FUEN calls for the inclusion of the Ladin language at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games

The Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) calls on those responsible for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games to take minority languages and minority cultures into account in both the organisation and the official communication of the Games.

The appeal is based on a statement by the Union di Ladins dla Dolomites (Association of the Ladins of the Dolomites), a member organisation of FUEN and of its Non-Kin-State (NKS) Working Group. The organisation calls for the Ladin language, culture and people to be visibly included in the context of the competitions and at official events.

The Winter Olympic Games will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Several competition venues are located in or directly adjacent to the Ladin settlement area. In Cortina d’Ampezzo itself, events will be held in the heart of Ladinia, while further competitions will take place in the immediate vicinity of the Ladin-speaking area. The Ladins are an autochthonous minority in the Dolomites, with their own language and a historically developed cultural identity.

Around the Olympic Games, the Union Generela di Ladins is planning several accompanying activities. These include, among other things, mini dictionaries of sports terminology in Ladin with translations into several languages, information materials for an international audience and local initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility of the Ladin reality.

From FUEN’s perspective, recognition of minorities must not depend solely on the commitment of the minorities themselves. The official structures of an international major event also bear responsibility. Bahne Bahnsen, FUEN Vice President and Spokesperson of FUEN’s Non-Kin-State Working Group, states:

“When major events such as the Olympic Games take place in regions with autochthonous minorities, their languages and cultures must be part of the official presentation. Visibility is not a symbolic gesture, but an expression of respect and equality. Anyone who promotes diversity must also implement it in concrete terms. This includes ensuring that minority languages are naturally present in public spaces and at official events.”

The visibility of minority languages at major events was also a central topic at the most recent annual meeting of FUEN’s NKS Working Group, held in South Tyrol at the end of May 2025.

FUEN emphasises that international major events such as the Olympic Games stand for openness and diversity. These values must also be reflected in how minorities living in the host regions are treated.