MINELRES: EBLUL chosen to represent civil society in language and minority issues in front of the Convention hearing

[Margret Oberhofer]

PRESS RELEASE

EBLUL chosen to represent civil society in language and minority issues in
front of the Convention hearing

Brussels, 13.06.02 � The European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL)
was participating at yesterday�s meeting of the Contact Group for Culture at
the European Convention, chaired by its Vice-president Alojz Peterle. At the
meeting EBLUL was chosen to represent the civil society in the issue of
languages and minorities at the Convention hearing on the 24 and 25 of June
2002.

�Identity and European Citizenship� was the main topic, under which several
organisations representing the civil society were invited to speak at
yesterdays� meeting in the European Parliament.  With its presence EBLUL
wanted to guarantee that the linguistic diversity in general, and
lesser-used languages in particular, are playing an important role also in
the future of Europe.

 �Europe is not a melting pot of cultures and languages. Real European
citizenship means to respect the diversity of languages and cultures within
the European Union. In this sense lesser-used languages need to be respected
in an appropriate way�, said Bojan Brezigar, President of the European
Bureau for Lesser Used Languages.

�Our expectation for the outcome of the Convention is very simple: Article
22 of the EU-Charter of Fundamental Rights, stating that the European Union
shall respect linguistic diversity should get its full meaning. The article
should not only remain an empty phrase but be taken into account in everyday
political practise.�

The European Convention was convened by the European Council at its meeting
in Laeken in December 2001. The task of the Convention is to pave the way
for the next Intergovernmental Conference in 2004 by discussing the key
questions on the future of the European Union as broadly and openly as
possible. To carry out this mission successfully, the Convention invited
representatives of civil society to hear their expectations and demands of
European society with regard to the future shape of Europe, its organisation
and the way it works.

Chairman Alojz PETERLE stressed the importance of this process: �We need
this partnership in a common responsibility for the future of Europe. Civil
societies are the bridge to the citizens of the Union. I can�t imagine this
Convention to be a success without the close cooperation with the
representatives of civil society.�

EBLUL has participated in the Debate on the Future of the European Union
from the beginning with several resolutions and statements (see:
www.eblul.org/futurum). Because of its strong involvement in the
future-debate EBLUL has been registered on the list of participants to the
Convention-Forum.

EUROPEAN BUREAU FOR
LESSER USED LANGUAGES (EBLUL)
www.eblul.org

Rue Saint-Josse 49/Sint-Jooststraat 49
B-1210 Bruxelles/Brussel


TEL: 0032/2/ 250 31 64
FAX: 0032/2/ 218 19 74