Awarded-winning languages:

Tamajaght (Tuareg); Basque and Asturian (Spain); Francoprouvensal (Italy); Corsican (France); Gaelic (Scotland); Occitan (France and Italy)

“Qui ten la lenga, ten la clau”

(Frédéric Mistral, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1904)

In a constantly changing world, where it is difficult to orient oneself, mother languages are precious keys that allow us to understand contemporary reality. The mission of Premio Ostana – Ostana Prize is guarding and promoting linguistic biodiversity, thanks to the invitation of writers, artists and filmmakers: just think that Ostana has hosted 80 artists and 46 languages from all over the world up until today.

From the Nigerian desert to the Asturian Mountains, from the Aosta Valley to the Basque Country, from the land of Lenga d’Òc to the Corsican island, in 2023 the Ostana Prize offers its audience and awardees an immersive experience with mother tongues that are worlds in themselves, little cultures of sound, treasures to be safeguarded, bonds with one another. This year’s motto pays tribute to Frédéric Mistral, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1904: “Qui ten la lenga, ten la clau” (“He who guards the language, keeps the key”).

In the contemporary world, where the word “crisis” has become the norm rather than the exception, language –or languages– are keys for opening doors, a compass to guide us amidst all chaos, a tool which contains in itself the problems and, at the same time, the solutions, because they are a product of a human and aesthetic experience, centuries-old and unique.

The conflicts of our time –from wars to the climate change challenge, from gender inequalities to the increasingly polarised conflicts between social and political actors– are on the front page, but at the same time these themes are old as the world, and language communities –whether it’s minority languages, endangered, lesser used languages, mother tongues or rising languages– have also expressed their considerations about these conflicts, yet with a completely original and functional view, sometimes in line with, and sometimes at odds with– today’s sensibility.

The Ostana Prize’s goal is to provide a place and an opportunity for the meeting of peoples, stories and cultures, to foster debate for reflecting about language rights, according to the initiatives promoted by the United Nations in the framework of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2023.

Participating in the Ostana Prize is enjoying a weekend of “convivéncia”, a word of troubadour origin that means “the art of living together in harmony”, accompanied by the winning artists and in defence of mother tongues.

Save the date: 23-25th June. Gift yourself a one of a kind and unforgettable experience in Miribrart hamlet, in front of the stunning Monviso mountain: a cultural, linguistic, emotional immersion en convivéncia (“the art of living together in harmony”) in company of the 8 awardees.

Organising committee

  • Giacomo Lombardo / President
  • Ines Cavalcanti / Artistic Director

With Peyre Anghilante, Maria Teresa Atorino, Andrea Fantino, Matteo Ghiotto, Flavio Giacchero, Teresa Geninatti, Mariona Miret, Valentina Musmeci, Marzia Rey, Fredo Valla

Chambra d’Òc Cultural Association, Viso a Viso – Cooperativa di Comunità

 

For infomation:

chambradoc@chambradoc.it
+39 328 3129801
www.premioostana.it

Dedicated Press Office

Greta Messori: greta.messori@gmail.com

Erica Bouvier: +39 338 4282344

 

Hall of fame of awarded languages:

From Europe: Occitan (France, Italy), Friulian (Italy), Cimbro (Italy), Ladin (South tyrol), Sardinian (Italy), Rromani (Romania), Slovene (Slovenia, Italy), Aragonese (Spain), Galician (Spain), Euskera (Spain), Catalan (Spain) and Algherese Catalan (Italy), Maltese (Malta), Fyrsian (the Netherlands), Grikó (Italy), Breton (France), Romansh (Switzerland), Nynorsk (Norway), Saami (Lapland: Norway, Sweden), Welsh (United Kingdom), Cornish (United Kingdom), Irish (Ireland), Albanian (Kosovo), Chuvash and Even (Russia), Walser (Switzerland, Germany, Italy), Arbëreshe (Italy, Albanian); from Africa: Yoruba (Nigeria), Amazigh-Kabyle (Algeria – Morocco), Capeverdean (Cape Verde); from Asia: Armenian (Armenia), Tibetan (China), Kurdish (Turkey), Hebrew (Israel), Karen (Thailand, Myanmar); from the Americas: Huave (Mexico), Mazateco (Mexico), Tutunakú (Mexico), Cheyenne (USA), Navajo (USA), Shuar (Ecuador), Innu (Canada), Guaraní (Paraguay) and finally from Oceania: Maori (New Zealand).