Bucharest Declaration to the Republic of France for the recognition of linguistic diversity

Bucharest October 10th 2015

The General Assembly of ELEN supports the endangered languages and cultures of France and the demonstrations of October 24th

Meeting in Bucharest October 10th, 2015, the general assembly of the European Language Equality Network supports the movements of civil society and local and regional institutions working in France for the full legal recognition of their linguistic and cultural communities in mainland France and in overseas territories. It welcomes the demonstrations taking place in various jurisdictions on October 24th including in Alsace, Brittany, Corsica, Occitan and the Basque Country. 

It recalls that the European Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. It respects its rich cultural and linguistic diversity. 

ELEN regrets that the centralized authority of France, from the monarchy to the present day, has pursued policies which favour the eradication of distinct languages and cultures, whose aim is the imposition of a single language and culture at the expense of rich linguistic and cultural diversity. 

Despite some changes, and some concessions gained through societal pressure in education and the media in particular, the state still recognizes only one official language and culture, thus basing the concept of French nationality on ethnic criteria, rather than those of political citizenship.  

In accordance with human fundamental rights, of which France is regularly reminded by the various organs of the European Human Rights and the United Nations, including the Human Rights Committee in July 2015, the General Assembly of ELEN asks the French State to recognize in law the different linguistic and cultural components of the French Republic and give them the means to exist and develop in order to continue to build a truly democratic Europe and support the values upon which Europe and France declare themselves to be founded. 

European Language Equality Network (ELEN)

6 plasenn Gwirioù Mab-Den / place des Droits de l'Homme

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- (voir le site) of Kevre Breizh

French version: (voir notre article)