The promotion of minority languages has been brought to the European SME and Cluster scene by INDEUS and Údarás.

At the SME & Cluster Assembly in the Irish capital, we spoke about the importance of languages for business competitiveness in the “Language as a Competitive Advantage” session.

Like never before, languages, particularly minority languages, have featured in the SME & Cluster Assembly, the most important European SME and Cluster event held in Dublin this year. The session “Language as a Competitive Advantage” was held on 3 November, promoted by the Irish organisation Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Spri-led Indeus initiative. Jasone Aretxabaleta Osa, head of INDEUS at Spri; Ander Etxeberria of the Mondragon Corporation; Siobhán Ni Ghadhra, President of Údarás na Gaeltachta; Lenneke Willems, Marketing Manager and Irish Language Intermediary; Fionnbarra Bradley, former lecturer at Dublin City University; and Conall Ó Mórain, Managing Director of The Media Group, who acted as moderator were the panellists.

The main message conveyed during the discussion was that, as cultural and economic assets in Europe, minority languages must be strengthened and preserved not only from a cultural or linguistic perspective, but also in terms of business competitiveness.