclusion of ethnic minorities in the EU," led by Rita Sussmuth, former president of the German parliament.

Still, Ms Mohacsi believes the idea of a Roma commissioner "will and must always remain on the table and some of the human rights activists are lobbying for such a move."

Source: euobserver.com

2007 Celtic Film and Television Festival

Entries are invited for the 2007 Celtic Film and Television Festival. The Festival celebrates the best work from the Celtic countries and attracts over 400 delegates each year. The upcoming 2005 festival is taking place in an t-Eilean Sgitheanach (Skye), Scotland, from 28th - 30th March.

The call is open to film, television, radio and new media entries from the Celtic nations and regions (Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, Scotland and Wales). There are no restrictions on subject matter.

Guidelines and entry forms will be available online from early - mid September. For more information visit www.celticfilm.co.uk.

Contact Info: Jude MacLavert, Festival Producer Celtic Film and Television Festival, 249 West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland, G2 4QE 0141 302 1737 jude@celticfilm.co.uk

Deadline - 27th October 2006

TG4 to Become Independent from 2007
Dublin, 17 August 2006

The Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources Noel Dempsey T.D., today announced that the Irish language television station TG4, will become an independent station. The station, which currently operates under the umbrella of RTÉ, will be transformed into an independent statutory body from the beginning of April in 2007.

"It was the Government's intention, from its inauguration that Teilifís na Gaeilge, as it was then known, would be a separate station. The Broadcasting Act of 2001 provided the statutory basis for the separation. The commitment was re-iterated in the Programme for Government and establishing TG4 as an independent body is the vehicle most likely to result in the delivery of a channel that has the singular focus of providing a high quality Irish language television service," said Minister Dempsey.

"I will be establishing a Project Management Group (PMG) as soon as possible to oversee the establishment of TG4 as an independent body. The PMG will be chaired by officials from my Department and will also comprise of representatives from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, RTÉ and TG4. This group will to ensure that the station is ready to operate independently by April 2007," he continued.

Commenting on funding arrangements for TG4 Minister said: "TG4 will continue to receive grant aid from the exchequer to fund their operations in 2007, along with income they receive from advertising. The programme support from RTÉ in the form of an hour a day of programming is statutorily based and will continue. TG4 has made the case to me for a substantial increase in its level of funding to improve its Irish language schedule and to reduce its repeat ratio. In recognition of the importance of these objectives and the positive progress made by TG4 I will be seeking extra funding for the station through the estimates process for 2007.

"TG4 is considered one of the great success stories of Irish broadcasting and has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 1996, and the station continues to win major national and international awards for its programming. I am delighted to be able to announce their impending independence as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of the birth of the station," concluded the Minister.

The position of the Irish Language in Broadcasting The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources of the Irish government is in the process of preparing a Broadcasting Bill. People are invited to make their views known to the Joint Committee before 4/10/06. It is important that the position of the Irish language is protected in the proposed legislation. Further information at www.eConsultaion.ie.

Call for responses to the draft National Plan for Gaelic

The draft of the first National Plan for Gaelic has been drawn up by Bòrd na Gàidhlig as required by section 2 of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, and is published for public consultation under section 2(3) of the Act.

The draft plan proposes measures to normalise the use and promote the development of Gaelic and its culture across the full spectrum of home and community life, building on the many successful initiatives which have already taken place across Scotland.

Full information can be found at:

http://www.bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk/nantionalplanforgaelic.html

Feedback is invited.

The consultation period will close at 5pm on 10th November 2006. You can submit a response online at:

http://www.bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk/submit_a_response.html

Responses can also be sent to plana@bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk or to:

Peadar Morgan
Language Planning Manager
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Darach
Stoneyfield
Inverness
IV2 7PA

The draft National Plan and draft Guidance on Gaelic Language Plans will be reconsidered by Bòrd na Gàidhlig in the light of responses received during the period of public consultation. The Bòrd will then submit a revised draft to the Scottish Ministers for approval.

The Roma Press Agency launches internet broadcasts of its Roma national magazine So vakeres?

Košice September, 8 (RPA) - The Roma Press Agency (RPA) is this week launching internet broadcasts http://www.rpa.sk/rpa.php?lang=EN&m=GAL&id=ROMA&stat=1 of its Roma national magazine So vakeres? on the agency web site. As a result, those interested can watch directly on the site or download to their own computers individual editions of the Roma national magazine which the RPA has been producing for Slovak Television (STV) this year.

"From our viewpoint this is an attempt to make the magazine available to a wider audience and mainly to give teachers the opportunity to work with the magazine in schools. We also want to show how the Roma in Slovakia really live and not present them only according to the needs of various interest groups," said Kristína Magdolenová, acting director of the RPA.

