THE outgoing chair of the Court of the University of the Highlands and Islands, Professor Matthew MacIver CBE, has been appointed as the UK independent member on the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (Comex).
The appointment has been announced by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. This is the first time that a Scot and a Gael has been appointed to Comex, a committee which oversees the protection and promotion of regional and minority languages throughout Europe.
Professor MacIver, a native Gaelic speaker, was born and brought up in the Island of Lewis and was educated at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway and at Edinburgh University. He has had a distinguished career in Scottish education, having been the rector of Fortrose Academy, the rector of the Royal High School of Edinburgh and the chief executive of the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
Over the years, he has been heavily involved in the development of Gaelic. He has chaired the Gaelic Playgroups Association, the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee, Bord na Gaidhlig (the Gaelic Language Board) and the National Working Group on teacher shortages in Gaelic.
“I am looking forward immensely to the challenge of this new appointment,” said Professor MacIver.
“I regard it as a great privilege. I am proud to be the first Scot to be appointed to Comex.
“Minority languages will not develop in isolation; they have to learn from each other. In a world of increasing globalisation, cooperation is vital if these languages and their accompanying cultures are to survive.
“A committee like Comex enables us to examine what is happening with other minority languages and to learn from their experiences.
“I hope also that my own appointment will allow the voice of Gaelic to be heard throughout Europe. Just as I hope we can learn from others, so I am clear that much is to be learned from our experiences in Scotland.”
These posts are unsalaried and each expert is expected to be the rapporteur of a specific country, being in charge of the drafting of the evaluation report to be adopted by the Committee of Experts. Professor MacIver takes up the appointment immediately.
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Tha an duine a tha a’ tighinn gu ceann na rèise aige mar chathraiche Chùirt Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean, an t-Àrd-Ollamh Mata MacÌomhair CBE, an dèidh bhith air a chur an dreuchd mar bhall neo-eisimeileach na Rìoghachd Aonaichte air Comataidh Shàr-eòlaichean Chairt Eòrpach nam Mion-chànanan (Comex). Chaidh an cur-an-dreuchd fhoillseachadh le Comataidh Mhinistearan Chomhairle na Roinn Eòrpa. Is e seo a’ chiad uair a chaidh Albannach agus Gaidheal a chur an dreuchd air Comex, comataidh a sgrùdas mar a thèid mion-chànanan a dhìon is adhartachadh air feadh na Roinn Eòrpa.
Rugadh is thogadh an t-Àrd-Ollamh MacÌomhair, aig a bheil a’ Ghàidhlig o dhùthchas, ann an Leòdhas, agus fhuair e a chuid foghlaim an Sgoil MhicNeacail an Steòrnabhagh agus ann an Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann. Bha sàr rèis-obrach aige ann am foghlam an Albainn, mar reachdair Acadamaidh na Cananaich, reachdair Àrd-sgoil Rìoghail Dhùn Èideann agus àrd-oifigear gnìomha Chomhairle Choitcheann Teagaisg na h-Alba. Thar nam bliadhnachan bha e an sàs gu mòr ann an leasachadh na Gàidhlig. Bha e na chathraiche air Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Àraich, Comataidh Craoladh na Gàidhlig, Bòrd na Gàidhlig agus a’ Bhuidhinn Obrach Nàiseanta air ganntachd luchd-teagaisg sa Ghàidhlig.
“Tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair gu mòr ris an dùbhlan a bhios san dreuchd ùr seo,” thuirt an t-Àrd-Ollamh MacÌomhair. “Tha mi ga fhaicinn na shochair mhòr. Tha mi uaibhreach a bhith air a’ chiad Albannach a chaidh a chur an dreuchd air Comex. Cha tig leasachadh air mion-chànanan is iad sgaraichte o chèile; feumaidh iad ionnsachadh o chèile. Ann an saoghal anns a bheil barrachd is barrachd de dhomhanachadh, tha co-oibreachadh uile-chudromach ma tha na cànanan seo is na cultaran a tha nan lùib ri bhith beò. Le comataidh mar a tha Comex is urrainn dhuinn a bhith a’ sgrùdadh na tha a’ tachairt le mion-chànanan eile agus a bhith ag ionnsachadh o na dh’fhiosraich iadsan.
“Tha mi an dòchas cuideachd, is mi fhèin air mo chur san dreuchd seo, gun tèid guth na Gàidhlig a chluinntinn air feadh na Roinn Eòrpa. Dìreach mar a tha mi an dòchas gun tèid againne air a bhith ag ionnsachadh o chàch, chan eil teagamh sam bith agam nach eil mòran ri a ionnsachadh o na dh’fhiosraich sinn fhèin ann an Albainn.”
Chan eil tuarastal an lùib nan dreuchdan seo, agus thèid iarraidh air gach sàr-eòlaiche a bhith na neach-aithris do dhùthaich fa leth, agus e/i an ceann a bhith a’ cur na h-aithisg mheasaidh ri chèile a thèid gabhail rithe le Comataidh nan Sàr-eòlaichean. Tòisichidh an t-Àrd-Ollamh MacÌomhair san dreuchd gun dàil.
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