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The following information is from a publication produced in 1998 by Diwan,
designed to introduce its schools and pedagogy to prospective parents, or to
others interested in better understanding its operation. I have translated
approximately half of the information found in the Diwan booklet, and in some
cases synthesized or rearranged a bit of the information. The best way to keep
informed of what is going on in the Diwan schools is to consult the Diwan
website: www.diwanbreizh.org SOME KEY DATES
1977 Creation of the first Diwan preschool. DIWAN IN NUMBERS (2002-03 SCHOOL YEAR)
33 preschools & primary schools (119 classes); 4 middle schools and a
high school WHY DIWAN?Inspired by the Ikastolak (of the Basques) and Meithrin (of the Welsh) Diwan's first preschool opened in 1977 in Lampaul-Ploudalmézeau. Diwan means "sprout" in Breton and is an association loi de 1901. The Breton LanguageThere are Diwan schools because there is Breton-a living language with a unique oral culture and literature growing out of a European Celtic line going back 2000 years. It is the language of a nation that was independent until the 15th century and spoken up to the 9th century throughout the Armorican peninsula. In 1900 Sébillot estimated that there were 1,300,000 Breton speakers; today we are at 400,000. That is still a lot if one compares Breton to the minority language of western Europe (of which there are some 40!) which range from 150,000 for the least spoken up to 2 ½ million for the most widely found. Some with less speaker than Breton, but with official recognition, have ceased to decline and are even developing. The survival of the Breton language will be played out through Diwan. The possibility of transmitting our language to future generations will require a positive political will in the area of the media and in public life in Brittany. If not, the race against the clock could be definitively lost and one of the most important elements of the Celtic patrimony will be no more than a curiosity in the archives. But beyond Breton, it is fundamental democracy and its respect that will be stuck down. To defend Breton is to chose diversity over uniformity, variety over monotony. The Objectives of Diwan· To offer an entire schooling in Breton, for preschool to the Baccalaureat (high school graduation) · To draw on a culture rooted in a living environment. Many people, especially in Lower Brittany, speak Breton in their daily lives and many students have in their family one or several people from whom Breton is the mother tongue. · To allow children to learn their history, from its roots in the language of their ancestors. · To favor psychological, intellectual and a rich social development through early bilingualism, ant to prepare effectively them to master several languages, which will be a necessity for tomorrow's Europe. · The role of the school is not only to transmit knowledge but also to allow each child to build his or her own personality. To be free, that's to know who one is in order to recognizes others. A strong cultural identity gives a point of reference, something that is often missing for many youth today. This reference point is a factor in socialization based on tolerance and a desire for exchange. THE DIWAN CHARTERArticle 1. The Diwan association is open to all families desiring the assurance of an education for their children through the Breton language, without socioprofessional, philosophical or political discrimination. The schools are free of charge and open to all. Article 2. Diwan exists because of the deficiencies in the National Education system which does not give its proper place to the Breton language. It demands that the schools be taken charge of in a democratic and renewed public education service in Brittany, allowing the use of Breton as the language of teaching from preschool to the university in all areas of learning. Article 3. Diwan is independent of any philosophical, religious, political, syndical, or other formation. In consequence, Diwan affirms that its fight requires that the religious, philosophical or political convictions of all of its members be respected, whatever their range as long as they are not contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This indispensable tolerance leads Diwan to defend and promote an undenominational character in its teaching and to guarantee the liberty of thought for each person. Article 4. Diwan establishes a democratic teaching with the effective collaboration of parents, local collectives, and teachers. Diwan asks parents to create a climate conducive to expression in the Breton language in the daily life of the home. Article 5. Diwan takes upon itself the encouragement of the use of Breton within the association at all levels. Additionally, Diwan promotes a cultural development in the Breton language giving each child the maximum opportunities to forge his or her own future, permitting children of Brittany to take charge of their natural, social and economic environment. Article 6. Diwan declares its hostility to all linguistic uniformization and is supportive of diverse forms of cultural expression, affirming that only in being complimentary can they be a source of unity, and of mutual and collective enrichment. The Breton taught in the Diwan preschools is that used in their geographic and human environment. Article 7. In conformance with the inalienable rights of people to express their own culture, Diwan calls on all people who love democracy, Breton cultural organizations, and unionized groups-especially of teachers--to fight with her for more justice and against all forms of cultural dominance. Article 8. Diwan declares its solidarity with all