Plataforma per la Llengua has been re-elected for another year as a member of the Steering Committee of the European Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (NPLD) in the context of its annual General Assembly, which took place in Pamplona on Thursday 8 May, combined with its annual conference, held on Friday. Maria de Lluc Muñoz, Plataforma per la Llengua's international expert, represented the organisation at the conference, which elected Anna Jungner-Nordgren as the new Chair and Roger Serra, from the Government of Catalonia, as the new Vice-Chair. The Euskarabidea (Navarrese Basque Language Institute), an agency of the Government of Navarre, hosted the get-together, which the network organises each year in a different location.
The NPLD meeting began on Thursday 8 May with the General Assembly, where elections were held to choose the members of the Steering Committee. This committee, which held the first of its two annual meetings alongside the assembly, consists of permanent members - governments - and associate members such as universities and organisations. The latter are renewed every year. This year, the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair have also been renewed, and Anna Jungner-Nordgren, until now Vice-Chair, has become Chair of the network, replacing Bartomeu Riera, who was there representing the Government of the Balearic Islands.
Jungner-Nordgren is a member of NPLD representing Folktinget, the consultative parliament of Finland's Swedish-speaking minority. Meanwhile, the vacant position of Vice-Chair will now be occupied by Roger Serra, general director of language policy in the technological and audiovisual fields with the Government of Catalonia.
Reception at the Palace of Navarre and conference on the sustainable development of areas with many minority language speakers
On Wednesday 7 May, in the afternoon, the representatives of the organisations were received in the Throne Room of the Palace of Navarre, the headquarters of the Government of Navarre, by Ana Ollo, Deputy Prime Minister of Navarre and Minister for Memory and Coexistence, Foreign Action and the Basque Language. The meeting continued the next day (Thursday) with the annual General Assembly, and it culminated on Friday, with a day exploring ways that regions with a high concentration of speakers of minoritised languages can serve as a model for sustainable linguistic and regional development.
After a welcome by Mikel Etxebarria, the other Vice-Chair of NPLD; Anna Solé, an expert in multilingualism from the European Commission; and Ana Ollo, the Vice-Chair from Navarre, it was time for the opening talk, by Maddi Dorronsoro. A researcher at the European Centre for Minority Issues(ECMI), she has looked into key issues for minoritised languages, from definition to everyday experiences. The second talk was given by Miren Segurola, from UEMA (the Association of Basque-Speaking Municipalities), who spoke about the "arnasguneak" (municipalities where there are Basque-speaking majorities) as fundamental areas for revitalising the Basque language.
From mid-morning onwards, different cases from across Europe were presented. Sabrina Rasom, from the Majon di Fascegn Ladin Cultural Institute, spoke about the Ladin valleys as a multicultural laboratory, and Bethan Webb, from the Welsh Government, dealt with the linguistically important areas of greatest density. Meanwhile, Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and President of the European organisation ELEN, explained the community language revitalisation case of Prositec BRO; and Irati Odriozola and Kristina Urrutia, from UEMA and Leitza Municipal Council, shared the particular case of Basque in Leitza and reflected on the interculturality of the municipality. Goizane Arana and Leire Mitxelena, from UEMA and Arantza Municipal Council, explained how the language impact of an urban plan should be assessed and how this has been done in Arantza; and Eoin Ó Droighneáin, from the Irish government, analysed the language planning process in Ireland and how the government supports the vitality of the Gaeltacht (the Irish-speaking regions). Jabi Arakama Urtiaga, Managing Director of Euskarabidea (the Navarrese Institute of the Basque Language), closed the conference.
The event reaffirmed the role of Plataforma per la Llengua within the NPLD network and in protecting the rights of the Catalan-speaking language minority. Being re-elected as a member of the Steering Committee is also a new opportunity for continuing to protect Catalan internationally.
The Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity: a European network to advise institutions and stimulate language diversity
Plataforma per la Llengua has been part of the Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (NPLD), representing Catalan speakers, since 2016. In 2018 it was also chosen as member of the network's Steering Committee, and this was reconfirmed in 2023. The NPLD's aim is to advise governments in developing language policies that encourage diversity, promote cooperation between associations representing linguistic minorities, and protect the speakers of minoritised languages.
The NPDL also has a direct influence on the European Council, one of the European Union's main decision-making bodies, and a direct relationship with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, ensuring that language diversity is taken into account in all European bodies.
