An unusual project has been launched in Spain that could change attitudes toward regional languages in the digital space. Young creators from across the country have decided not only to speak their native languages, but also to actively promote them online. The initiative is supported by the Council of Ministers, which announced the creation of new institutions dedicated to issues of linguistic diversity.
Christian Llorens, a former teacher, noticed that his students on platforms like Instagram or TikTok were hesitant to use Valencian. They felt it wasn’t fashionable and preferred to switch to Spanish. Lucía García Bataneiro, originally from Madrid, started learning Basque for her partner, even though those around her found it puzzling. María Rúa Rodríguez from Galicia felt during her school years that Galician didn’t make her ‘cool’ among her peers. These personal stories inspired them to create content in their native languages to show that there’s nothing shameful about being yourself.
On the European Day of Languages, in the Congress of Deputies, Minister for Territorial Policy and Historical Memory Ángel Víctor Torres announced the launch of the Council and Office for Official Languages. These new bodies will serve as a platform for discussion and monitoring of languages, and will help integrate them into government processes. Plans include allowing residents of the regions to use their languages when interacting with state agencies, if more than one official language is recognized in the autonomous community.
The Council will include representatives from autonomous regions with two official languages, as well as institutions such as the Instituto Cervantes and the Directorate for Artificial Intelligence. This will not only help preserve these languages but also integrate them into modern technologies. Congress President Francina Armengol emphasized that the digital age poses a threat of extinction to many languages, and this cannot be ignored.
María Rua Rodríguez, who began posting videos in Galician during the pandemic, admits that encountering linguistic hostility is nothing new to her, but she is pleased when someone shows interest in her culture. Cristian Llorens believes that creating content in minority languages opens up new opportunities. According to him, brands are also starting to realize that such languages can be commercially attractive, although that’s not his main motivation.
Llorens, who recently left school to focus on blogging, notes that prejudices still persist in non-bilingual regions. Sometimes, he receives messages accusing him of using Valencian deliberately to provoke someone. He replies with irony that he has no intention of provoking Madrid residents from his own home. In his view, schools lack a subject introducing the languages of Spain—a course that would help break down stereotypes.
Lucía García Batanero, who began sharing her experience learning Basque, wants to show that mastering a difficult language is possible, even if the journey isn’t always smooth. In one of her videos, she couldn’t pronounce a word correctly, which made viewers smile, but for her, it’s important to share both successes and setbacks to motivate others not to give up.