peoples who fight for their cultural identity, including immigrant workers, affirming that their diversity contributes to the enrichment of the human patrimony. THE OBJECTIVE: EARLY BILINGUALISMThe Strategy: ImmersionScientific research has shown the importance of all the early learning that takes place in acquiring knowledge and skills through ones schooling. The child in its youngest age is, in fact, in the optimal conditions for learning. Because, it's during early childhood that most of the development of the brain and intellectual capabilities are developed. The richness and variety of external stimulations play an important role in each individual's capacity to develop certain areas of knowledge. In fact, it is between birth and 6 years old that most learning must be awakened. This is the ageduring which the child is very receptive and learns without effort. What is true for learning anything is true for learning most fundamental skills is true for learning languages. Thus, learning another language must be introduced very early. The ideal being that this learning starts in the family. Early bilingualism needs one or the other of the following combinations to succeed: - Father or Mother (example: the father speaks Breton exclusively to the child and the mother speaks French. - Parents or Breton in the external environment - Parents or Breton in preschool. Immersion teaching which has been experimented with for thirty years in Canada has given provides a satisfactory answer to meet our objective: to foster early bilingualism in a linguistic situation (ours) characterized by an total imbalance between the two languages of the larger community. The exclusive use of Breton in school up to elementary school classes has the goal of correcting this imbalance. The fundamental learning is done without recourse to French (i.e., without translating) which would unnecessarily complicate the work of the child to learn. This is the paradox of immersion: one becomes bilingual through monolingualism. The very principal behind immersion is not to teach a language as a goal in itself, but to use the language as a means of learning in various areas of activity. A child will not willingly learn a language when he does not see what this serves. His attitude is different when the language becomes a tool to acquire knowledge. The other aspect of teaching by immersion which meets our objective of early bilingualism is its intensive character. The ineffectiveness that one often regrets to find in the teaching of foreign or secondary languages is linked in large part to its spread out character: few hours of classes over a span of seven years. We are not mistaken here; the objective of such teaching is not to produce bilingual individuals. THE DIWAN PEDAGOGICAL SYSTEMAs outlined in its Charter, the Breton language is used as the language for teaching from preschool through high school. The pedagogical plan put in place by Diwan takes into account: · The unequal balance of Breton and French languages in the family, public life, and media. · Scientific research in the area of child development, language acquisition, and learning mechanisms. · The state of research in the area of bilingualism and its use on a large scale (Walies, Catalonia, Canada. The PreschoolThe only language used by the teacher is Breton, in the method of immersion. At the beginning of preschool the child uses either French or Breton if he or she already uses it. In the case of children starting with French, the use of Breton comes progressively at the individual's own rhythm. This "natural" system of teaching by immersion has been practiced successfully in Canada for 30 years. One looks at three stages of development in the acquisition of a language: · The threshold of understanding is generally achieved rapidly in preschool through daily use of a vocabulary directly related to the children's' interests. · The threshold of communication is next achieved. The exchange between child and teacher can be made in Breton. The language takes on a real sense as a tool for obtaining knowledge. The rapidity in achieving this level is linked to different parameters: the use and motivation for Breton in the family, the sense given buy the child to one language or the other, external linguistic influences (such as television). Immersion allows a mitigation in part of the imbalance between the two languages for children who do not speak Breton at home. · The threshold of conceptualization (generally achieved before the end of preschool) allows for a complex use of the language as a tool of communication, thought, mathematical reasoning, and creation. The child is thus ready to take on fundamental training: reading, writing, math. Benchmarks in the Diwan Linguistic Strategy
Elementary School:In CE1 (7 ½ years old) French is introduced. Mechanisms acquired in Breton are rapidly transposed. At first it is a matter of becoming competent in learning different spellings for certain phonemes. Very rapidly, one moves to the study of the language and its oral and written use. At this level many concepts can be transposed from one language to the other, directly or by comparative study. The time reserved for French progressively increases until the end of the primary level in the following way: CE1 has 2 hours, CE2 has 6 hours, CM1 has 6 hours and CM2 has 6 hours (see chart which follows). At the end of the primary school level children in the Diwan schools should have a knowledge and a competence in French which is equal to that of children coming out of the unilingual school system, and their competence is equal in both languages. The teaching material follows the official programs of the National Education system Middle School and High SchoolThe Diwan Middle