The RPA has been preparing the Roma national magazine in cooperation with STV Channel Two since February of this year. Ten editions of the magazine will be financed from resources given by USAID through the PDCS in the scope of the Program for the Integration of the Roma. STV has financed other costs for the magazine.

Endangered Language Fund announces Lecture by Noam Chomsky

On November 15, 2006, Noam Chomsky will give a lecture to benefit The Endangered Language Fund.

"Why Are There So Many Languages? Diversification From An Underlying Unity." Wednesday, November 15, 2006 New Haven Lawn Club 193 Whitney Avenue New Haven, CT 06511

6:45-7:30 Pre-reception 7:30-8:30 Lecture 8:30-9:00 Q&A 9:00-9:30 Reception

$50 General Admission $250 Admission and Meet-and-Greet Reception With Noam Chomsky at 9:00

To reserve a place, email emlen@haskins.yale.edu or call (203)865-6163 x265.

The Government of Sardinia encourages children to 'play' with the Sardinian language through Internet

An interactive multimedia course of Sardinian, suitable for primary school children, is now available on the website of the Region of Sardinia ( www.regione.sardegna.it) as well as on another two regional portals for Education and Culture: 'Conoscere' ( www.conoscere.it) and 'SardegnaCultura' ( www.sardegnacultura.it).
The Local Authority for Public Education, Cultural Heritage, Information, Sports and Performing Arts bought from the publisher 'Condaghes' the rights of the course Su sardu gioghende ('Playing with Sardinian') and extended it freely to all users through the internet.
This extensive resource aims to encourage the use of Sardinian - in its three main variants: Campidanese, Nuorese and Logudorese - either at school or at home. The course is condensed in twenty lessons which include exercises of pronunciation and listening comprehension, but also illustrated tales and songs. A small group of characters (clowns, puppets, and comics) help the 'little students' to browse through each section of this course.
Commenting on this new resource, the Regional Councillor for Public Education Elisabetta Pilia said: 'Like every language that aims to survive, Sardinian needs to be spoken. In particular, the new generations should learn to speak it with pleasure and with the awareness that this language is an important part of their cultural heritage'.

http://www.sardegnacultura.it/cds/cd2/

Looking back and looking forward: 10 years of TG4 - Celebration and analysis

A one day seminar to mark the tenth anniversary of the Irish language television station TG4 will be held on Saturday, November 25 in the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Dublin City University are organising the event, in association with NUI Galway. The seminar is sponsored by Foras na Gaeilge.

‘This is an interdisciplinary seminar which aims to encourage and strengthen links between various policy fields: broadcasting and communications, socio-economic development and sociolinguistics and language planning’, said Dr. Eithne O’Connell of the School of Applied Languages, Dublin City University, one of the conference organisers.

The seminar will be opened by Cathal Goan, former Ceannasaí (Director) of TG4 and the Director-General of RTÉ, as well as the current TG4 Leas-Cheannasaí (Deputy Director), Pádhraic Ó Ciardha.

‘This seminar is aimed at a wide range of people: independent producers, academics working with Irish, communications, journalism or other fields, public servants, and educationalists in general’, said Dr. John Walsh of the School of Irish, NUI Galway.

Although the event will be held in Irish, full interpretation into English is offered and those who do not speak Irish are particularly welcome to attend.

Further information and a booking form are available from www.dcu.ie/tg4 or from email tg4@dcu.ie.

International Conference “Ethnicity in Europe: Sociopolitical and Cultural Processes” to be held in Rezekne, Latgalia/Latvia 24 – 26 May 2007

Since January 2006, Rezekne Higher Educational Institution (RHEI) Department of Philology in cooperation with Centre d`études linguistiques pour l`Europe (Italy) has been engaged in the common project „A Survey of the Ethnolinguistic Situation in Latgale”. The project investigates ethnic and linguistic processes in Latgale, drawing attention to the influence of religion and language on both the (concrete) micro-environment (individual, family) and the macro-environment (community, society). Data collected during the project will be summarized by January 2007. The conference is being organized in order to present and evaluate the results of the project and to work out practical recommendations for developing fields such as language policy, culture and education. The aim will be to share experiences with experts from other countries and regions. Hence scientists and practitioners (representatives of culture, education, mass media, etc.) of the fields mentioned above are invited to participate in the conference. The conference intends to provide the frame for interdisciplinary discourse in the following fields: Sociolinguistics and Ethnolinguistics Language Policy and Language Planning Language Education History of Culture, Art Philosophy, History of Religions Folklore, Literary Science Social Sciences. The languages of the conference will be Latgalian, Latvian, English and Russian. Translation will be provided if necessary. Presentation time: 15 minutes + 5 minutes for discussion. The conference will take place in Rezekne – in the heart of the historical and ethno-cultural region of Latgalia, in Eastern Latvia (for further details about Rezekne see http://rezekne.risc.lv). Participation fee: 30 EUR or 20 LVL, including coffee breaks and preliminary conference materials.

