The ECMI holds an official side-event on minority language media at the 2024 UN Forum for Minority Issues in Geneva, together with the European Language Equality Network
As part of the 17th session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues, held in Geneva on 28-29 November, researchers from the ECMI organised a side-event on minoritised language media together with the European Language Equality Network (ELEN). Speakers included the ECMI’s Sergiusz Bober and Craig Willis, as well as the UN Special Rapporteur Nicolas Levrat, Davyth Hicks and Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones of ELEN and also Elena Jiménez i Botías of Omnium Cultural – also an ELEN member as is the ECMI.
The hour-long event was well-attended by expert scholars and activists from across the world, given the global nature of the UNFMI’s focus and the rapporteur’s mandate, opening with an address from Nicolas Levrat which highlighted the importance of media for minority languages across the globe including its role of providing visibility to minorities to broader society as well. Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones then spoke of the possible breathing spaces created by online media in particular and also stressed the challenge of social media algorithms in ensuring their content finds the user. The ECMI’s Sergiusz Bober moved the conversation on to the context of newspapers in regional and minority languages, highlighting the unique challenges they face from digitalisation as well as pointing to positive examples of adaption. Elena Jiménez i Botías spoke on the case of Catalan, giving particular focus to issues of rising online hate speech.
Finally, Craig Willis outlined how all of these issues fit into the recently launched COST Action ‘Language Plurality in Europe’s Changing Media Sphere’ which focuses on all aspects of media in regional and minority languages. He specifically highlighted the project’s Working Group on Legislation and Standards which aims to draft a policy paper on the key regulatory challenges addressing the sector. The session then took a number of questions from the busy room, before Davyth Hicks gave closing remarks which stressed the importance of new legislation to reflect the contemporary challenges faced by minority language media outlets – including social media regulation in particular.
This event demonstrated the value in the ECMI’s ongoing membership of the European Language Equality Network (ELEN), benefiting from both its network and connections in setting up this high-profile activity within the UN. It has also provided an invaluable tool for reaching non-academic stakeholders in governance and civil society, which have helped also build the COST Action PLURILINGMEDIA.
Read ELEN’s press release here: https://elen.ngo/2024/12/03/un-forum-for-minority-issues-packed-elen-ecmi-side-event-addresses-concerns-over-minoritized-language-media/
Find out more about the COST Action PLURILINGMEDIA, here: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23105
