New NPLD Chair: Patxi Baztarrika, Vice-Minister for Language Policy at the Basque Country

Patxi Baztarrika, Vice-Minister for Language Policy at the Basque Country and Alex Riemersma, from the Province of Friesland have been elected Chair and Vice-Chair of the NPLD. Mr. Baztarrika will occupy the post over the next 3 years while Mr. Riemersma will do so for the next couple of years. The NPLD’S Chair will be in charge of providing leadership to the NPLD as well as setting the priorities and action plans of the Network over the next few years.

Patxi Baztarrika has emphasized the need to give a strong message to Europe and claim the vibrancy of Constitutional, Regional and Small-State languages. All the languages need to be included in the rhetoric of growth and jobs but languages are much more than that. They are closely linked to social cohesion, to the identity and values of people. Along the same lines, Mr. Baztarrika has insisted on the need is to work more closely with the European institutions but also to get to know more about each other’s linguistic realities, share best practices and make the case for lesser-used languages in Europe.

Boarne: NPLD