Laz Institute declares November 7 Laz Language Day

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Established in 2013 to keep the Laz language and culture alive, the Laz Institute has declared November 7 the Laz Language Day.

A series of events are planned as part of the day declared with the aim of protecting and keeping alive the Laz, a World Language in Danger" according to UNESCO, and raising awareness about the issue.

The Laz Institute has released the following statement:

Why November 7?

"The efforts to keep the Laz language and culture alive in Turkey started in the 1990s. OGNİ (head, understand), the first Laz culture magazine, began its publication life in November 1993.

"But, before that, Mç'ita Murutsxi (Red Star), the first Laz newspaper, was published by İskender Tzitaşi and his friends in Abkhazia, an autonomous republic within the Soviet Union, on November 7, 1929. Written in the Laz language and Latin script all along, the newspaper aimed to increase literacy in Laz and to make Laz a written language.

Kazım Koyuncu

"What makes November 7 important is also that it is the birthday of Laz musician Kazım Koyuncu. Having contributed dearly to the Laz being known and loved in Turkey, Kazım Koyuncu is a personality who is loved a lot and held up as an example by the Laz youth.

"When all these characteristics are taken together, declaring and marking November 7 as the Laz Language Day symbolically points at a value.

'All arrows point to November 7'

"The one-to-one meetings and exchange of opinions on social media about the Laz Language Day pointed to November 7. In response to this, this date has been set by mutual agreement. Planned to be marked with different events every year, the Law Language Day aims to be beneficial to raise awareness about the Laz language as well as all world languages in danger."

The first Laz Language Day marked

The first celebration on the occasion of Laz Language Day was held on November 7, 2021. The Zoom event was attended by several artists, writers, poets and activists producing works in Laz language as well as representatives from the Laz Culture and Solidarity Day, Endangered Languages Network member İstanbul Circassian Cultural Association, Zaza-Der and Hemşin Culture Research and Memorial Association (HADİG).

During the event, poems in Laz were read out, songs in Laz were sung and discussions on the current state of Laz were held.

The video of the event can be accessed on the YouTube channel of the Laz Institute. (NÖ/SD)