Minister of Culture Barbara Klepsch in conversation with the Sorbian umbrella organization Domowina about structural change and language areas
14.01.2022
(Joint press release by Domowina and the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism)
A positive balance of the almost two-year campaign “Sorbian? Of course.” of the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism, Domowina Chairman Dawid Statnik and the State Minister for Culture and Tourism Barbara Klepsch drew during a working meeting in Dresden. The new managing director of the Sorbian umbrella organization Judit Šołćina / Scholze also took part in the discussion.
There was agreement that the campaign would make a visible and tangible contribution to a social atmosphere of natural German-Sorbian bilingualism in Lusatia. It is now important, for example in bilingual signage in public spaces, to ensure that the Sorbian language is given equal weight, step by step and in a targeted manner, e.g. B. in the case of the cycle paths, which are becoming increasingly important for tourism. In this context, Domowina suggests that authorities also communicate more in Sorbian when concerns are raised in Sorbian.
The discussion also focused on improving the working conditions of the Council for Sorbian Affairs. There was consensus on the goal of finding a budgetary solution before the end of this legislative period.
It is important that the honorary members of the committee receive the extended support of an office in their advisory function to the state parliament and state government on legislation and regulations in view of the increasing complexity of the tasks and greater use of the Sorbian language.
The inclusion of Sorbian projects in the promotion of structural change is a matter close to the heart of both the minister and Domowina. Minister of State Klepsch emphasized that in addition to the Council for Sorbian Affairs, the Foundation for the Sorbian People, the experts and municipalities, the participation of Domowina as the representative of the Sorbian people in the decision-making processes plays an important role in the participation of the committed Sorbian civil society in further development the Lausitz games.
Minister of State Barbara Klepsch explained after the meeting: "Saxony, Brandenburg and the federal government have created good framework conditions for the support of the Sorbian language, culture and tradition with the applicable legal and financial regulations. Even if improvements in the framework conditions are still conceivable and perhaps desirable, the priority at present is to fill the good framework conditions with life. This includes, for example, even more young people deciding to become teachers at a Sorbian school or attracting even more people interested in Sorbian language courses.”
Domowina Chairman Dawid Statnik: “The Free State of Saxony has already set out early on to bring the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages to life. This also included updating the action plan to encourage and stimulate the use of the Sorbian language. In everyday life, however, we all still have reserves, which also requires more courage to actually use existing rights. It is all the more important that the public sector itself offers the Sorbian language even more and thus actively encourages it. The structural change will be the touchstone for the creation of new Sorbian language areas and the claim of the Sorbian people to shape their place in the future of the country with self-confidence.”
(Contact person from the Ministry: Jörg Förster, Tel.: 0351/564-60620, presse.kt@smwk.sachsen.de)
