OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) holds capacity-building workshop for Georgia’s State Language Department

TBILISI, 27 November 2018 – The Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities conducted a capacity-building workshop for the State Language Department of Georgia.

This was a practical follow-up to High Commissioner Lamberto Zannier’s meeting with the Chairman of the State Language Department, Giorgi Alibegashvili, during his visit to Georgia in September 2018, as well as to the HCNM’s prior engagement in providing advice to Georgia’s Parliament in drafting the Law on the State Language, which provided the basis for the establishment of the Department.

HCNM staff shared best practices on language policies and standards in OSCE participating States, based upon a balanced approach in the promotion of the state language and minority languages, particularly in the public sphere and education. This approach is reflected in the HCNM’s thematic recommendations, particularly The Oslo Recommendations regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities (1998), and the belief that respect for linguistic diversity contributes to a peaceful and stable society.

Eleri James, Senior Infrastructure and Research Officer at the Welsh Language Commissioner, presented her office’s role and experience in the promotion of the Welsh language. Sergiu Constantin, Researcher at the Institute for Minority Rights, Eurac Research, presented South Tyrol’s linguistic diversity governance focusing on education, public administration, judiciary and the media.

The workshop was helpful to assess the needs and priorities of the State Language Department to assist it in its medium-term planning process, and to discuss avenues for possible future co-operation.