Six additional municipalities in Wallonia were awarded the label “My Commune says yes to regional languages” on Tuesday, in recognition of their commitment to support and promote of local languages.
Including the new communes – Andenne, Les Bons Villers, Silly, Spa, Stoumont, and Walhain – the total number of municipalities carrying the label, launched in 2018 by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, now stands at 51. Together, these are home to around 1,267,000 Walloons who are now beneficiaries of the project.
The network of municipalities pledges to implement around 15 actions to further language and cultural diversity in their territories. This is done through a variety of local actions, from communication and culture to teaching, signage, tourism and economic life.
In particular, the project highlights regional dialects such as Walloon, Picard, Gaumais, Champenois, and Francique that have been declining in Wallonia for almost a century as the transfer between generations wanes. It sets out proactive measures to promote these languages and safeguard the centuries-old cultural heritage that they hold.
The six municipalities were presented their labels on Tuesday in a ceremony at the French Community Government in Brussels, in the presence of Culture Minister Bénédicte Linard (Ecolo).