Schools are the outcome of the work of some fifty people who have been working since 1985 to elaborate study programs and create school books in Breton. This allows for teachers today to work with a solid base and to use modern teaching materials. The Diwan Secondary level is also the fruit of the work of parents and children who have all thought through and laid out the basic lines of the educational project. Diwan Cocktail: 1.3 French and 2/3 BretonThe two languages are languages of learning and study. In Breton: History, geography, physics, natural sciences, math, art, sports, music and computer. In French: Civics, technology, math (one third of the program is studied in French in the 3rd level and exercises to use math in French are used at other levels) English-a third living languageBecause students are already bilingual when they arrive at the middle school level. English is a third language for them. To accelerate the learning of English, the students have six (45-minute) classes a week As is done with Breton, English is approached as a language for discovery and interaction and not as a "scholarly materials." Radio and television programs in English are used for teaching as are correspondence and exchanges with a Welsh middle school, and travel in Great Britain. English-a language for teachingSubjects taught in English are: History and geography of Great Britain (in the 4th level) and Natural Sciences in the 3rd level (the official National Education curriculum). When student reach the 3rd level (14years old), English becomes a medium for teaching alongside Breton and French. This program put into place with English-speaking teachers, allows for English to become a truly living language and readies students for the Europe of tomorrow. In the same spirit, the study of a second foreign language is begun (Spanish or German). The rhythm of the school programClasses are 45 minutes long to take advantage of student's attention span. Days are lengthened two times a week with a long break at noon to allow students to participate in various leisure activities: radio production, theater, sports, Welsh classes, music, etc. Dynamic and active Middle and High School studentsIt's their school and they have worked with adults to prepare it during their primary school years. Today they live it with passion and enthusiasm through sports competitions, participation in various daily tasks, in School Council meetings, and a regular weekly meeting with the principal of the school. The Pedagogical and Educational TeamTo form a team means you must have the same goals, the same preoccupations and to work together. At the middle schools and high school, the teachers and those that manage school life (animateurs) - often the same-are part of the same team and work together so there is no gap between daily life and teaching. Two times per month the team meets to take stock and put new projects in place-educationally and pedagogically. These meetings have allowed them to decide how to put into place programs to support students or create new classes of methodology, but also to individualize the path of students, providing tutoring, for example. Now, the High SchoolThe Secondary level began in September 1994 with the 1st level starting in 1995 and the final level completing the Diwan schooling in 1996 to arrive at the doors of the university. For the first time in 1997, Diwan high school students took (and successfully passed) their Baccalaureat exams. QUESTIONS POTENTIAL DIWAN PARENTS ASKIsn't it artificial to school a child in Diwan for whom the family language isn't Breton? For over 50% of Diwan children the two parents are not Breton speakers. Nevertheless, all become bilingual. The aptitude of the child to manipulate two languages is natural. It's no more artificial to give a bilingual education to a child than it is to teach them piano when the parents are not musicians. Yes, be bilingual, but why in Breton? Because Breton makes up part of the environment and the culture which surrounds the child. The daily practice of two languages allows comparison, and the questioning and good comparison of rules of construction of a language. It is thus an extremely effective preparation for the learning of a third and then a fourth language at the middle school level. Can I enroll my child in Diwan after completing preschool in French? Yes, this is possible with the inclusion of some precautionary measures. Discuss this with the Diwan teacher. What happens if the family moves to another region (of France)? A child who interrupts his schooling at the beginning of primary school could have some passing weaknesses in French. Collaboration with the new teacher and follow-up work at home will regulate the problem quickly enough. Won't my child mix the two languages? This happens. But, more than other children, he will be conscious of the arbitrary nature of linguistic signs. In contrast to many monolingual adults, he will understand that there is no natural link between, for example, the word "ti" and the thing (a house) that could just as well be called "maison", "house", or even "Haus." In short, the effort he will make to not mix two languages will facilitate his learning of other languages. When you have such questions do not hesitate to discuss them with your child's teachers. Will my child have difficulties with French? The national tests (at CE2 and 6th levels) show the contrary. The results of students in Diwan schools were overall superior to national averages. Won't my child have difficulty getting along with other monolingual children? He will seek naturally to meet up with friends from his class. He will be proud to know how to express himself in two languages, but he will not feel different from neighborhood children with whom he will go swimming or to music lessons. Won't there be too much Breton for my child? Lets count up the total for a week: 7 days of 24 hours totals 168 hours, of which 70 hours are sleep. 