by InTrieste
Representatives from the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities visited Trieste on Tuesday as part of a broader review of Italy’s compliance with international standards on minority rights.
The delegation met with the Regional Councillor for Local Autonomies of Friuli Venezia Giulia, along with the mayor of Trieste, the director of the Regional Agency for the Friulian Language (ARLeF), and other local stakeholders. Discussions centered on the region’s efforts to promote and protect its minority languages—Friulian, Slovenian, and German—through education, public services, and policy initiatives.
Friuli Venezia Giulia is one of Italy’s five autonomous regions and is distinguished by its multilingual landscape. In addition to Italian, the region officially recognizes Friulian, Slovenian, and German. Regional officials emphasized that this linguistic diversity has helped shape its unique legal and cultural identity.
During the meeting, the councillor highlighted several programs aimed at fostering minority language use in everyday life, including language service desks that assist speakers of Friulian and Slovenian in their interactions with local government. Officials also noted regional funding for school programs that incorporate minority language instruction.
One initiative singled out during the visit was the recent opening of the region’s first quadrilingual school in Tarvisio, which offers instruction in Italian, Friulian, Slovenian, and German.
The Trieste visit is part of the committee’s ongoing evaluation of Italy’s implementation of the Framework Convention, following the Ministry of the Interior’s release of the country’s sixth official report in 2024. In the coming days, the Council of Europe delegation will continue its tour across Italy, meeting with government representatives, organizations, and communities involved in minority rights advocacy.
Regional officials announced that a series of conferences will take place across Friuli Venezia Giulia in 2025 to assess and share progress in the promotion and protection of minority languages. The cycle will culminate in a final meeting to review best practices and explore strategies for future development.
