Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones addresses United Nations

The Director of the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies participated in a Specialist Panel during the UN’s 15^th Forum on Minority Issues.

Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, Director of the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies participated in a panel of international experts on minoritized languages during the United Nations’ 15^th Forum on Minority Issues held in Geneva at the beginning of the month.

The Panel, entitled ‘Language rights of speakers of minoritized languages : challenges, good practice and recommendations’, was organised by the Government of Catalonia and chaired by the Secretary of Language Policy, F. Xavier Vila. The Panel also included Professor Jasone Cenoz (University of the Basque Country), Professor François Grin (University of Geneva) and Dr Avel.lí Flors Mas (University of Barcelona).

Professor Jones, who is also President of ELEN (European Language Equality Network), said :

The Forum is an important opportunity to hold governments to account for their policies and actions concerning the minorities that exist within their states The contributions of both academics and activists are key to this international dialogue to improve overall conditions, to enhance equality and to eliminate discrimination and persecution.

During the two-day Forum, the focus was on discussions and reports concerning several aspects of linguistic, cultural, religious, ethnic and national identities in all parts of the world.

This year’s Forum also marked the 30^th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Minority Rights