The organizers of the conference are Rezekne Higher Educational Institution Dept. of Philology (Latgalia/Latvia), the Centre for Latvian Studies of Vytautas Magnus University (Kaunas/Lithuania), Dept. of Language Policy & Minority Studies, A. Mickiewicz University (Poznan/Poland), Dipartimento di Scienze Umane, Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca (Milan, Italy).

The conference secretaries/Registration Office: Sanita Lazdina Rezeknes Augstskola Atbrivošanas aleja 115, Rezekne, LV – 4600 Tel. +371 4625841, fax: +371 4622681 e-mail: lasa1@inbox.lv

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International issues Statement about Bulgarian Media
On September 19, 2006, the Macedonian Human Rights Movement International issued the following press release.

‘The Bulgarian media, namely, the Focus News Agency, has set a new low in the country's publicly sanctioned racism, xenophobia and intolerance toward its Macedonian minority. On September 12, 2006, Focus referred to OMO Ilinden PIRIN as "separatists", and claimed that the party paid individuals to sign up to become members. In order for a political party to register legally in Bulgaria it is required to obtain 5,000 members. This law was introduced in Bulgaria just before the European Court of Human Rights ruled against the Bulgarian government and ordered it to unconditionally allow the legal registration of the party. Since OMO Ilinden PIRIN announced that it had signed up more than 5,000 members and planned to register in the Sofia Court, Focus has engaged in a campaign of slander and defamation of the Macedonian minority party. Focus's unfounded claims led to Bulgarian politicians denouncing the Macedonian party and threatening legal ramifications in an effort to prevent its registration. The following are examples of the hysteria that ensued which are indicative of a country that views itself as a western democracy worthy of EU membership but consistently proves itself to be the very antithesis of one.

‘In an interview for Focus, VMRO leader Krasimir Karakachanov said "On Monday VMRO will alarm the Prosecutor in Chief and the Regional Prosecutor’s office in Blagoevgrad on the collection of signatures in return for money."

‘According to Focus, the Chief Secretary of Party Order, Lawfulness and Justice Yane Yanev, "Will plead in court against registration of OMO Ilinden – Pirin". Yanev said "Bulgaria is a state and not unfenced yard. The group that is laundering money buying people in order to establish some kind of political formation with unclear aims is just wasting their time”.

‘Eliana Maseva, member of the political party "Democrats for Strong Bulgaria" said "Buying votes is inadmissible from both a legal and moral point of view" and added "...the Criminal Code already contains texts that incriminate such actions." Union of Democratic Forces member Filip Dimitrov said that "buying votes" is "indictable".

‘According to Focus, "The fact that OMO Ilinden-Pirin seeks the support of organizations which not only do not reject terrorism but use it as well is very indicative – after OMO Ilinden-Pirin contacts such organizations they become a part of them." This is in response to OMO Ilinden PIRIN's meeting in Bulgaria with the European Free Alliance, an organization that is a member of the European Parliament and which visited Bulgaria in order to report on human rights violations against the Macedonian minority. Focus continued, "Krassimir Karakachanov joked that he wouldn’t be surprised if OMO Ilinden-Pirin invite Osama bin Laden himself. OMO Ilinden-Pirin ‘also have an extremist way of thinking because they want to separate the region of Blagoevgrad from Bulgaria’, the VMRO-BND leader added. He advised that the illegal party should not be underestimated and should not be allowed to hold separatist activities in Bulgaria."

‘Furthermore, on Saturday, September 9th, Botjo Vangelov, a member of OMO Ilinden PIRIN, was arrested and detained by police in Blagoevgrad where he was interrogated by state secret police for several hours. Prior to being detained, documents relating to the registration process of OMO Ilinden PIRIN were confiscated.

‘MHRMI calls on the international community to condemn Bulgaria's state-sponsored acts of oppression, and demand that Bulgaria immediately recognize its large Macedonian minority and grant it the human rights that it is guaranteed by all international human rights conventions. Moreover, MHRMI calls on the European Union to enforce the European Court of Human Rights October 20, 2005 decision in favour of OMO Ilinden PIRIN's immediate registration and to make Bulgaria's accession to the EU explicitly conditional on its recognition of its Macedonian minority’.

Mercator-Legislation website

- Bulletin n. 67

Forthcoming in Mercator-Legislation website:
- Working Paper n. 24: “Sociolinguistic portrait of the Slovenian speaking area in Italy”, by Jordi Magrinyà.

