Indigenous Võro people of Estonia: from self-identification to official recognition 

Organisation: The Council of Elders of the Congress of the Võro people | MTÜ Võrokõisi Kongressi Vanõmbidõ Kogo  

Location: Historical Võro country 

The project aims to advance the rights of the Võro people, protecting their language, culture and minority rights. As part of the initiative, a language advocacy study trip to Galicia, Spain, and the Mirandese-speaking region in Portugal to learn from their regional language rights practices and build long-term institutional relationships will be carried out. 

In Estonia, the project will conduct targeted advocacy with key authorities, including the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Estonian Parliament, to promote language policy and minority rights. 

During the annual Võro Language Week, a seminar will be held in cooperation with the URALIC Centre and Võro Institute to discuss the official recognition of Võro language and the collective rights of the Võro people. This seminar will follow up on decisions from the 1st Võro Congress in April 2023, covering areas like language, education, environment, and militarization. The event will engage key stakeholders, including Võro organizations, municipalities, government representatives, and experts in indigenous rights. 

Grant Amount: €15,000