New Thematic Commentary on Education was published

During the plenary meeting of the Advisory Committee that took place in October in Strasbourg, Prof. Dr. Petra Roter, president of Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities chaired a round table promoting the publication of the new Thematic Commentary on Education under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which she helped prepare as part of the working group dedicated to this task.

The Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities is the only multilateral international treaty on the management of ethnic heterogeneity through minority rights. It establishes international norms (minority rights as an integral part of human rights) to ensure the equality of all individuals, including opportunities for the free expression, preservation and development of minority identities, for the integration of diverse societies and for international peace and stability.

The thematic commentary on education analyses the role and importance of education for the governance of diverse societies. Based on the opinions of the Advisory Committee (opinions are documents in which the Advisory Committee analyses the implementation of the Framework Convention in the Contracting Parties and makes recommendations to remove obstacles and to improve the implementation of the provisions of the Framework Convention), the thematic commentary on education explains that States must ensure equal access to quality education for all, including members of national minorities, and that the educational process plays an important role both for the expression, preservation and development of minority identities and for the integration of diverse societies.

In the area of language use, this means that, on the one hand, members of minorities have the right to learn their minority language or to receive education in that language, and, on the other, they also have the right to learn the official language or languages. The same applies to educational content, which must also contain information on the presence of minorities and their diverse members, and this information must be accessible to all, as it is essential for all the inhabitants of a country to be aware of the existence of diversity, which is an integral part of all modern societies.

Learn more about this on the link.

Photo: Council of Europe