Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

Emna Rumantscha

Romansh Language Week (Emna Rumantscha) was created on the initiative of Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, and has been organised by the FDFA, the Canton of Graubünden and the Lia Rumantscha since 2021. It aims to highlight the importance of multilingualism for Switzerland's national cohesion and foreign policy by shining a spotlight on the country's smallest and oldest national language.

From Bern to Bucharest, discover the five editions of Romansh Language Week. © FDFA

This page is also available in Romansh.  

It was in the village of Zuoz (Upper Engadine, canton of Graubünden) that Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis first presented the idea of an International Romansh Language Week to mark the 100th anniversary of the Lia Rumantscha in 2019. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) then joined forces with the Canton of Graubünden and the Lia Rumantscha to turn this idea into a reality. The first edition of Romansh Language Week took place in 2021. Since then, it has been held every year in the week of 20 February, the day in 1938 when Romansh officially became Switzerland's fourth national language (see box below). 

Romansh Language Week always begins with an official event, either in Switzerland or abroad, attended by Mr Cassis. Switzerland's representations abroad also play a key role in the week by promoting the Romansh language and culture in their respective countries through meetings, events or language courses.

Romansh Language Week is celebrated in many different locations, but its objectives are always the same: to highlight the importance of multilingualism in Swiss national unity and foreign policy, to raise awareness of the Romansh language, and to emphasise the multicultural nature of life in Switzerland. As Mr Cassis explains, "Romansh Language Week is an opportunity to share with other countries the daily experience of living among a wide diversity of cultures and opinions. Plurality is a resource that nurtures dialogue, something that is becoming ever more essential in today's difficult geopolitical context."

 

First edition

White script against a red background featuring the words 'Rumantsch in ferm toc svizra', which translate as 'Romansh, an essential part of Switzerland'.
The slogan for the first edition of Romansh Language Week was 'Rumantsch, in ferm toc svizra'. © FDFA

Why exactly is Romansh 'in ferm toc Svizra' ‒ an essential part of Switzerland? The first edition of Romansh Language Week set out to answer this question. Launched on 19 February 2021, it was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From Bern, Mr Cassis and the president of Graubünden's cantonal government, Mario Cavigelli, met with students from Glion secondary school. The event was broadcast live on Romansh-speaking media, and featured contributions by Romansh speakers from various sectors, including Graubünden state councillor Jon Domenic Parolini, diplomats Chasper Sarott and Aita Pult from the FDFA, Gianna Olinda Cadonau of the Lia Rumantscha, and Rico Valär from the University of Zurich. 

Link to the online event organised for the first edition of Romansh Language Week 

Press release: Ignazio Cassis launches first 'Romansh Language Week' with Canton of Graubünden, 18.02.2021

News article: 'Emna Rumantscha' – the first Romansh Language Week, 18.02.2021

Second edition

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis facing away from the camera as he addresses students in the Federal Palace.
Students from Scuol and Savognin brought a suitcase full of ideas to the head of the FDFA, Ignazio Cassis. © Keystone

Alongside Graubünden state councillor Jon Domenic Parolini, Ignazio Cassis invited a group of secondary school pupils from the Graubünden villages of Scuol and Savognin to Bern in 2022 to launch Romansh Language Week. The students arrived in the Swiss capital with a suitcase full of ideas for promoting Romansh language and culture in Switzerland and raising its profile abroad.

One of their many ideas included organising a cookery workshop.

Video of the second edition of Romansh Language Week. © FDFA

What does Romansh mean to me? Students answer in video

Press release: A suitcase of Romansh ideas delivered to the Federal Palace, 21.02.2022 

News article, A suitcase of Romansh ideas delivered to the Federal Palace, 21.02.2022

Third edition

Ignazio Cassis cooking in a group including Graubünden natives state councillor Jon Domenic Parolini and chef Andreas Baselgia.
For the third edition of Romansh Language Week, Mr Cassis attended a cookery workshop featuring specialities from the canton of Graubünden. © FDFA

Capuns, Pizokel and Maluns: the cuisine of Graubünden took centre stage at the 2023 edition. Following a suggestion by schoolchildren from Graubünden (see second edition), a cookery workshop was organised under the guidance of Andreas Baselgia, a chef and native of the canton. Mr Cassis was also joined by National Council president Martin Candinas and Graubünden state councillor Jon Domenic Parolini. 

Participants also included representatives from the Swiss embassies in Italy, France, Belgium and the UK, as well as from the Spanish and Austrian embassies in Switzerland, who were then able share their insights into Romansh culture with their respective representations.

