Sámi Language Council

The Sámi Language Council represents all three Sámi languages that are spoken in Finland: North Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi. Together with the Sámi Language Office, which functions in the Sámi Parliament Secretariat, the Language Council has an important political role as a supervisor of the rights of the Sámi-speaking population and as a promoter of Sámi languages.

An important part of the Language Council work is co-operation with the Sámi Language Committee and other institutes working with the Sámi and other minority languages and in the field of language research, such as Kotus (Research Institute for the Languages of Finland). The Language Council also has representatives on the executive board of the Finnish department (FIBLUL) in the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages (EBLUL).

Members of the committee for the term 2024-2027:

Members

Veikko Feodoroff, president
Leena Niittyvuopio-Jämsä, vice president
Anni Saara Aikio
Petter Morottaja
Pentti Pieski
Margareetta Suoninen
Inker-Anni Magga

Deputies

Anna-Katariina Feodoroff
Neeta Jääskö
Anna-Liisa Väyrynen
Hannu Kangasniemi
Ara Aikio
Jouni Aikio
Ulla-Maarit Magga

Tasks include:

  • The activities of the Language Council include, among other things, maintaining and developing the Sámi languages used in Finland; giving instructions and recommendations on the issues concerning the correct use of language, names, and terminology; advancing language research; providing information on Sámi languages, and participating in the Nordic co-operation of linguistic issues.
  • In addition, the Sámi Language Council, together with the Language Office, gives a report to the Sámi Parliament every electoral period. The report concerns the appliance of Sámi language legislation and the realisation of language rights, as well as the development of linguistic conditions.