98 hours remain. 26 of those hours per week are in school (in Breton with French at the primary level). 72 of those hours are with family and friends, etc (very frequently in French). Thus 25-30% of the waking hours are in Breton. We are not Breton speakers. Will we be able to follow the schooling at the primary level? Experience shows us yes. In your school parents have lived through this and can talk to you about it. The teachers can consult with you. There is tutoring (in the evening) in some schools. Ask the Parents Association at the school. And since you are demanding that your child make an effort to learn, you must make one too. That will be worth your while and your child will thus see your full support of the choice you have made in schools. ________________________________Lois Kuter, October 2003 Information below is drawn from articles appearing in Bro Nevez, the newsletter of the U.S. Branch of the International Committee for the Defense of the Breton Language (Nos. 80, Nov. 2001; 81, February 2002; 86, May 2003 & 87, August 2003) A Quick Introduction to DiwanFounded in 1977, the Diwan schools teach through the medium of the Breton language-what is called an "immersion" system where social activities, recess and lunch, are also the place for the Breton language. This system means that the Diwan schools have been very effective in giving children the means to learn Breton and use it as a living language. French is gradually introduced during the primary level and by the time children reach middle school they are fully bilingual and have begun studying English. With the overwhelming presence of French in the media and everyday life of Brittany, students certainly master French as fully as their peers in monolingual schools where no Breton is present. Close to 2,800 students are found in Thirty-three pre and primary schools, four middle schools and one high school. Because the public schools of Brittany have only until recent years (1980s) incorporated a limited amount of bilingual programming, Diwan was founded as an independent system-but has always been fully public in that admission is open to all and free of charge. In the early 1990s Diwan negotiated with the French Education system to get a particular statute as a "private" school which meant that some teachers salaries would be covered by the State. Efforts to gain incorporation into the National Education system have been spurred in more recent years by the recognition that this would greatly ease the burden of raising sufficient funding each year for the survival and growth of the schools. Making a Public School System PublicA plan to integrate Diwan (and its immersion style) into the public school system was signed in May 2001 by the Minister of Education, Jack Lang, and several agreements were worked out with the French Education system during the spring and summer of 2001 concerning the nuts and bolts of putting all this into place. Just as things were starting to jell for the budgeting of teachers and facilities to be fully in place for the opening of the Fall 2002 school year, the French government (Conseil d'Etat) suspended this agreement for public integration of Diwan. This was in part due to pressure from a federation of public school teacher and parent organizations who feel that the immersion system of Diwan "attacks the principle of equality and unity of the [French] Republic." A sticking point for those who seem to confuse uniformity with unity of the French state is the French Constitution which states in Article 2 that "French is the language of the Republic." Diwan's immersion system of teaching through the Breton language appears to be against the French Constitution. This constitutional argument also blocks France's adoption of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. This Charter was signed by France in May 1999 but is yet to be ratified so that the meager protections it affords to languages like Breton can be put into place. In a December 27, 2002, decision on this matter, the Constitutional Council clearly stated that the immersion style of teaching Breton is contrary to the Article 2 of the French Constitution. Here's how the Council states things: "The usage of a language other than French cannot be imposed on students in establishments of public education in the operation [life] of the establishment or in teaching subjects other than the language in question." This not only eliminates the use of Breton as the language for playground or cafeteria communication, but also as a language used to teach math, science or history-a restriction which could also impact regular public school bilingual programs where such subjects are taught through the medium of Breton. It is the immersion system of using Breton as the medium for all activity at a school that is troublesome. Yet, it is this use of Breton for the life of the school that so effectively allows the youngest children (preschool and primary school) who do not come from Breton-speaking families to master the language and use it naturally. The whole point of enrolling one's child in a Diwan school is to get such immersion (which is chosen and not "imposed"). Thus any proposal for public school integration that compromises this is not acceptable to Diwan. Diwan has proven that its pedagogical system is a success. The challenge for continued growth is financial. Many teacher's salaries are covered in a "contract" with the French State which puts Diwan in a "private school" category despite the fact that it charges