ValenciaHundreds of authors have taken a step forward with a manifesto in defense of the Valencian Language Academy (AVL), a joint statement in which they demand that debates on Valencian be kept out of the partisan fray.
The text, supported by more than 300 signatures, denounces that there are attacks from different administrations and a progressive cornering of the own language, especially in the educational field, and requests that the issues strictly technical and grammatical be resolved in the relevant academic forums.
A manifesto with hundreds of signatures
The signatories emphasize that, despite their ideological and linguistic diversity, they are united by a common profession and a common tool: language. Among the names supporting the document are Rafa Lahuerta, Carles Alberola, Marc Granell, Susanna Lliberós, Purificació Mascarell, Rodolf Sirera, Ferran Torrent, Emili Rodríguez-Bernabeu, Josep Piera, Mercè Viana or Martí Domínguez, among others.
In the manifesto they ask to respect the role of the AVL as a regulatory authority —recognized by the Statute of Autonomy— and remember that, in their daily work, they use tools provided by the institution, such as the Online Dictionary or Valencia Toponymic Gazetteer, which allow users to resolve doubts and use a common standard.
The writer Vicent Borràs explains that the objective is to establish a shared position in favor of the language and the institution that regulates it, warning that certain Linguistic debates are being instrumentalized for partisan purposes. This concern is echoed by numerous authors consulted.
The teacher and writer Josep Antoni Fluixà emphasizes the need to review the budgets to guarantee activities to promote Valencian, reading and normalization, and remembers that the protection of official languages is covered by the Constitution and the StatuteIn his opinion, reducing resources hinders the work of organizations and foundations that support cultural life in Valencian.
From own AVL, its president, Verònica Cantó, has appealed for unity in the sector and has sent reports to Les Corts to warn that certain budgetary amendments compromise the functioning of the institution. At the same time, public officials have questioned its work or the suitability of the standard, fueling a climate of debate that, according to the writers, benefits no one.
What they denounce and what they propose
The signatories point out a cornering of Valencian in education with regulatory changes that break the normality achieved, in addition to attempts to reduce their presence in the Audiovisual Corporation of the Valencian Community, which includes the public radio and television company À Punt.
They also criticize the transfer of issues to the political arena. spelling or grammar —such as the accentuation of “València”— which, they maintain, must be resolved in the AVL and the universitiesAs a comparative example, they point out that it would be unthinkable to open a media dispute over whether Spanish should retain the letter "z" when most speakers pronounce it as an "s," let alone put it to a vote in any city council.
For writers, the use of language as weapon of confrontation This causes some citizens to perceive it as "problematic" and stop using it. That's why they are calling on city councils, provincial councils, and the Generalitat to Stop using Valencian in partisan struggles and that prioritize policies for institutional development and stability.
The key demands of the manifesto
- Shielding the technical sphere: that grammatical issues be debated in the AVL and in universities, not on social networks or in municipal plenary sessions.
- Respect competencies: effective recognition of the statutory role of the AVL and an end to political pressure.
- Sufficient resources: reverse cuts and provide the institution and the cultural ecosystem with the resources to carry out its activities.
- Normality in education and media: guarantee the use of Valencian in the educational system and its presence in À Punt.
The manifesto also has the support of associations and groups cultural organizations from different regions - such as the Casal Popular 'Tío Cuc' in Alicante, 10 de la Ploma, the Associació Cultural Algoleja, Amics de Joan Valls i Jordà, the Pont Cooperativa de Lletres, the Col·lectiu d'Escriptors i Escriptores de la Ribera or the Institut d'Estudis Comarcals Camp de Túria -, which claim the language as shared heritage.
The photograph left by this mobilization is that of a broad literary sector that, with more than 300 signatures, is committed to returning the discussion about Valencian to its natural place - the academic one -, providing the AVL with stability and means and protect the areas where the language is learned and used daily, from classrooms to public media.