Expected Regional Dossiers – Education

The end of the year is always the time for new dossiers to be published. The first new dossier Mercator Education expects to publish is ‘Polish in education in Lithuania,' written by Markus Roduner. This dossier fits nicely in our series of Regional Dossiers: last year we published ‘Lithuanian in education in Poland.' Furthermore it is the first dossier on one of the Baltic States, we are pleased that our series of dossier cover that area as well. Soon another dossier on a Baltic State will be published: ‘Võro in education in Estonia,' by Kadri Koreinik.

The Võro language community is very small and the language is nearly endangered. Kadri Koreinik describes this in her dossier. The Võro Institute is working hard to keep the language alive, but Võro does not have a firm place in the school curriculum. So language transmission to the next generation is the largest problem for the Võro community. Of course Polish is not close to being an endangered language. The problems of the small Polish community are mainly that the relations between Lithuania and Poland are not always very warm. Both dossiers are interesting and worthwile reading. These dossiers are to be published at the end of October.

The Research Institute for Linguistics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS), the Research Institute for Ethnic and National Minority Studies HAS, and the Faculty of Political and Legal Sciences of the University of Pécs are pleased to announce the 11th International Conference on Minority Languages (ICML 11), to be held on 5-6 July 2007 in Pécs, Hungary.

For .pdf and .doc version of this letter see the links below: lasa1@inbox.lv
http://www.nytud.hu/icml11/ICML_call_for_papers.doc

Conference theme
Multilingualism, citizenship and the future of minority languages - Ideologies and practices of linguistic difference in Europe. It is the historical strength of the concept "nation" that makes us aware of the contrast between the reality of minorities delineated by state borders and the ideal of a supra-national entity in which the word "minority" only has a numerical reference. The aim of the conference is to provide a frame for mutual transfer of knowledge between research communities about the current situation of linguistic minorities in Europe - a geographical unit in temporal transition between a past of nation states and a future of the enlarged European Union. The conference will bring together researchers working on linguistic minorities, different aspects of bi- and multilingualism, bilingual education, ideologies of language, language and identity construction, language policy, and especially on maintenance and revitalization of minority languages in the new Europe, as well as researchers with sociolinguistic, anthropological, historical, political, legal, economic and social approaches.

Background and goals
Numerous minority communities around the world and even in Europe are continuously under economic, social, ideological, political, cultural, religious, military etc. pressure to integrate into the dominant society which often involves the loss of their native languages and often their ethnic identities. However, preserving one's native language is not only a fundamental linguistic human right, but, simultaneously, is necessary to perceive and negotiate one's cultural identity and is a key to understanding and appreciating the history, knowledge, ideas, and values of the community. Questions about the legal protection of regional and minority languages have regularly appeared on the European agenda: for many years various political and civic actions have centered upon the legal regulations applying to minorities. Nevertheless, despite the eventual positive legal developments administrative and political barriers in everyday practice often render the public use of minority languages difficult. Furthermore, the accession of the new Central and Eastern European Member States opened up new prospects, at the same time creating new problems for the enlarged EU with regard to protection and maintenance of minority languages. The communist regimes and their collapse in the late 1980s created rather unique political and linguistic arrangements in the East-Central-Eastern European region. Impacts of the European enlargement, new social-economic order in East-Central and Eastern Europe that are restructuring the former relationships at regional and at European level, together with economic, technological and cultural forces of globalization have created a need for a re-evaluation of the theoretical questions and research methodologies that guide investigations of minority languages and their communities.

Main themes for paper and poster presentations:
- Bilingualism and education - Models of language learning in education - Minority languages and the "new economy" (country studies, analysis of the administration of the European Union) - Negotiation of identities in a new European context: national, regional and transnational perspectives - Language policies, language planning and linguistic human rights within national and international legal frameworks - The challenges of comparative analysis of minority languages - Patterns of language shift and maintenance - Minority languages, the media and the Internet - Minority languages and corpus linguistics - The Roma minority and their languages in Europe - Linguistic minorities in the enlarged EU

Proposed themes for colloquia include (but are not limited to):
- Linguistic imperialism and bilingualism of minorities in Europe - Migration and bilingualism - European Union: Old and New - Common and specific linguistic arrangements in old and new Member States - Areas of citizenship, human rights, equality, and the trans-national/international nature of the Deaf community - The EU and the protection of linguistic minorities

Location of the conference This is the first time an ICML conference has been held in an East-Central European country after the Eastern Enlargement of the European Union. The conference in Pécs, Hungary, will be the first ICML conference in the region. A historical town, Pécs is located in the South-West of Hungary and has won the title of cultural capital of Europe in 2010. Due to its geographical location and cultural position, Pécs is an ideal bridge to neighbouring non-EU member countries. Pécs is a bridge between the cultures of the Balkans and those of Western Europe and is a multicultural town itself with its nine minority local governments. In February 1994, the Gandhi Secondary School opened in Pécs. The school is not exclusively for Roma - one fifth of its students are Hungarian - nor is it formally an ethnic Roma school, but it does focus on Roma cultural issues and teaches both the Romani and Boyash languages. The town hosted the first national Roma festival in 2005.