no tuition and operates as a public institution open to anyone who wants to enroll. Whenever a new school is opened (and Diwan continues to grow each year) it must wait for five years before it can come under the "contract." Thus, there are currently over a dozen teachers whose salaries must be raised by fundraising. Because of its "private school" status, there have also been limits placed on the contribution of building space and public monies to support Diwan schools - no matter how willing and able a particular town and population may be to support a Diwan school. Thus, the financial challenges remain very high for Diwan to open new schools to meet the demand of parents and students. On March 22, 2003, an estimated 15,000 people took to the streets of Rennes, Brittany, in the largest-ever demonstration for the Breton language. This was not only a confirmation of the support for the Breton language in Brittany, but a reaction of grave concern in view the continued threats to this language on the part of the French government. In blocking integration into the public school system (and public funding) for the Diwan Breton language schools, the government has shown that it has no intention of supporting future growth for the Breton language in schools. In refusing to ratify key European and international conventions for the protection of minority languages and cultures, France not only limits the opportunities children will have to master the Breton language, but also limits its presence in all of public life. Survey after survey show an overwhelming desire on the part of the Breton population to see the Breton language survive, yet the French government seems to be working harder and harder to block the road. France: All Talk and No ActionIn May 2003 French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin traveled to Quebec, Canada, and declared during his visit: "Cultural diversity is for us a political project. It is at the heart of our fight" [to combat globalization]. The Prime Minister praised Quebec on its success in protecting its values, language and culture during four centuries of Anglo-Saxon domination. Wouldn't it be nice it Mr. Raffarin was really talking about France when he talked about fighting for cultural diversity. France: The Land of Human RightsFrance and language rights brought before the European Parliament Nine Deputies of the European Parliament of various nationalities submitted a motion for a resolution from the Parliament denouncing France's failure to respect language rights within its borders. While it is not likely that the European Parliament will pass this motion, this act brings the situation in France before the eyes of 624 European Deputies. The text follows: European Parliament - Session Documents B5-0539/2002, 19 December 2002MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION Pursuant to Rule 48 of the Rules of Procedure By Miquel i Raynal, Carlos Bautista Ojeda, Jillian Evans, Ian Stewart Hudghton, Neil MacCormick, Nelly Maes, Camilo Nogueira Román, Josu Ortuondo Larrea and Eurig Wyn On the failure to respect language rights in France The European Parliament, A. having regard to the decisions of the Council of State of the French Republic of 28 October 2002 in the cases involving the Syndicat national des enseignements du second degré et al and Conseil national des Groupes académiques de l'enseignment public, UNSA et al respectively, B. noting that these decisions call into question, on the basis of supposed illegality, the rules that were to permit the integration of 'Diwan' Breton schools into the public education system and the perpetuation and development of immersion teaching methods for indigenous languages as well as equal-footing bilingual education using such languages, 1. Points out that human rights as conceived in Europe today include collective rights such as these, which are minority rights, and respect for linguistic and cultural diversity; 2. Calls on France, therefore, to attune its language laws to the situation in Europe; 3. Expresses its total solidarity with all the families affected by these decisions, with the teachers concerned, and with the public- and private-sector establishments that have developed these teaching methods; 4. Undertakes to bring to bear all the political means at its disposal to ensure that the various language communities of France have the legal means to facilitate the forms of education most apt to repair the damage caused by the linguicidal policy which has been pursed for many centuries by that country and to ensure the harmonious joint and several development thereof in the interests of the heritage of Europe. France: The Land of Human Rights, Part 2 - France and language rights brought to the European Court of Human RightsWork for the Breton language continues in Brittany in the aftermath of the March rally in Rennes which gathered 15,000 demonstrators for the Breton language. At the end of May a case was brought to the European Court of Human Rights against France for its legislation which has blocked the use of regional languages in education. Those submitting the case are the Cultural Council of Brittany (a federation of some 50 cultural organizations), Diwan (the immersion Breton language schools), Calandretas (the confederation of immersion Occitan language schools in southern France), Unvaniezh ar Gelennerien Brezhoneg (Union of Breton Teachers), representatives from Diwan's staff, delegates of teachers unions and parents, and the President of Dihun (the association for parents of children in Catholic school bilingual programs). A weighty committee of supporters for the case includes writers, linguists, artists and musicians (including Alan Stivell, Gilles Servat, Denez