European Language Equality Network
 | |
| Abbreviation | ELEN |
|---|---|
| Established | 2011 |
| Legal status | non-governmental organization |
| Purpose | promotion of lesser-used languages in Europe |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 48°16′41″N 3°34′22″W / 48.27810°N 3.57290°W |
Region | Europe |
| Website | elen |
The European Language Equality Network (ELEN) is an international non-governmental organization that is active at the European level[1] which works to protect and promote European lesser-used languages (lesser-used languages), i.e. regional languages, minority languages, endangered languages, co-official languages and national languages of small nations. As of 2025, it states that 174 member organisations representing 50 languages in 25 European states, constitutes its network. This includes many language NGOs as well as academic institutions.
History
[edit]ELEN was formed after the closure of EBLUL, European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages, a non-governmental organization with similar goals founded in 1982 and closed in 2010[2] The Secretary-General of ELEN has been Davyth Hicks since its foundation and its current president is Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, elected in 2021.[3]
General Assembly
[edit]ELEN holds an annual general assembly in a different location each year. The most recent editions were:
2025: Barcelona, Catalonia.
2024: Bilbao, the Basque Country[4]
2023: Cagliari, Sardinia[5]
2022: Cardiff, Wales[6]
2021: Santiago de Compostela, Galicia[7]
The next general assembly is to be held in Belfast in Ireland in 2026.
References
[edit]- ^ "European Language Equality Network calls on the EU to levy sanctions against discrimination towards Catalan". Catalan News. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ Gál, Kinga; Hicks, Davyth (1 December 2010). "The European Parliament Intergroup for Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages, 2009–2014". Europäisches Journal für Minderheitenfragen. 3 (3): 236–250. doi:10.1007/s12241-010-0087-3. ISSN 1865-1097.
- ^ Ontwerpers, BW H. "Afûk » Elin Haf Gruffydd-Jones new president of ELEN". Afûk (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 April 2025.
- ^ "ELEN General Assembly 2024 - Euskalgintzaren Kontseilua". 15 July 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
- ^ "ELEN General Assembly 2023 – Arvéschida" (in Italian). Retrieved 18 April 2025.
- ^ "The ELEN network asks the French State not to persecute councils that allow full meetings to be addressed in Catalan | News of Plataforma per la Llengua". Plataforma per la Llengua. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
- ^ "IAITH attends the ELEN General Assembly | Iaith". www.iaith.cymru. Retrieved 18 April 2025.