Funding has been committed to support the Cornish language strategy, developed in response to the official recognition of the Cornish language by the Government in 2002
Government funding of up to £80,000 for three years has been made available to support the Cornish language. This provides the match funding needed to support an application by Cornwall County Council for EU Objective 1 funding.
The Government announced, in November 2002, its decision to recognise the Cornish language as falling under Part II of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The purpose of the Charter is to protect and promote the historical, regional or minority languages of Europe.
Part II requires the Government, in implementing the Charter, to take into consideration the needs and wishes of groups that use Cornish and those wanting to learn the language. The Strategy approach was agreed by an informal Advisory Group of representatives of Cornish language organisations, formed by Cornwall County Council, as the best way forward to identify these needs and wishes, in a proper framework for development of the language.
The Strategy for the Cornish Language was adopted by Cornwall County Council on 6 April 2005 and by Cornish language organisations including the Gorseth, Kesva An Taves Kernewek, Agan Tavas, Cussell an Tavas and Kowethas an Yeth. The Strategy document, published in bilingual form in Cornish and English, is available on Cornwall County Council’s website and in hard copy on request from the Chief Executive’s Office, County Hall, Truro TR1 3AY.
The full text of the Charter and an Explanatory Report can be found as European Treaty Series document number 148 on the Council of Europe’s website