Prigent, Robert Lafont, Eva Vetter, Joseph Martray, Louis Le Pensec, to name a few). Underlined in the case is the fact that France's Council of State has annulled Diwan's entry into the public school system. The Council of State recognizes that France allows one to learn a regional language like Breton in the public schools, but considers an immersive style of teaching where such a language is used extensively for teaching and in the social life of the school detrimental to the place of French and not necessary to teach regional languages. Thus the State has decided that Breton and other regional languages should be taught as second languages, and should not become languages that students master for social use outside a classroom at school. In not allowing an immersive style of learning Breton in the public schools, the case argues that France violates freedom of the person and family, freedom of expression, and the freedom of thought and conscience, as well as the right to instruction which does not discriminate on the basis of language or cultural heritage. The following is a statement given at the press conference on May 30, 2003 in Rennes when the case was submitted to the European Court of Human Rights. It was given by Bojan Brezigar, a Slovenian, and President of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL), a body created in 1982 at the initiative of members of the European Parliament. Mr. Brezigar is a member of the support committee assembled for the case. Many of you certainly are asking yourselves why I [as President of the EBLUL] am present at this press conference. Isn't this subject an internal problem for the French Republic: there are citizens who speak regional language who want their children to be educated in these languages. Certain representatives of the State wanted to respond to this desire by giving the Diwan schools public status. In the end, the Council of State did not permit this, annulling decisions made by the National Ministry of Education. Some thus demand the modification of the Constitution so that regional languages can be recognized, but at this time there is no political will expressed in favor of such a change. Let me tell you that I truly do not see why the Constitution must be modified. The protection and promotion of regional languages and even the entry of the Diwan schools into the public education system has nothing to do with the official language of the State. In Italy, a state with a judicial system based on the same principles of unity, the new law on linguistic minorities (the term used in Italy for what you call regional languages) foresees in its Article 1 that Italian is the official language of the State. Nevertheless, the other languages are also promoted and protected and they represent no danger for the Italian State. I think that France must adopt the same principle: French is a great language which possesses an important cultural patrimony, centuries of written tradition and an essential international role. Can anyone seriously believe that the Breton language menaces French? I insist on this point because I want to underline that I see no cultural or judicial reason to prevent the recognition of the Diwan schools or the granting of public status to them. But we affirm that these are the reasons advanced [to block Diwan from public school entry]. and I am here to support an initiative that will permit Breton children to follow their studies through the Breton language, while benefiting also from classes in French, to become perfectly bilingual. Our support rests on the generally known principle that cultural diversity is part of the collective patrimony of Europe. I verify that the President of the European Convention, Mr. Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, announced that linguistic diversity is inscribed in the principles of the European Constitution. We all remember equally that at the summit in Nice, in December 2000, Mr. Jacques Chirac, the French President of the Republic and President of the European Council at that time, announced with pride the adoption of the Charter of Fundamental rights of the European Union, a charter which includes respect for linguistic diversity in its Article 22. I must insist on the fact that cultural and linguistic diversity have long been a part of European values. It has been almost 25 years since the European Parliament started to work on this question which has grown in importance in parallel to the development of Europe. But on the verge of the largest expansion Europe has ever known, we are on the one hand preoccupied by the future for the European Union which is divided by war and peace, and on the other, preoccupied equally by the construction of this future. We want a Europe that is strong, competitive in the world, and we realize that this will only be possible if cultural and linguistic diversity are respected. This is our wealth; we must be proud of it and we must promote it. The support we bring to the request brought before the European Court of Human rights by Diwan, its parents and teachers, the Cultural Council of Brittany, Union of Breton Teachers, Dihun and the Occitan Calandreas schools is tied to our profound conviction that in supporting this initiative we defend the collective patrimony of Europe as well as the process of European integration. We wish, in fact, for a Europe strong on the economic and political front and rich in its languages and cultures. France, with its wealth of regional languages, must be an important element in this. It could only be people who truly understand nothing about the political challenges of the 21st century who would think that your action [the case presented to the court] is against democracy, liberty and