MINORITIES AS SOCIAL WEALTH or LESS IS MORE? (the example of ITALY) Tinkara Mihacic, Natasa Sekoranja

THE SITUATION IN EUROPE Europe is a very heterogeneous continent; most of European countries have one or more minorities on their territories (see the map), the respect of cultural and linguistic diversity is assured by The Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states:

Art. 2 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin. (…) several documents were addopted by the EU bodies:  The European Parliament:

 Resolution on a Community Charter of Regional Languages and Cultures and on a Charter of Rights of Ethnic Minorities (Arfe Resolution, 1981),  Resolution on the Languages and Cultures of Regional and Ethnic Minorities in the European Community (Kuijpers Resolution, 1987),  Resolution on Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (Killilea Resolution, 1993)

 The Council of Europe:  European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (1992),  Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995). all the documents stress that regional or minority languages are an expression of cultural wealth and have to be promoted in order to safeguard them.

THE SITUATION IN ITALY Italy is a member of the EU, the State signed the Charter on 27/6/2000 but has not ratificated untill today, a first step toward the preservation of minorities is the Law 482 approved on 15/12/1999:

Art. 2 In concordance with the article 6 of the Constitution and the general principles addopted by the European entities the State preserves the language and the culture of the Albanian, Greek, Catalan, German, Slovene, French, Franco-provençal, Friulan, Ladin, Occitan and Sardinian population. Art. 6 of the Constitution states: The State promotes with special norms the welfare of the linguistic minorities.

Figure 1: A frequent presentation of Italian dialects and other languages.

Figure 2: A more detailed presentation of the languages in Italy.

MINORITY POLICIES – A HISTORICAL REVIEW 1861: formation of the Kingdom of Italy  “one State, one language”; only the francophone population is recognized as minority, 1866: with the plebiscite Italy obtained areas populated by Slovenes, Germans and Friulans  assimilation is forced, the fascism era: minority languages were banned from schools, administration, media and graveyards.

Italians were sent to multilingual territories in order to change the language structure. The post war era: the resolution of 6/2/1946 states that minorities will form up distinctive territorial units organized in such way that the use of language, development of culture, the respect of cultural heritage and traditions and local interests will be guaranteed.

Territorial units are (regions with special statutes): Valle d’Aosta, Alto Adige, Friuli – Venezia Giulia. after the Italian economic boom minorities have started to die (emigration!),

OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED MINORITIES  the FRANCOPHONES approximately persons, there are special rights only for the Franco- provençal population of Valle d’Aosta, 26/2/1948 (before the Constitution!): parification of the Italian and French language, all signs are in French although people speak a Franco-provençal dialect!

Figure 3: The official web site of the region Valle d’Aosta.

 the GERMANS the minority with the most rights, approximately persons, 5/9/1946 De Gasperi-Gruber arrangement (Italy can keep Alto Adige only if it preserves the german minority), terrorism, Austria claimed in the UN court the application of the arrangement, 20/1/1974 the arrangement is enacted.

Figure 4: A bilingual public sign in Pustertal (Val Pusteria).

 the SLOVENES approximately persons, Friuli – Venezia Giulia, 10/2/1947 treaty between Italy, USA, GB and Yugoslavia, but no rights for the minority  italianization, Law 38 approved on 23/2/2001: Norms for the Preservation of the Slovenian Linguistic Minority in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, bilingualism is in fact applicated only in rural towns and in Trieste’s suburbs.

Figure 5: The web site of the Slovenian Research Institute in Trieste.

MINORITIES THAT ARE NOT OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED Albanians, Greeks, Occitanians, Friulans, Ladinians, Catalans, Croatians, Sardinians, Roma and Sinti, the Law 482 is not applicable to Roma and Sinti! laws for the protection of the Sardinians and the Albanians have not passed.

CONCLUSION ITALY the EUROPEAN UNION Constitution and several laws preserve linguistic minorities Minorities are cultural wealth = Laws and regions’ statutes were forced by bilateral post war agreements Little rights & a not effective application of the Constitution

differences between national minorities by the borders (where protection is guaranteed by international treaties) and other “internal” linguistic minorities with sporadic protection on local levels, the solution is to be searched for in a greater decentralization and flexibility of social, economic and political life, there is a need for an updated minority policy.

“THE CUT LANGUAGES” The history of linguistic minorities in Italy.