Action plan for matters concerning the Icelandic language
"The Icelandic language is the foundation of everything we do and stand for, but we need a genuine change in attitude in many areas of society regarding its status and development. This task calls for many hands to do good work. We have now defined certain priorities and cooperation projects related to this in a new action plan – I hope that the matter will quickly be placed on the agenda of Parliament and that we achieve a good discussion on this important issue," says Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir Minister of Culture and Business Affairs.
An action plan on matters concerning the Icelandic language will be presented as a parliamentary resolution proposal in the Althingi in the coming days. The Ministerial Committee on Icelandic language issues has presented its proposals for a total of 19 measures aimed at strengthening the status of the language for the future.
The committee was established in November 2022, at the suggestion of the Prime Minister. It is intended to enhance consultation and cooperation between ministries on matters concerning the Icelandic language and to ensure coordination where issues overlap. In addition to the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Culture and Business Affairs, Education and Children, Social Affairs and Labour, and Universities, Industry and Innovation have a permanent seat on the committee.
Overview of measures:
1. Job-related Icelandic language training for immigrants alongside work
2. Improved quality of Icelandic teaching for immigrants.
3. Activation of the European Framework for Languages.
4. Distance learning in Icelandic at the BA level.
5. Joint distance learning in Icelandic as a second language.
6. University bridge for immigrants.
7. Attitudes towards Icelandic.
8. The importance of art and culture.
9. Increased dubbing and subtitling in Icelandic.
10. Icelandic portal
11. Strong school libraries.
12. Web portal for electronic teaching materials.
13. Standardized procedures for reception, teaching and services.
14. Strengthening Icelandic proficiency for staff in kindergartens and primary schools and leisure activities.
15. Integration of Icelandic and foreign mother tongues in subject-related core courses
16. The future of language technology.
17. Icelandic for everyone.
18. Icelandic is a matter of course.
19. Professional development and proficiency for those who teach Icelandic as a second language.
Efforts have been made to shape these measures in cooperation with the five ministries, as they touch on most areas of society. They vary in scope but emphasize issues related to Icelandic teaching for adult immigrants and increased collaboration with the business sector and the third sector.
🇮🇸 Icelandic is our language, and we intend to nurture it. Today, extensive measures in support of the language were presented...
Posted by Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir on Wednesday, November 29, 2023
The guiding principle of the actions is to improve accessibility and quality of Icelandic teaching, promote increased visibility and audibility of the language, and enhance collaboration on the long-term project to ensure the preservation and development of the Icelandic language. Some of the measures involve extensive systemic changes, but the plan connects to many other key projects by the government, which are being worked on in cooperation with ministries and institutions, including policy-making on immigrant and refugee issues, the Education Policy 2030, a comprehensive review of the secondary education system, and an action plan for tourism until 2030.
It is estimated that funding for the measures will amount to around 1.365 billion ISK, but the plan also includes measures that have not been fully costed, so it can be expected that the total cost will be higher. In addition to the 19 measures in the plan, various projects are being pursued in support of the Icelandic language; at ministries, municipalities, institutions, and NGOs.
With this plan, the government's priority projects regarding the Icelandic language are defined in light of the proposals of the Icelandic Language Council for a revised language policy. A draft proposal for a parliamentary resolution on an action plan for the Icelandic language 2023–2026 was open for comments in the Government Consultation Portal last summer. A total of 36 comments were received on the proposal, along with various helpful remarks and suggestions that were considered in the further shaping of the measures, along with many commenters expressing their satisfaction with the action plan as a whole.
The Minister of Culture and Business Affairs will present the parliamentary resolution proposal in the coming days, and one can follow the progress of the matter on the Althingi website.
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