against the principles of the Charter of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, a pedestal of France. I have confidence in the European Court that it will recognize the legitimacy of your course of action. I underline it because you are not fighting for yourselves, but for your children because you want them to live in a Europe whose citizens live in peace and flourish while conserving the language of their ancestors. I emphasize - this is not a combat against something or someone, but a fight for the future we construct all together. Should the European Court of Human Rights accept the case, it would be at least three years before a decision is delivered. In the meantime you can be certain that Bretons will continue at all levels of government to work for the future of the Breton language. Diwan Continues to Fight for a FutureWork has continued during the summer of 2003 to raise funds and to work with local, regional and national level politicians to find ways to insure support for the expansion of schools, especially at the middle school and high school levels. Diwan representatives will also be meeting with members of the National Education system and government leaders to continue to seek public status for Diwan schools. After 25 years of success in giving children the tools to master both Breton and French as living languages for all aspects of everyday life, Diwan is not going to make any compromises on the immersion style of teaching and conducting school life through the Breton language. And work continues to open new classes and sites, including a Diwan school in Paris. Given the strong number of Bretons living in the Paris region, this is not at all surprising. The number necessary to open a class has been found; the fund-raising continues with hopes to open a school in September 2004. For more information you can consult the website: http://diwanparis.free.fr For those who might want this information, the current leadership team of Diwan Breizh is as follows: Anne le Corre and Patrig Hervé - Co-Presidents Diwan's main office address is: Diwan Breizh Telephone: 02 98 21 34 95 APPENDIX 1 - THE CHALLENGES OF TEACHER TRAININGTeachers for Bilingual Education in Brittany Exiled Despite a shortage of teachers for bilingual programs in the public and Catholic schools of Brittany, teachers completing their training are being posted to schools far away from Brittany. This is contrary to an agreement by the Rector of the Academy of Rennes (the head of the school district encompassing much of Brittany) on a Convention on Bilingualism which as added to the "Contrat de Plan État-Région 2002-2006" that states that the National Ministry of Education will make an effort to keep in the Academy of Rennes all teachers certified in Breton and to bring back those teachers capable of teaching their discipline in Breton or of teaching Breton, when those teachers request so. Despite those words expressing support for bilingual education two teachers who had been posted to schools in Versailles and Créteil (Paris region) have not been reassigned to schools in Brittany as they have requested. Three teachers who have competence to teach subjects through the medium of Breton have been named to posts in Amiens, Martinique (a Caribbean island), and French Guyana (South America), despite their request to be part of bilingual programs in Brittany. With growing numbers of students interested in learning Breton, sending qualified Breton teachers out of Brittany, and even out of France, to teaching positions where they will never use their language or even have the chance to speak Breton in a social setting outside of school is inexcusable. Note: France has a number of territorial "possessions" throughout the world where the French flag is the official flag and Bastille Day is a national holiday. French Guyana, Martinique, Reunion and Guadeloupe are "Overseas Departments". New Caledonia and French Polynesia are perhaps the best known among a dozen tiny islands in the Caribbean and South Pacific which are called "dependent areas" or "overseas territorial collectives." They have locally elected governments but are ultimately ruled by France and the French Constitution. New Caledonia has had a simmering independence movement that makes world news from time to time. French Polynesia was in the news in the early 1990s when France was using an island there for nuclear testing. APPENDIX 2 - BILINGUAL PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS OF BRITTANY While Diwan has been the spearhead in the effort to get Breton into the schools of Brittany, a great deal of important work is also being done in bilingual programs in the public schools and in the Catholic schools, and Brittany has a very dynamic association for Breton language teachers (from all schools). Teachers and parents in the bilingual programs work closely with Diwan to help advance all educational options for the Breton language. The bilingual programs in public schools celebrated their 20th anniversary 9n 2003 - some 3,000 students are enrolled in these programs from preschool through high school in all five departments of Brittany. Div Yezh (the association of parents of children in the public
schools) The first bilingual programs in the Catholic schools started in 1990, and today there are close to 2,500 in these schools from preschool through high school in all five departments of Brittany. Dihun (association of parents of children in the Catholic schools) The Union of Breton Teachers was founded in 1982 and includes some 200 teachers from Diwan as well as the bilingual public and Catholic school programs. Unvaniezh ar Gelennerien Brezhoneg (Union of Breton Teachers)
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