Cornish People Finally Officially Recognised as a Celtic National Minority Group!!

The media information from the Celtic League says it all as Cornwall erupted into celebrations this night:

"The Cornish people are to be recognised as a national minority group by the UK Government after 15 years of campaigning.

The UK government will announce tomorrow (24th April 2014) that the Cornish will join the Irish Scottish and Welsh as a Celtic national minority group within the UK. The recognition, under the terms of the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, goes some way to protect and promote the rights of the Celtic peoples and has been long campaigned for in respect of the Cornish since the Framework came into effect in 1998.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, will make the announcement in Bodmin tomorrow. He said: “Cornish people have a proud history and a distinct identity. I am delighted that we have been able to officially recognise this and afford the Cornish people the same status as other minorities in the UK.”

General Secretary of the Celtic League, Rhisiart Tal-e-bot, said:

“This is a great day for the Cornish people and it has been a long hard fight to achieve this result. It has been a combined effort of many campaigners over many years to get the UK Government to officially recognise the fact that the Cornish are a distinct people with their own language, culture and identity of their own. We have achieved this goal and this is fantastic news! We shall now apply pressure on the French Government and continue to campaign for the rights of the Breton people to be included under the same Framework Convention and be recognised in the same way.”

Link:

http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/157.htm

23/04/14

For comment or clarification on this news item in the first instance contact:

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
General Secretary, Celtic League
gensec@celticleague.net
M: 07787318666

The General Secretary will determine the appropriate branch or General Council Officer to respond to your query.

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Internet site at:
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Meanwhile, the Cornish language radio station, Radyo an Gernewegva made a special announcement followed by the singing of 'Bro Goth Agan Tasow' by the late and much missed John Bolitho:

Nowodhow: Derivas Arbennik http://www.anradyo.com/

Following this, the London centric media instantly started to cover this astounding news following receipt of the following Westminster Government Press Release:

"CORNISH GRANTED MINORITY STATUS WITHIN THE UK

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, today announced that the proud history, unique culture, and distinctive language of Cornwall will be fully recognised under European rules for the protection of national minorities.

The decision to recognise the unique identity of the Cornish, now affords them the same status under the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as the UK’s other Celtic people, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. For the first time the government has recognised the distinctive culture and history of the Cornish.

Speaking on a visit to Bodmin, Cornwall, Danny Alexander said:

“Cornish people have a proud history and a distinct identity. I am delighted that we have been able to officially recognise this and afford the Cornish people the same status as other minorities in the UK.”

Today’s announcement builds on the government’s continued commitment to Cornwall and the Cornish language. The Cornish language has already been recognised under European rules for minority languages. In March this year, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced that the Government would be investing a further £120,000 into the Cornish Language Partnership (MAGA) to promote and develop the language.

Communities Minister Stephen Williams said:

“This is a great day for the people of Cornwall who have long campaigned for the distinctiveness and identity of the Cornish people to be recognised officially.

“The Cornish and Welsh are the oldest peoples on this island and as a proud Welshman I look forward to seeing Saint Piran's Flag flying with extra Celtic pride on March 5 next year.”

Notes to Editors

1. The UK signed the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in 1995 and ratified it in 1998.
2. The broad aims of the Framework Convention are to ensure that the signatory states respect the rights of people belonging to national minorities, undertaking to combat discrimination, promote equality, preserve and develop the culture and identity of national minorities, guarantee certain freedoms in relation to access to the media, minority languages and education and encourage the participation of people belonging to national minorities in public life.
3. The government’s approach to the Framework Convention is to be modified to recognise the unique position of the Cornish as a Celtic people within England. It is without prejudice as to whether the Cornish meet the definition of “racial group” under the Equality Act 2010, as only the courts can rule on that."

As the news caused a near meltdown on social media, the phrase 'Kernow bys vyken!' was oft repeated and will echo throughout Cornwall and the Cornish diaspora for the near future!