UWTSD to host XIX International Conference on Minority Languages (ICML) in Carmarthen

The International Conference on Minority Languages (ICML) is being held in Wales for the first time in 30 years as over two hundred delegates from around the world will descend on UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus this week (20 – 24 June).

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) will host the conference which brings academics, researchers and minority language experts together to share research, learn about new ideas in the field, network, and hear about new initiatives.

The conference commences on Wednesday (21 June) where the University’s Vice – Chancellor, Professor Medwin Hughes DL, will officially open the conference in the presence of Welsh Government’s Education and Welsh Language Minister, Jeremy MiIes MS, Professor Fernand de Varennes from the United Nations and international delegates.

Ahead of the conference, Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, commented:

“It is thirty years since the Conference was last held in Wales and we look forward to welcoming delegates from across the world to our campus here in Carmarthen.

“One of our aims in hosting the Conference in Wales is to offer delegates a real sociolinguistic experience of Welsh in its contemporary environment and an opportunity to network and build connections between researchers and practitioners. Our partners in Carmarthenshire and nationally have been extremely supportive and we very much appreciate their contribution to the richness of the programme.”

The conference’s keynote speeches will be delivered by Professor Fernand de Varennes, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Professor Durk Gorter, University of the Basque Country, Professor Vesna Crnić-Grotić, University of Rijeka and Rosa Angelica Ramirez Rodriguez, Universidad Externado de Colombia.

In his address, Professor Fernand de Varennes will focus on the precarious state of language rights of minorities which are increasingly being undermined or unrecognised in some parts of Europe.  Professor Durk Gorter will give a brief introduction to the study of linguistic landscapes in general before considering how the visibility of language is a key factor for minority language groups. In her address, Professor Vesna Crnić-Grotić, will give an overview of the main features of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and its implementation over the last 25 years.  In her address, Rosa Angelica Ramirez Rodriguez will be asking if language loss is a cause of the extinction of indigenous peoples where there will be an opportunity to highlight the plight of the Kankuamo people.

Fernand de Varennes is Visiting Professor at the Université catholique de Lyon (France), Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania) and the National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland). He was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues by the Human Rights Council and assumed his functions on 1 August 2017.  He said:

“The language rights of minorities are in a precarious state and are increasingly being undermined or unrecognised in some parts of Europe. The great strides of 30 years ago, during a time of instability and conflict, was also a period of institution-building and norm-setting which now appear to have crawled to a virtual stop - and even regression.

“We need a fundamental rethink and recommitment to the human rights of minorities – including in relation to their language rights – so that Europe’s motto of ‘Unity in Diversity’ is not simply an empty slogan, but an inclusive principle of democracy and a pillar of citizenship and identity.”

Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, Director of the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies and Chair of the International Academic Committee for the conference, added:  

“I would like to thank members of the International Academic Committee, the Organising Consortium across the University and our partner institutions for their hard work in curating this Conference.

“We have three full days with over 130 academic papers, panels and posters presented by established speakers and early career researchers, from many countries and continents.

“This international exchange of experience, ideas, theories, methodologies, case studies, contexts, findings and conclusions is extremely important as we seek to build a sustainable future for our languages and for linguistic diversity worldwide.”

The Conference Poet is Menna Elfyn with Prof Colin Williams, Emeritus Professor Cardiff University and Dr Ned Thomas announced as conference Honorary Presidents.

The next ICML will take place in Colombia, South America.

Further Information

Arwel Lloyd

Principal PR and Communications Officer   
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk     
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