EDITORIAL

In this issue, we include a text which aims at introducing the Friulian language in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s education system. Presented by four regional councilors, the draft bill intends to provide the language with the appropriate administrative arrangements, eradicate precariety and the provisional situation the teaching of the language undergoes and enter a period of consolidation throughout the Friulan territory. To do so, the proposal foresees going a step further and making Friulan compulsory in school, which goes beyond the provisions of Act 482/1999 that established that Friulan could be taught only with the parents’ consent. It also foresees the education in Friulan through other subjects instead of learning the language on a one-hour a week basis. The proposal establishes the setting up of a permanent Commission in charge of organizing appropriate training for language staff and the designing curriculums, and sets out a plan to improve the funding to implement the law.

With regard to the international framework, we present a Council of Europe resolution on the implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by the Slovak Republic and the recommendation RecChL(2006)4 of the Committee of Ministres on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages by Sweden. Last but not least, we publish an interesting resolution issued by the European Parliament on the integration of immigrants in Europe through schools and multilingual education, which may shed some light on the controversial debate on immigration and social integration.