Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities visited Molise Croatian minority

19.11.2021

On 17th November 2021 a delegation of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities visited Molise Croatian minority for the 5th monitoring visit to Italy.

The Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention visits each member state every five years in order to evaluate how they protect and implement the Framework Convention. Italy ratified the Framework Convention in 1997 and the last visit to Italy took place in 2015.

From 15th to 19th November 2021 the delegation held meetings in Turin, Naples, Montemitro and Rome with representatives of the government, civil society and representatives of national minorities to discuss the implementation of the Framework Convention.

The delegation of the Advisory Committee met representatives of the local and regional government and representatives of Molise Croatian minority in Montemitro and exchanged opinions about how Molise Croatians preserve their cultural heritage and their croatian language. Beside the host, the Foundation “Agostina Piccoli“, attended the meeting the Mayors of Molise Croatian towns, Sergio Sammartino, Francesco Trolio, Fausto Bellucci and Paolo Cirulli, school director Tamara Isler, the President of the Province of Campobasso Francesco Roberti and the Councilor for culture at the Region of Molise Vincenzo Cotugno. The exchange was lively and intense. The delegation listened to the Molise Croatian representatives, had very concrete and targed questions and collected information about learning Molise Croatian and Croatian language at school and university, ongoing projects, project fundings, scientific research on Molise Croatian language and culture, population issues, local economy challenges and infrastructural challenges.

After this visit, the Advisory Committee will draw up the 5th opinion on the implementation of the Framework Convention in Italy and on which the authorities will be invited to comment. The opinion is expected to be adopted and published in 2022 and the monitoring cycle will close when the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopts a Resolution on the implementation of the Framework Convention by Italy.

Text prepared by: Francesca Sammartino, Foundation Agostina Piccoli 

Photos: Foundation Agostina Piccoli