The Swiss embassy in the UK put its new-found knowledge into practice at a 'Romansh evening' in London. Meanwhile, Switzerland's consulate general in New York was inspired to organise the city's first ever Romansh language course. It also offered people another chance to view its video crash-course in Romansh, shot in iconic New York locations such as the subway, Times Square, Wall Street and the UN headquarters.

Specialities from the canton of Graubünden were prepared at the third edition of Romansh Language Week. © FDFA

Press release: Delicious Graubünden specialities kick off third edition of Romansh Language Week, 20.02.2023

Fourth edition

An aerial view of a fresco on the ground, with words painted on it in different colours.
'La grande pagina bianca' (the big white page), a collaborative artwork created with Italian-speaking artist Ivan Tresoldi for Romansh Language Week 2024. © Giulia Gorla

The official launch event for the fourth edition of Romansh Language Week took place in Italy ‒ the first time it had been held abroad. As well as sharing two major European languages ‒ Italian and German ‒ Switzerland and Italy are also linked by three Rhaeto-Romanic languages: Friulian, Ladin and Romansh.

In Milan on 19 February 2024, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and representatives from various Italian authorities took part in a meeting entitled 'From words to ideas: six Swiss and Italian regions in dialogue', which focused on joint innovation and sustainable development projects between Switzerland and northern Italy. 

'La grande pagina bianca' (the big white page), a collaborative artwork created with Italian-speaking artist Ivan Tresoldi, was also created for Romansh Language Week. It is the result of a collaboration between Romansh-speaking rapper Gino Clavuot (aka SNOOK), pupils from the Swiss School in Milan, and young Ladin and Friulian speakers. The young participants were invited to reflect on the concept of identity and express their thoughts in the form of colours and drawings on a large white canvas. The Swiss and Italian authorities present added the final brushstroke as a symbol of cross-border collaboration and joint commitment to promoting linguistic diversity.

'Felicità', 'ladins' and 'amore' are just some of the words written on the 'grande pagina bianca', an artistic initiative organised as part of the fourth edition of Romansh Language Week. © FDFA

Press release: Romansh takes to the catwalks of Milan, 19.02.2024

Fifth edition

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and Romanian linguist Magdalena Popescu.
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis with Romanian linguist Magdalena Popescu at the cultural event in Bucharest on 20 February 2025. © FDFA

After Milan, Mr Cassis marked the fifth edition of Romansh Language Week in the Romanian capital Bucharest on 20 February 2025. Switzerland and Romania are united in their multicultural and multilingual way of life, and share two common languages: German and Italian. Alongside Jon Domenic Parolini and representatives of the Romanian authorities, Mr Cassis attended a cultural event organised by the Swiss embassy in Romania and the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum. The event, which aimed to celebrate the plurality and minorities of both countries, was also attended by Romanian linguist Magdalena Popescu. Ms Popescu is a fluent speaker of the Sursilvan dialect of Romansh, and has translated several works from Romanian into Romansh.

What is Magdalena Popescu's link with Romansh? Find out in the video. © FDFA

gnazio Cassis also visited Constanța, in eastern Romania, where he took part in a round table discussion on the importance of minority languages in regional development. Romansh Language Week was incorporated into an official visit by Mr Cassis to Romania, one of the themes of which was minorities.

In Switzerland, an evening dedicated to Romansh was also held in Zurich, attended by Mr Cassis, Jon Domenic Parolini, mayor of Zurich Corine Mauch, and members of the local Romansh-speaking community.  

News article, Celebrating the 5th edition of Romansh Language Week in Romania, 20.02.2025

Press release: Cooperation agreements and minorities: Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on official visit to Romania, 18.02.2025

Press release: Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis signs five cooperation agreements with Romania, 21.02.2025

Romansh in brief

Romansh is a Latin language, just like Italian, French and Catalan. It comprises five regional variants, or dialects: Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Puter and Vallader. These dialects, used in both their spoken and written forms, have their own grammars and dictionaries.

 Romansh became Switzerland's fourth national language in 1938, when 91.6% of the Swiss people voted in favour of its recognition. In order for Romansh to be used in the Federal Administration, Rumantsch grischun, the standardised supra-regional form of the language, was created in 1982.

In Switzerland, 0.5% of the population have Romansh as one of their main languages, according to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office. The Lia rumantscha reports that 40,000 people speak Romansh as their main language, while 60,000 people are able to speak it and 100,000 understand it.

The FDFA strives to ensure an appropriate distribution of languages among its staff. In 2025, 0.5% of staff at the FDFA speak Romansh as their first language. A total of 29 people have Romansh language skills, 15 of whom are bilingual.

Last update 29.07.2025

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