Discussion on the strategic project ‘Jezik-Lingua’

Ljubljana, 3.7.2012  |  press release

President of the Republic, Dr Danilo Türk, discussed the strategic project ‘Jezik-Lingua: multilingualism as a value and the importance of the border between Italy and Slovenia’ with representatives of umbrella organisations of the Slovenian minority community in Italy and the Italian minority community in Slovenia. The project, financed from European funds, is intended to promote the use of Italian and Slovenian and to improve knowledge of culture and tradition with the aid of the valuable characteristics of a region which includes two minorities.

In the press release following the discussion, President of the Republic stated that he had discussed the progress made in the implementation of the ‘Jezik-Lingua’ project with the representatives of both minority communities. He highlighted that the project had already produced very good practical results which differ according to the needs of individual environments. He further explained that these results in the Province of Udine relate to education, while on the Slovenian coast, the results can be seen in the promotion of culture and literature.

President stressed that this project was not a substitute for activities which are needed to define the position of the minorities. These efforts must be conducted independently and in accordance with existing agreements. According to the President, the ‘Jezik-Lingua’ project adds a new cultural dimension to the cooperation between Slovenia and Italy and is an important example of how relations between ethnic groups in Europe can be arranged in new ways, and can consequently also manage the development of linguistic pluralism. This is what Europe needs, added the President.

New projects which connect this area - among which, the President mentioned the project ‘the Walk of Peace from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea’ - will have to be interwoven with our mutual efforts for the development of the European Union, which is currently experiencing very challenging times. And in such times, Slovenia and Italy are actively interested in ‘more Europe’, President Türk said, who expressed his belief that on this basis the countries have a lot in common.