Seventh Annual International Conference (Bilbao, Basque Country)
NEWS RELEASE - Seventh Annual Conference of the International Association of Language Commissioners
The Ombudsman of the Basque Country will host the seventh annual Conference of the International Association of Language Commissioners in Bilbao, Spain on September 7 and 8, 2022. Members will then gather for their Annual General Meeting on September 9.
Venue: Euskadiko Artxibo Historikoa (Historical Archive of the Basque Country), basement room
Address of the venue: María Díaz de Haro no. 3, Bilbao
Tuesday 6 September
Participants’ arrival in Bilbao (please note that this is a bank holiday)
Wednesday 7 September: Day 1
10:30 Welcome and Opening remarks
Raymond Théberge, Exiting Chair and Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada
Manuel Lezertua, Ombudsman for the Basque Country
10:50 Policy and Research Sub-group presentation
"The impact of COVID on our work, operations and official and minority languages"
13:00 Lunch
14:30 Communications Sub-group presentation
"Social media – Challenges and opportunities for language commissioners"
16:30 End of day 1
Thursday 8 September: Day 2
09:30 Panel: "What role do official languages play within the context of the Ombudsperson's functions in your respective jurisdictions?"
Kelly Burke, French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario
Manuel Lezertua, Ombudsman for the Basque Country
Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Irish Language Commissioner
Raymond Théberge, Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada
11:00 Break
11:15 Panel: "A balancing act: The challenge of fulfilling our mandates"
Shirley C. MacLean, Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick
Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Irish Language Commissioner
Gwenith Price, Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner
Slaviša Mladenović, Language Commissioner of Kosovo
12:45 Lunch
13:45 Panel: "How can we manage cases/investigations in an efficient and timely manner when dealing with outside pressures?"
Gwenith Price, Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner
Shirley C. MacLean, Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick
Roberto Moreno, Basque Country, and Agurne Gaubeka, Behatokia, Basque Country
Bart Weekers, Flemish Ombudsman
15:15 Break
15:30 Discussion on issues noted during the meeting
16:30 End of conference
Friday 9 September: Day 3
Annual General Meeting