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Council of Europe publishes report on regional or minority languages in Finland

Strasbourg, 14 March 2012. The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has today made public the fourth report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Finland. The report has been drawn up by a committee of independent experts, which monitors the application of the Charter.
On the basis of this report, the Council of Europe calls on Finland to further strengthen education in Sámi, notably through the development of a structured policy and a long-term financing scheme. Urgent measures to protect and promote Inari and Skolt Sámi, in particular by means of the provision of language nests on a permanent basis, should also be taken.
The Council of Europe also recommends the Finnish authorities to take further measures to ensure the accessibility of social and health care in Swedish and Sámi.
The Finnish authorities are also called upon to develop and implement innovative strategies for the training of Romani teachers, extend the production of teaching materials in Romani and increase the provision of teaching of Romani.
Furthermore, the Council of Europe recommends to take measures to increase awareness and tolerance vis-à-vis the regional or minority languages of Finland, both in the general curriculum at all stages of education and in the media.
The full report and Committee of Ministers' recommendations can be downloaded from the Charter website (www.coe.int/minlang) (in the "Documents" section). Further information can also be found on the Charter’s website or by contacting the Charter Secretariat (Council of Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg, minlang.secretariat@coe.int, tel. +33 (0)3 90 21 44 66).