New Romansh Uniun in Basel

9 March 2023

The federal government supports the cantons of Graubünden and Ticino in preserving and promoting the Romansh and Italian languages and cultures.

Of the approximately 60,000 Romansh-speaking people, about 40% live outside the language area. Preserving and passing on the language and culture is a significant challenge for those in this ‘diaspora’

The Federal Office of Culture (Der Bundesamt für Kultur, BAK) also promotes the Romansh language and culture outside the Romansh language area. In cooperation with Lia Rumantscha, the BAK supports projects promoting learning and preserving the Romansh language and culture outside Graubünden.

One successful project is the founding of Romansh associations and organisations outside Graubünden. Today there are such uniuns/cumünanzas: in Winterthur, Zurich, St. Gallen/Appenzell, Berne and Lucerne. On 18 March, a new uniun/cumünanza Rumantscha will be founded in Basel. The aim is to be present in the larger Swiss cities within a few years.

And perhaps the leap into the French-speaking part of Switzerland will follow soon!

(Quelle und weitere Informationen: Lia Rumantscha and  www.bak.admin.ch)