FOSTERLANG Inaugural event
On September 25–27 2025, the Museum of Wilamowice Culture hosted the inaugural event for the FOSTERLANG project – “Fostering Linguistic Capital: A Roadmap for Reversing the Diversity Crisis and Activating Societal Benefits in Europe.” This pan-European project, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program and coordinated by the Center for Engaged Research on Cultural Continuity at the Faculty of Artes Liberales in collaboration with the Multilingualism Research Hub at the University of Warsaw, took place at the Wilamowice Cultural Museum. Its goal is to support minority and migrant languages in Europe, including by changing the current understanding of linguistic capital, developing practices that support grassroots multilingualism, and strengthening the role of local languages in building the well-being of their users.
It was no coincidence that the launch event took place in Wilamowice – a community where the Wymysiöeryś language is being used and revitalized. For almost two decades, Wilamowice has been a place of linguistic revival and the reconstruction of local identity, as well as a major center of cooperation for language activists and researchers from around the world. In September, the Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland adopted an amendment to the law recognizing Wymysiöeryś as a regional language.
During the event, the Wilamowice Culture Museum, which opened in 2024, became a European center for linguistic diversity. The program
included panel discussions, educational workshops, debates, and lectures attended by representatives of communities speaking Scots, Irish, Welsh, Catalan, Basque, Kashubian, Lemko, and Wymysiöeryś, among others. Particular attention was paid to redefining and strengthening the linguistic capital of minorities and migrants, as well as strategies for the sustainable socio-cultural and economic development of communities speaking these languages. Key in this regard are the best practices and previous experiences of organizations working in minority communities participating in the project, such as the Basques and Kashubians.
Another highlight of the program was the European Day of Languages celebration on September 26th, prepared in collaboration with the Wilamowice community. The event featured a performance by the “Wilamowianie” Ensemble and a performance by the “Ufa fisa” Rewitatralizacja Group.
Further project events, including workshops and training sessions, the Language Diversity Forum, and the Multilingual Policy Forum, will be held in Catalonia, the Basque Country, Wales, Carinthia, and at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
The full event program is available at: https://bit.ly/Fosterlang_START