Congress 2025

20ᵀᴴ International Conference on Minority Languages

The International Congress on Minority Languages (ICML XX – 2025) marks a significant milestone as it will be held outside Europe for the first time. This event, traditionally focused on European minority languages, will broaden its scope to include a more diverse spectrum of languages, encompassing indigenous, Creole, and diaspora languages. The 2025 edition aims to create an enriching space for the discussion and exchange of research, practices, and experiences surrounding languages that often do not receive the same attention in European contexts.

In addition to transnational and stateless national languages, the congress will also address topics related to sign languages, thereby promoting a more global and multifaceted understanding of linguistic diversity.

ICML International Committee Call for Papers Keynote Speakers Registration fees

ICML International Committee

Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed (Chair ICML XX) Research Fellow, Prifysgol Caerdydd/Cardiff University/Universidad de Cardiff y Docente Investigador, Universidad Externado de Colombia.

Maite Mariño (Vice-Chair ICML XX) Directora Centro de Idiomas y Cultura, Universidad Externado de Colombia.

Durk Gorter Professor, Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science (retired).

Cor van der Meer (ICML XVII) Fryske Akademy.

Edorta Arana (ICML XX) Profesor, Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU).

Josu Amezaga (ICML XX) Profesor Pleno, Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU).

Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones (ICML XIX) Professor, Prifysgol Cymru/University of Wales/Universidad de Gales.

Catrin Llwydd (ICML XIX) Prifysgol Cymru/University of Wales/Universidad de Gales.

Craig Willis Researcher ECMI.

Marc Röggla (ICML XXI) Head, Center for Autonomy Experience, Eurac Research.

Jakob Volgger (ICML XXI) Junior Researcher, Center for Autonomy Experience, Eurac Research.

Call for Papers

The XX International Conference on Minority Languages is pleased to open its call for papers and contributions addressing at least one of the five main topics of the conference to be delivered in one of the four modalities described below.

Each proposal for a paper or contribution must include one main presenter who would be the person with whom the organisation will keep contact. We strongly advise against groups of 3 or more presenting a single paper. In those cases, we recommend submitting it as a proposal for a pre-constituted panel.

Please make sure, when presenting your proposal, that you clearly highlight the main topic(s) your presentation hopes to address and include at least three keywords.

The main topics of the conference are:

Language Sustainability and Living Heritage.
Language Legislation and Regulation.
Language Education and Ethnoeducation.
Media in Minority/Minoritized Languages.
Language and Cosmogonies/Worldviews.

During the conference, the presentations will be delivered in four different modalities:

2Pre-constituted panels:

A group of 3-4 papers under an encompassing topic are presented together, including a presentation panel leader. The session will be 1 hour and 15 minutes long, including questions. The time for each presentation within the panel should be allocated accordingly by the panel convener. For this type of proposal, a title for the panel and a 300-word abstract of the overarching topic should be provided, as well as the titles of the presentations within the panel and a 100-word abstract for each of them, including the presentation title.

3Poster presentations:

Posters will be hung in an open area for all conference participants to be able to see and read them during the conference and specific times will be allotted for posters to be presented. For the proposal, a title and a 300-word (max.) abstract, and a description of the size of the poster would be required. Posters should be a full (100cms x 70cms, or an A1 sheet) or half sheet (70cms x 50cms or an A2 sheet). We might consider multimedia poster presentations, but that would be studied on a case-by-case basis. Send us and email if you are thinking of presenting the poster in a different format.

4Practitioner experience dialogues:

For those who want to present their practitioner experience, we would like to receive a short 2-minute audio or video recording (whether through a WAV, MOV or MP4 file, or through a link to a video/audio platform) or a 300-word abstract (whichever is easier for you), describing the main aspects of the experience that would be presented. A session with up to three experiences lasting for 1 hour and 15 minutes will be arranged. This is encouraged for those who feel more comfortable with oral-only presentations and without the need of slides. Digital or audio reproduction could be made available.

All proposals, regardless of modality, should also indicate which of the main topics are being addressed (select up to two), include at least three keywords, provide a 100-word biographical summary of each of the participating presenters and include the language in which the presentation will be held.

Please feel free to submit your proposal using the online form or download the text of the Call for Papers which includes all the templates. Select and fill in the respective one and send it via email to: ICML2025@uexternado.edu.co

Deadline extension

The new deadline for proposals to the call is 15 November.

November 30 Extended deadline for proposals

Notification of acceptance is expected to be provided by the end of January 2025.

Registration fee information will be provided in the coming months.

Keynote Speakers

Diana Jembuel

Diana is an indigenous woman of the Misak people (Silvia, Cauca, Colombia), whose first language is Namtrik. She is a journalist and Communicator with an M.A. in Political Communication by Universidad Externado de Colombia. She has ample experience and has held leadership roles in processes of indigenous, territorial and communitary communication with a differential aproach for ethnic and gender issues. In 2023 she was Secretary General of the Ancestral Authority of the Chieftancy of Guambia.

Nicolas Levrat

Prof. Nicolas Levrat is the fourth Special Rapporteur on minority issues. He was appointed by the Human Rights Council on 13 October 2023 and took up his functions as Special Rapporteur on 1 November 2023.

Levrat is a French speaking Swiss, born in 1964. As such, he is a member of a linguistic minority in Switzerland and has been dedicating his academic research and teaching focus on Peoples and minorities rights, Federalism, and on relationships between legal systems.

Holding a PhD in International Law, Prof. Levrat has been a full Professor of International and European Law at the University of Geneva since 2001. At the University of Geneva, he was appointed Director of the European studies in 2007, which he reshaped into the Global Studies Institute in 2013; he was the Director of the International Law Department from 2016 to 2019; and he also launched the Human Rights Week, which has been in place since 2012.

Registration fees

Registration will open on March 15.

Participant	High-income Economies		Middle-income Economies		Low-income Economies
	Sep-24		Sep-24		Sep-24
	USD	COL	USD	COL	USD	COL
Academic* Early bird (before May 15)	$250	$ 1,050,000	$200	$ 840,000	$150	$ 630,000
Student Early bird (before May 15)	$85	$ 357,000	$42	$ 176,400	$20	$ 84,000
Academic* (before 15 June)	$280	$ 1,176,000	$230	$ 966,000	$180	$ 756,000
Student (before 15 June)	$100	$ 420,000	$50	$ 210,000	$25	$ 105,000

* Academic: Any lecturer, researcher of professor in full or part-time employment.

For colombians, registration will be in Colombian pesos, based on the exchange rate (TRM) at the time of payment.

List of countries

Information about the speakers, the detailed program, and the scientific committee will be released shortly. We are working to provide a high-quality event with internationally renowned experts.