Call for Proposals
Proposals regarding original, previously unpublished research on minority languages are invited in three formats: colloquia, individual papers, and posters. Proposals should fall broadly within the conference theme.

Proposals for colloquia
Colloquia are collections of paper presentations which relate to a narrowly defined topic of interest, and are offered in a 3-hour time block. Proposals for colloquia are limited to 700 words, and should include brief summaries of each of the papers to be included, along with paper titles and individual authors' names. Sufficient detail should be provided to allow peer reviewers to judge the scientific merit of the proposal. The person submitting a proposal for a colloquium is responsible for securing the permission and cooperation of all participants before the proposal is submitted. A chair for the session must also be identified. Although the proposals should be submitted in English, the language of the colloquia themselves may be chosen freely.

The submission deadline for proposals for colloquia is September 30, 2006. Submissions should be sent to icml11prop@nytud.hu

Proposals for individual papers or posters
Please, submit by e-mail a one-page 450-word abstract of your paper or poster. Include your name, affiliation, address, phone and e-mail address at the end of your abstract. The abstract should include enough detail to allow reviewers to judge the scientific merits of the proposal. All abstracts will be reviewed anonymously by the members of the Academic Committee of ICML 11. We kindly ask you to attach to your abstract a short presentation of your professional activities (in third person singular form) - in maximally 150 words. All abstracts will be reviewed anonymously by the members of the Academic Committee of ICML 11. We will accept for presentation by each author: (a) a maximum of 1 first authored paper/poster, and (b) a maximum of 2 papers/posters in any authorship status. At the time of submission you will be asked whether you would like your abstract to be considered for a poster, a paper, or both. Oral papers will be allotted 30 minutes, allowing 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for questions. Posters will be on display for a full day with two attended sessions during the day. The official language of the conference is English.

The submission deadline for proposals for individual papers and posters is October 30, 2006. Submissions should be sent to icml11prop@nytud.hu

Acknowledgment of receipt of the abstract will be sent by email as soon as possible after receipt. You will receive notification of acceptance no later than March 15, 2007.

Organizer Institutions
Research Institute for Linguistics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (http://www.nytud.hu) Research Institute for Ethnic and National Minority Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (http://www.mtaki.hu) Faculty of Political and Legal Sciences, University of Pécs (http://www.law.pte.hu)

Further Information
Further details regarding ICML 11 will be available at the conference website, http://www.nytud.hu/icml11 . Please visit the website periodically for regular updates.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently announced that .AX has become operational as the country code top level domain name for the Aland islands. "In the case of Aland the regional autonomous government applied for the top level domain and received it within a year'', Kramer says. "In my view this means a new change for the Frisian ambition to get our own .FRL top level domain.''

Kramer points out that Friesland has more than 600,000 inhabitants and, like Aland, Friesland also has its own language, identity and regional government. This specific identity and entity merits its own place on the internet, Kramer believes. In the view of Kramer the .FRL top level domain code should not only be available for people, companies and institutions in Fryslân in the Netherlands, but also for Northfriesland (Nordfraschlönj) and Ostfriesland in Germany. "Having your own top level domain on the internet also constitutes a unique change to distinguish yourself in today's digital world.''

The Frysk Nasjonale Party has asked the provincial government of Friesland to follow the example of Aland and apply for a Frisian top level internet domain code. The Frisian government has not yet replied. It will probably do so when it publishes its policy on 'Frisian and ICT', which will appear soon.

Although Friesland has far more inhabitants than Aland, a Frisian application lacks a few of the strong arguments Aland had. First of all the Aland application for a seperate internet domain was endorsed by the Finnish government. In the Netherlands it remains to be seen if the government in The Hague would support a Frisian application for a seperate domain name. In Aland many websites already function with the extension .ALAND.FI, which is now being replaced by the official coded .AX. Currently there is no collective Frisian subdomain. (Eurolang 2006)

Websites: http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-23aug06.htm (The ICANN press release on the .AX country code top level domain)

http://www.fnp.nl/?nijs/a/718/ (FNP press release)
Source: Eurolang

Radio show in Irish looks at the Social side of the Internet

On Monday 25/09/06 radio listeners across Ireland joined internet users worldwide as they tuned into the first episode of a new series focusing on the social aspects of the internet. This is the first time an Irish radio series has been devoted exclusively to the phenomenon of "online social networking". It will be 100% in Irish. An Líonra Sóisialta is the name given to the the new programme. It runs for 12 mins from Monday to Friday for a period of 12 weeks. It is produced by Conn Ó Muíneacháin and Fiona Ní Chéirín. Seven radio stations have confirmed their participation in An Líonra Sóisialta are: Flirt FM i Galway, Raidio na Life in Dublin, Ocean FM (Sligo, North Leitrim, South Donegal) Clare FM, KCLR (Kilkenny and Carlow), Wired FM in Limerick, and Raidio Fáilte, Belfast's Irish language station which launched last Friday.

