Report in Romansh news on Swiss television (RTR - Radiotelevisiun Svizra Rumantscha).
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Our festival
was celebrated on Wednesday 28 March 2018 from 10am until evening. It took
place in the Aula – the school hall - and was attended by around 200 people.
All the Romansch speaking students at our school were invited along with their
parents. In addition, local dignitaries, politicians and members of the
education board were there.
Of course, Romansch organisations like the Lia
Rumantscha, Dicziunari Rumantsch Grischun, the local Romantsch radio and
television stations and the Romantsch newspapers were represented.
We were
also very pleased to welcome Nadine Habegger from Movetia, the organistion that
financed the project for the Swiss.
There were
speeches in the hall followed by workshops in which the experiences of each
group were presented and short films were shown of each school that we visited.
Parents and
guests circulated from room to room, affording them a glimpse of everything we
did and saw over the two years.
Finally,
everybody was invited to an apero and snacks in the mensa – the school canteen.
We combined
the festival with the traditional annual dinner and show organised by the
senior Romantsch class. The motto this year was Harry Potter, which seemed
fitting with the Welsh dragons still fresh in our minds.
It was a
day that was enjoyed by all, students, parents and invited guests, a fitting
end to a wonderful project. Thank you again to everybody.
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Review of Swiss teachers 5/2018:
This article appeared in the
May edition of “Bildung Schweiz – Dachverband Lehrerinnen und Lehrer Schweiz,”
the umbrella association of teachers in Switzerland.
Maximiliano Wepfer
Translated by Chris Fannin
The journey of the language
champions of the Grisons has come to an end.
As
representatives of the Romansch language, students from the class 6Gc of the
Bündnerkantonsschule (BKS) Switzerland completed an exchange program with other
language minorities throughout Europe, entitled “Champions of Languages and
Minorities”. All those who participated look back at the exchange with
enthusiasm.
“I did not
look for the project, it rather came to me” says Werner Carigiet, Romansch
teacher and form teacher of the class 6Gc at the BKS.
In 2016 his
colleague and English teacher at the BKS, Chris Fannin approached him with an
email. A school in Finland had asked the BKS if they would be interested in
taking part in a European Erasmus + School Partnership Program, “Champions of
Languages and Minorities”.
The aim of
the project was an exchange between European high schools where regional
minority languages are taught. At the same time there was the possibility of
strengthening the intercultural competence as well as the awareness of the
students’ own language and culture. Werner Carigiet surmised that the request
was due to the fact that the Rhaeto Romansch language has gained prominence
among European language minorities since it became the first small language to
achieve recognition in 1938, when it became the fourth official language in
Switzerland. Chris Fannin added that “the Romansch speaking population of
Switzerland are in some ways ahead of the other minorities in that they are
very well organised with their own media.”
In
addition, the BKS brings with it a great deal of experience resulting from
their two-yearly exchange with the Romansch speakers in the Dolomites in Italy.
For Fannin and Carigiet it was clear from the start, “This school partnership
fits in perfectly with the philosophy of our school, we must participate.”
The most positive plus point: the meetings
Apart from
promoting a minority language, the BKS
created the opportunity for encounter pedagogy, an important element in the
recommendations of the Swiss Education Authorities. What is meant by this is
best left to the students of 6Gc to explain.
For Lina
Camenisch, who was in Chojnice (Poland) with the Kashubian minority, the
subject has broadened. “Before the exchange program we discussed more about
minorities in Latin languages, whereas we have now examined other minority
languages more closely.” By means of the exchange they have learned from one
another how to deal with discrimination and prejudice. For this purpose, they
enacted situations in workshops involving discrimination and had to try and
work out possible ways of dealing with them,
which might lead to a “happy end” to the situation. Gianna Caprez was
impressed by the openness and hospitality of the Welsh in Llangollen, in
contrast to the reserved manner of Switzerland. “They hugged us warmly from the
beginning, without even knowing us, and helped us wherever they could.”
Alexander
Bott, who was also in Chojnice, appreciated being able to make friends and,
thanks to the stay with host families, getting an insight into their everyday
life. “It was a great pleasure to realise that other minorities are not that
different and far away from us.” There were, however, differences for instance
in the infrastructure. The villages in Poland are not as well connected as they
are in Switzerland. For Curdin Steiner the exchange of customs was something
that impressed him: the students from the other countries cooked specialities
from their region or sang traditional songs. He was able to experience the
Lucia festival in Grankulla in Finland, which is accompanied by singing. But he
also mentioned that, “Not all the youth of the other minorities are able to
enjoy such a high standard of education as we are in Romansch.”
