RECOMMENDATION 1333 (1997)1 on the Aromanian culture and language
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1.The Assembly is concerned about the critical situation of the Aromanian culture and language, which have existed for over
two thousand years in the
2.Whereas there were over 500 000 Aromanian speakers
at the beginning of the twentieth century, there are now only about half that
number, dispersed through Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, "the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia" and Serbia, which are their home countries, as well
as Romania, Germany, the United States of America and Australia. Most of them
are elderly. Aromanian, as a minority language, is
under threat.
3.The scale of the problem has become evident since
the extension of cultural co-operation to the Balkans, the home of Aromanian.
4.The Aromanian language and
culture are facing a similar fate to that of many European cultures which are
becoming or have become extinct. However, the acceptance of a pluralist system
of cultural values is a prerequisite for stability in
5.The Aromanians make no
political demands, but merely want assistance in safeguarding their language
and culture, which seem doomed to extinction unless the European institutions,
and the Council of Europe in particular, come to their aid.
6.The Assembly recalls the texts which it has adopted on related matters,
notably Recommendation 928 (1981) on the educational and cultural problems of
minority
languages and dialects in Europe, Recommendation 1283 (1996) on history and the
learning of history in Europe, and Recommendation 1291 (1996) on Yiddish
culture.
7.The latter text recommended setting up, under the
auspices of the Council of Europe, a "laboratory for dispersed ethnic
minorities" with a mandate, inter alia, to
promote the survival of minority cultures or their memory, carry out surveys of
persons still speaking minority languages, record, collect and preserve their
monuments and evidence of their language and folklore, publish basic documents
and promote legislation to protect minority cultures against discrimination or
annihilation.
8.The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:
i.encourage Balkan states which comprise Aromanian communities to sign, ratify and implement the
European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages and invite them to support
the Aromanians, particularly in the following fields:
a. education in their mother tongue,
b. religious services in Aromanian in their churches,
c.newspapers, magazines and radio and television programmes in Aromanian,
d. support for their cultural associations;
ii.invite the other member states to support the Aromanian language, for instance by creating university
professorships in the subject and disseminating the most interesting products
of Aromanian culture throughout Europe by means of
translations, anthologies, courses, exhibitions and theatrical productions;
iii.introduce fellowships for artists, writers,
researchers and students from Aromanian minority
groups throughout the Balkans, so that they can engage in appropriate creative
work in the fields of Aromanian language and culture;
iv.request the Council for Cultural Co-operation,
working together with recognised Aromanian
academic centres to ensure co-ordination of Aromanian cultural centres
throughout Europe;
v.invite the education ministers of member states to
include the history of Aromanian in European history
books;
vi.seek to establish co-operation and partnership
with organisations, foundations and other interested
bodies in the private sector with a view to implementing these recommendations;
vii.take account of Aromanian
culture in its follow-up to Recommendation 1291 (1996), particularly where the
"laboratory for dispersed ethnic minorities" is concerned.
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1. Assembly debate on