General

- The Mercator network = le Réseau Mercator : Regional and Minority Language Education, Legislation and Media in the EU= Langues Régionales et Minoritaires: Éducation, Législation et Medias dans l ‘UE / [ed. by] Mercator Network. – [S.l.] : Mercator Network, 2006. -36 p. signature 100RE125
- The emerging creative industries in Southeastern Europe / [ed. by] Nada Švob-Ðokic. – Zagreb : Institute for International Relations, 2005. – 190 p. – signature 100MLG279
- Belangrijke feiten en cijfers over Europa en de Europeanen / Europese Commissie; Directoraat-Generaal Communicaties. – Luxemburg: Bureau voor officiële publikaties der Europese Gemeenschappen, 2005. – 79 p. – isbn 9289495545
- Butlletí del Centre Mercator: dret i legislació linguistics. – No.64, 65, 66 (2006). – Barcelona : CIEMEN. – signature 100TCat65
- European Cultural Foundation : Report 2005 / European Cultural Foundation. – Amsterdam : European Cultural Foundation, 2006. – 95 p. – signature 100Gr90

Education

- Voor- en vroegschoolse stimuleringsactiviteiten en ontwikkeling van geletterdheid / Roel van Steensel. – Amsterdam : Aksant Academic Publishers, 2006. – Proefschrift Universiteit van Tilburg.- isbn 9052602166 – signature 100Gbe165
- Key Data on teaching languages at school in Europe : 2005 ed. / Eurydice – Brussels : Eurydice; European Unit, 2005. – isbn 9289486813 – signature 100Ge235
- LINGO: 50 Ways to motivate language learners / [coord.] Katerina Kolyva and Dorina Angelescu. – [S.l.] : Diremta, [2004]. – 58 p. – signature 100RE124
- ICT and e-business skills and training in Europe : Towards a comprehensive European e-skills reference framework : Final synthesis report / A.Willi Petersen ... [et al] . – Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – Cedefop Panorama Series; no. 93 – 9289603038 – signature 100Ge238
- Improving lifelong guidance policies and systems : Using common European reference tools / Cedefop; [ed. by] Jennifer Wannan and John McCarthy. – Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – 36 p. – isbn 9289604020 – signature 100Ge240
- The value of learning: Evaluation and impact of education and training : Third report on vocational training research in Europe / Pascaline Descy and Manfred Tessaring. – Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – 48 p. – isbn 9289603429 – signature 100Ge239
- Lifelong learning bibliography : a European VET perspective, no. 7-8 january – December 2004. – Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – 76 p. – Cedefop dossier Series; 11 - signature 100Ge186
- Quality in e-learning : use and dissemination of quality approaches in European e-learning : A study by the European Quality Observatory / U.D. Ehlers – Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – 69 p. – isbn 9289604107 - Cedefop Panorama Series; no. 116 - signature 100Ge237
- Vocational education and traning : key to a better future : Cedefop’s medium-term priorities – Luxembourg : Office for official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – 49 p. – isbn 9289603488 – signature 100Ge236

Bilingualism / Multilingualism

- Langues, apprentissages, identities : Actualiser dans la continuité l ‘éducation bi-/plurilingue / Pierangelo Aymonod …[et al]. – Aosta : IRRE VDA, 2004. – 92 p. – signature 100Ita6
- Fabula: a bilingual multimedia authoring environment for children exploring minority languages / Viv Edwards …[et al]. – In: Language learning & Technology. – Vol. 6, no. 2 (2002); p. 59-69 – signature 100S00637
- How to achieve multilingualism in higher education : proceedings of the EUF-Ce Seminar on Language Learning held on 17th and 18th November 2005 / European University Foundation. – Munsbach : European University Foundation, 2005. – 112 p. – signature 100Gbe167
- XXII Congrès Les langues menacées : bilinguisme et apprentissage / Association internationale pour la Défense des Langues et des Cultures manecées. – Ninane-Chaudfontaine : A.I.D.L.C.M.( Association internationale pour la Défense des Langues et des Cultures manecées), 2005. – 25 p. – signature 100Gbe166

Sociolinguistics Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
- Artikelen van de Vijfde sociolinguïstische conferentie / [bijeengebr. door] Tom Koole, Jacomine Nortier en Bert Tahitu. – Delft: Eburon, 2006. – isbn 9059721055 – 560 p. – signature 100Gsg183
- Siompósiam Sochtheangeolaóchta 16 = Sociolinguistics Symposium 16 : Achoimrí =Abstracts / SS16 Organising Committee. – Luimnigh [Limerick ]: Ollscoil Luimnigh=University of Limerick, 2006. – 458 p. – signature 100Gsg214

Minority languages general

- Voces diversae: lesser-used language education in Europe / [ed. by] Dónall Ó Riagáin. – Belfast : Cló Ollscoil na Banríona, 2006. -197 p. –isbn 0853898863 – signature 100MLG 278
- Menej používané jazyky v nových clenských štátocj EÚ : Zborník prednášok konferencie SlovBLUL, konaného v Šamoríne, 7-9 októbra 2005 = Lesser-used languages in the new member states of the EU : Collection of speeches of the SlovBLUL conference held in Šamorín, 7-9 October, 2005 / Slovakian Bureau for Lesser-used languages; [transl. and language ed.] Kálmán Petöcz and Davyth A. Hicks. – Šamorín : Slovakian Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages; Dublin : European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages, 2006. – signature 100MLG280
- Compilation of opinions of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities : First cycle / Council of Europe; Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities; Directorate General of Human Rights. – Strasbourg : Council of Europe; Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities; Directorate General of Human Rights, 2006. – 468 p. – signature 100MLG284
- Collection of resolutions of the Committee of Ministers concerning individual countries under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. – Strasbourg : Council of Europe; Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities; Directorate General of Human Rights, 2006. – 86 p. – signature MLG283
- Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities : collected texts; 3rd ed. – Strasbourg: Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities; Directorate General of Human Rights, 2005. – 83 p. – isbn 9287167022 – signature 100MLG282

Asturian
- Lletres Asturianes. – No. 91, 92 (2006). – Uviéu : Academia de la Llingua Asturiana, 2006. – signature100TAst1

Breton
- Keleier : Actualités de la langue bretonne - No. 67 (2006). – Roazhon [Rennes] : Ofis ar Brezhoneg, 2006. – signature 100Bre11

Catalan
- Aprendre en un dia 101 verbs en Català / Rory Ryder. – Barcelona : Tsunami systems, 2004. – 103 p. – isbn 8460945472 – signature 100Cat82

Dutch
- De Taalunie in 2005 en 2006: een tussenbalans - Den Haag : Nederlandse Taalunie, 2006. – 39 p. – signature 100Dut63
English
- Vocational education and training in the United Kingdom : Short description / Natalia Cuddy and Tom Leney. – Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – 80 p. – Cedefop Panorama Series; no. 111 – signature 100Eng6

Estonian
- Elm : Estonian literary magazine . – Vol. 21 (2005). – Tallinn : Estonian Institute.

Frisian
- Plan fan oanpak Frysk yn it underwiis : Utfieringsnotysje 2005-2007 / Provinsje fryslân. – Ljouwert: Provinsje fryslân, 2005. – 26 p. – signature 100Fri328
- Taaldidaktyk foar de basisskoallen yn Fryslân : Praktyk en teory fan meartalich ûnderwiis / [ed. by] Taalsintrum Frysk. – Ljouwert ; GCO fryslân, Taalsintrum Frysk, 2005. – 260 p. – signature 100Fri335
- Frysk oan bod: Learplan Frysk foar it Primêr Underwiis = Fries aan bod: Leerplan Fries voor het primair onderwijs / [ed. by] Anita Oosterloo and Harry Paus; [texts] Jelle Bangma … [et al]. – Enschede : SLO, Stichting leerplanontwikkeling, 2005. – 118 p. – signature 100Fri320
- Leervorderingen in het Friese basisonderwijs : Onderzoek naar het onderwijsniveau en de leervorderingen van de leerlingen in het Friese basisonderwijs / E.C.M. van Ruijven. – Ljouwert/Leeuwarden : Fryske Akademy, 2006. – 199 p. – isbn 9789061710066 – signature 100Fri336
- Sizzen is neat…* : Theory and practice of linguistic diversity, applied to the situation in Friesland / Geertje Vissser. – Amsterdam : Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2006. – 96 p. – signature 100Fri330
- Interactief taalonderwijs op de drietalige school : stageverslag Fryske Akademy M.T. van der Meij – Ljouwert : Fryske Akademy, 2006. – 109 p. – signature 100Fri325
- Fries voor Hollanders [Electronic Resource] / Addo Stuur and Eric Jan van Dorp – [Utrecht] : Edurom, [c. 1998]. – 1 cd-rom – signature 100Fri326
- Fokus op de vergrijzing in Fryslân / [ed. by] P.Boomsma and e.Boneschansker. – Leeuwarden: FOKUS, 2005. – 151 p. – signature 100Fri327
- Meertaligheid in de sociale context ; Een onderzoek naar ‘setting’alsmede ‘de taal van de gesprekspartner’als determinanten van code-switching binnen de talige situatie van allochtone kinderen in Friesland / Myriam Sinnema. – Groningen : Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 1996. – 90 p. – signature 100Fri332
- Bibliografy fan Jehannes Ytsma (1957-2005) / [gearst.] Peter van der Meer en Durk Gorter. – Ljouwert : Fryske Akademy, 2006. – 17 p. – signature 100Fri331
- Better sichtber mear fertroud : Ûntwerp Nota frysk taalbeleid 2007-2010 / Deputearre Steaten fan Fryslân. – Ljouwert : Provinsje fryslân, 2006. – 21 p. – signature 100Fri334
- De woordenschat in het Fries en het Nederlands van kleuters in Friesland / Gerda Jongbloed. – Groningen : Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 2005. – 75 p. + 1 cd-rom – signature 100Fri333