The puzzle fits together
Having
already had contact with Movetia, the Swiss Agency for exchange and mobility,
turned out be advantageous for Carigiet. He was already aware of the fact that,
within the framework of the Swiss solution, Movetia financially supported
participation of Swiss schools in European Erasmus+ programs. The catch: the
school executive had just three days to examine and approve the project from
the day it was handed in. “A monstrous idea, thank goodness I did not
understand everything in the application form down to the last detail”, said
the headmaster, Gion Lechmann with a laugh. As a result of previous projects
with Werner Carigiet, however, the headmaster had complete trust in him.
Carigiet knew the organisational and financial limits of the school. “For this
reason I was certain that something good would result from it”. All the same,
the project was only able to be realised thanks to the cooperation of teachers
not directly involved, who agreed to move test arrangements and give the class
time to catch up on school matter that they had missed. Lechmann is very grateful
to his staff for their understanding. He is convinced: “Such a project is only
possible in a school that promotes the interdisciplinarity necessary in a
trilingual school.” The exchange program was also demanding in terms of
resources. Not only the students but also the teachers were absent for a week
at a time. “One can and should not have such a project every year. There will
have to be a new impulse for another such program.”
And seeing
that so much was gained from this project, there has to be another impulse.
Minority is not just minority
The
starting point for each minority is different: Swedish in Finland is on equal
terms with Finnish and with Sweden the Finnish Swedes have an entire country of
Swedish speakers next to them. The same applies to the German/Italian South
Tirol with an even larger number of German speakers behind them. The situation
of Welsh in Wales and Gaelic in Scotland is comparable to Raeto Romansch in
Switzerland. All three of them have to survive without a large number of
speakers of their language surrounding them. However, as in the case of Sweden
and South Tirol/Italy, their languages are officially recognised and are taught
equally in schools. The Kashubians in Poland occupy a special position as
“onlookers”. In spite of state support, their language has no official status
and is only taught two lessons a week in schools. In the classes participating
only two students spoke Kashubian as their mother tongue. This led Chris Fannin
to observe that Kashubian is rather an exhibition object in Poland. “A culture
and a language do not belong in a museum, but are something living.”
Self-confidence has grown significantly
Due to the
composition of her family – her father learned Romansch to be able to speak to
her and teach her the language - Lina Camenisch learned at an early age just
how important their language is. This attitude has become entrenched over the
past two years: “Romansch is what we are. We are the future of this language
and it is up to us to use it and pass it on to others.” Gianna Caprez takes the
same line: “We have to set higher targets to retain our language. If I want
five francs, I have to ask for ten francs.” When one hears these words, it
becomes clear why Werner Carigiet speaks of an increased self-confidence in his
pupils. “We achieved something in one week that might only have been possible
in one year of normal school lessons.” The exchange meetings caused the
students to reflect in a way that would not have been possible in the
artificial atmosphere of a classroom.
After the
exchange meetings in Finland, Poland, South Tirol and Wales the program
“Champions of Language Minorities” drew to an end with a festival on 28 March
2018 at the BKS. A planned evaluation meeting involving all participating
teachers, which had been planned in Chur this spring, did not take place.
Werner Carigiet and Christopher Fannin regret this very much, as an important
mosaic stone is missing. In addition, Werner Carigiet would have wanted the
know-how of the Rhaeto-Romansch students to be made use of in matters
pertaining to minorities. In the early stages of the project many aspects were
rather superficially covered. Apart from that he looks back on two enjoyable
years from which he learned and profited a great deal. “Minority languages have
a tendency to shut themselves off. For precisely this reason it is important to
open themselves with such projects.” Carigiet
looks to the future with optimism: “Nobody of my generation, including
my grandchildren, will see Rhaeto Romansch die out.”
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Newspaper article in 'La Quotidiana' (Romansch daily Newspaper March 28th 2018):
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Videos about the meetings
(GERMAN subtitles only):
Introduction:
Grankulla/Finland:
Meeting in Chojnice/Poland:
Meeting in Sterzing/Italy:
Meeting in Llangollen/Wales:
