Recognition of the ILO Convention 169 – The Lausitzer Sorbs’ call for justice

The Lusatian Sorbs carry their language like a living heritage in the body of the landscape. Every sentence spoken is a bridge to the ancestors, each telling a seed for the future. When international conventions are pushed open like a window, many people are hoping that these bridges will no longer sway. Recognition as an indigenous people would not beBureaucratic stamp, but an act of appreciation, a public embrace for everything that has been preserved and passed on over generations.

Scars of history and the urgency of protection

The story left deep traces. Language was suppressed, customs marginalized and spaces for Sorbian ways of life were scarce. These injuries hurt in everyday life and memory. In this context, the ILO convention acts like a promise that can transform words into protection and justice. It’s not just about legal formulas, but about recognition of dignity andConcrete ways to preserve your own culture in the community and be able to act.

The convention as a lifeline for the country and its identity

For many Sorbs, land means more than property. It is place of language, stage of customs and bearers of collective memories. The convention offers instruments that recognize that culture, language and country are inextricably linked. If concerns are seriously heard and participation is ensured, decisions about landscapes, infrastructure and economicuse to be designed in favor of a living cultural practice. This means that the extinction of traditions is no longer accepted as an inevitable fate.

Language as the heart of self-confidence

The Sorbian language is not just a means of communication. It forms ideas, values and worldviews. Recognition means that this life breath is protected, that schools, media and cultural institutions find space not only to preserve language, but to make it the center of a modern, self-confident community life. every lesson, every child, theSorbian learns is a triumph against forgetting.

Hope through legal and moral confirmation

Legal recognition has a double effect. It creates protective mechanisms against arbitrary interventions and at the same time sends a strong signal to society. Those who are officially recognized will not only be granted justice, but also respect. For the Sorbs, this would be a historical gesture of reconciliation and a practical step towards equal participation. It wouldopen up the possibility of shaping future questions on your own responsibility and no longer just acting in a reactionary manner.

From promise to lived solidarity

Recognition remains hollow if it remains unaccompanied by resources and real say. Therefore, solidarity must be shown in concrete actions. Support in education, cultural promotion, legal protection and economic self-empowerment are necessary. If partners from politics, civil society and neighborhoods are binding, the legal framework can be aLiving structure is created that protects and shaping everyday life and traditions.

A common breath for the future

In the end, it’s about more than legal categories. It’s about breathing together in a landscape where language, music and customs find free space again. The recognition under international law would be a sign of hope for the Lusatian Sorbs. It would open doors to recognition, protection and self-determination and thus the way to a future in which cultural diversity is notonly tolerated, but celebrated.