German
- Spotlight on VET Austria / [project coord.] Sylvie Bousquet. – Thessaloniki : Cedefop, 2005. – 4 p. – signature 100S00637

Irish
- Foras na Gaeilge : Ré nua don teanga / Foras na Gaeilge – Belfast : Foras na Gaeilge, 2005. – 13 p. – signature 100Iri61
- Acht na Gaeilge do TÉ = The Irish language act N1 / [forew.] Janet Muller; [introd.] Maurice Hayes. – Béal Feirste : POBAL, [2006]. – 82 p. – signature 100Iri60
- An Chairt Eorpach do Theangacha Réigiúnacha nó Mionlaigh = The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages : The Implementation of the Charte with regard to the Irish language july 2002-2005 / [prep. By] Marcas Mac Ruairí . Béal Feirste : POBAL, [2005]. – 110 p. – signature 100Iri59

Italian
- Toscane Favelle : Lingue immigrate nella provincial di Siena / Carla Bagna, Monica Barni and Raymond Siebetchu. – Perugia : Guerra Edizione, 2004. – 141 p. + 1 cd-rom – Centro di eccelenza della ricerca. – signature 100Ita5
- Studi Italiani di linguistica teorica e applicata / [ed. by] Pia Galetto , Carlo Serra Borneto and Arianna Uguzzoni. [journal] – Roma : Studi Italiani di Linguistica Teorica e Applicata. – signature 100Ita4

Latvian
- The Latvian language in the mirror of statistics / Ilmárs Mežs – Riga : Jana seta Map Publishers, 2005. – 40 p. – signature 100Lat9

Luxembourgian
- Vocational education and training in Luxembourg : Short description / Jos Noesen. – Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2005. – 70 p. – Cedefop Panorama Series; no. 108 – signature 100Lux17

Slovenian
- The position of minority languages in Slovenia : legal aspects and everyday situation / Sonja Novak-Lukanovic . – [Ljubljana] : author, [2004]. – 16 p. – signature 100S00637

Call for papers opens for MERCATOR Media one day seminar on “Linguistic diversity and the media: strategies and resources for language acquisition”. Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff, Wales – 26 January 2007

September – Mercator Media organises a one day seminar on linguistic diversity and the media: strategies and resources for language acquisition which will take place at the Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff, Wales on the 26 January 2007.

This seminar intends to bring together experts, practitioners and interested parties to discuss the application of media to language learning. It will be an opportunity for those working in the field in the various minority communities to meet and exchange views as well as a chance to show-case leading-edge language-learning/teaching media applications.

Language learning and teaching are fundamental to efforts for the promotion of regional and minority languages. The European Commission places great emphasis on this field in its activities and its Action Plan for Linguistic Diversity and Lifelong Learning sets a framework for specific action by Member States. These include extending and improving language learning and teaching across Europe and creating a better environment for the acquisition of languages. In this context it is timely to assess the current application of media to regional and minority language acquisition.

The seminar will seek contributions to this discussion from those active as practitioners in the field of language learning resources as well as those concerned with these issues in an academic context.

Abstracts of approximately 500 words or suggestions for panel discussions should be sent to rhodri.apdyfrig@aber.ac.uk by 17 November 2006. Notification of acceptance will be sent by 15 December 2006. Written abstracts will be considered in Welsh, English, French, Spanish or German. Abstracts in other languages can be considered subject to prior agreement with the organising committee.

The languages of the seminar will be Welsh and English. Translation facilities will be available.

Possible themes for presentations might include:

• strategies for the design and production of media based language learning resources
• use of subtitles/interactive television to facilitate language learning
• applications of radio and television programmes and channels to language learning
• language learning websites
• multi-platform productions for language learners
• web applications/tools and software for aiding language learning
• new developments in book publishing for language learners
• CD-ROM and DVD productions for language learners

The symposium fee (£55) will include lunch on the 26th January, but not accommodation. Information on accommodation will be sent to those registering, including a list of local establishments to assist participants in making their own arrangements. Details will also be available on the Mercator Media website: www.aber.ac.uk/mercator.

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