Lennart Rohdin

LEARNME workshop 2, Stockholm, 8-9 May, 2014

Member of the Minority Languages Committee

(1996-97) (SOU 1997:193)

Political Advisor to the Minister Nyamko Sabuni

(2007-2010). Heading the Reform of the National

Minority Policies (Prop. 2008/09:158)

Head of the Unity for Minority Affairs, County Adm.

Board of Stockholm County (2010-2012)

Consultant on National Minority Affairs (2013- )

European Convention on Human Rights (1950)

European Charter for Regional or Minority

Languages (1992)

Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the

Protection af National Minorities (1995)

The Sami People - an Indigenous People in Sweden

(Parliament, 1977)

The Sami Parliament (Parliament, 1993)

Special status of the Finnish Language in Sweden

(Parliament, 1994)

Minority Language

Jews Yiddish

Roma Romani Chib (all Varieties)

Sami Sami (all Varieties)

Sweden Finns Finnish

Tornedalers Meänkieli (all Varieties)

Differs Linguistically and Culturally from the

Majority Population

Historical Presence in Sweden

A Current Expressed Affinity and Wish to Maintain

its Identity

Article 8 – Education

Sweden only ratified the paragraphs on pre-school

education, preliminary education, secondary

education, technical and vocational education,

university and other higher education as well as adult

and continuing education courses according to the

lowest requirements of the Charter.

Based on Self Identification

No Official Registration or Statistics on Etnical

Grounds in Sweden

Reason’s of Integrity and History

There are approx. at least 700.000 Inhabitants in

Sweden with Minority Background – Every 10th

”A Late Recognition of Our Country’s Historical

National Minoritie’s Jews, Roma, Sami, Sweden

Finns and Tornedalers and Their Languages, but

also of Our Common Cultural Heritage. A

Recognition of Groups that have been made

Invisible and Oppressed during Long Times”

(prop. 2008/2009:158)

The Language Act (July 1st, 2009)

The Act on National Minorities and Minority

Languages (January 1st, 2010)

Swedish is the Official Language of Sweden

Five Recognised National Minority Languages -

Yiddish, Romani Chib, Finnish, Sami & Meänkieli

In Addition also the Sign Language

Chapter 1, Section 2

”The Sami People’s and etnical, linguistical and

religious Minoritie’s opportunities to maintain and

develope their own cultural and community life

should be promoted.”

Covers all Sweden for all Five National Minorities

Core Regulations = Basic Protection Rights

In Addition Elevated Protection for Sami, Finnish

and Meänkieli (Territorial Languages) within

Administrative Areas (AA) and with Certain

Authorities

Section 3 ”When needed, administrative authorities

shall, in a suitable manner, inform the national

minorities about their rights according to this Act.”

Section 4 ”Public institutions have a special

responsibility for protecting and promoting the

national minority languages.

Public institutions shall also otherwise promote the

national minorities’ possibilities of maintaining and

develop their cultures in Sweden.

Particular attention shall be given to promoting

opportunities for children to develop their cultural

identity and the use of their own minority language.”

The National Minorities shall have the possibility to

reclaim, use and develop their Mother Tongue and

develop their own cultural identity.

The National Minorities shall be able to transfer

their Minority Language and their Culture to the

Next Generation.

The National Minority Languages, part of Sweden’s

Cultural Heritage, shall be possible to maintain and

develop as Living Languages in Sweden.

According to the School Act (2010:800):

One student is Enough in the Local Community

Not Necessary that the Language shall be a ”Living

Language at Home”

From 2015 NM Language also Possible as

Beginner’s Language Without Basic Knowledge

Goal

”The school is responsible for every student leaving

compulsory school having knowledge about the

national minorities (Jews, Roma, the indigenous Sami

people, Sweden Finns and Tornedalers) and their

culture, language, religion and history.”

Section 5 ”Administrative authorities shall give the

National minorities the opportunity to influence

matters which concern them and shall, as far as

possible, consult with representatives for the

minoritities in such matters.”

Service in Sami, Finnish and/or Meänkieli Language

in Matters Related to the Administrative Area, when

the Person so Requests

Pre-schools and Elderly Care wholly or partly in

Sami, Finnish and/or Meänkieli Language

State Subsidy for Additional Costs Caused by the

Act on National Minorities and Minority Languages

Relates to the Language – Finnish Roma are

Included in AA for the Finnish Language

7 Local Governments in Northern Sweden (2000-

2009)

31 Additional Local Governments from 2010

31 Local Governments have joined on their own

request since 2010

7 Additional Local Governments are Pending

Government Decision to Join from 2015

When at least One Local Government within a

County is Included in a AA, the County Council is

Automatically Included in that AA (13 of 21)

IMG_3392

County Administrative Board of Stockholm County

Sami Parliament

Delivers a Joint Report to the Government on How

Local and Regional Governments as well as other

Authorities Implement the Act on National Minorities

and Minority Languages.

Few of the 68 Local Governments in Administrative

Areas Fulfill their Duties visavi the Non-AA Minority

Languages

Very Few of the Remaining 222 Local Governments

Outside the Administrative Areas Fullfill their

Duties to any of the Minority Languages

Sanctions ? ? ?

Pre-school education

Elderly Care

The Charter Says ”a Substantial Part of”

Even the National Educational Authorities Accept a

Minimalistic Interpretation

Lack of Training of Teachers

Lack of Training of Pre-school Teachers

Lack of Teaching Media

Absence of Rules for Distance Tuition

Insufficient Measures from the Government

Yiddish is Discriminated by the Government

and Left Aside when taking Measures for the

Minority Languages

Geographical Rearrangement of Universities

Responsible for Teacher Training

Closing of The Archive of Dialectology, Onomastics

and Folklore in Umea

Responsible Ministers: ”Internal Organisational

Matter of the Agency”

T h a n k

Y o u !