The Public Office of the Occitan Language visits Limousin

On October 3, the Park received a delegation from the Public Office of the Occitan Language as part of a 3-day visit to Limousin.

Oplo, a privileged partner

Oplo, an organization created by the French State, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, and the Occitanie Region, is responsible for implementing a language policy (transmission, use, and monitoring of the Occitan language) within the Occitan cultural area. The appointment of a new director at the beginning of the year provided the Park with an opportunity to initiate discussions about Oplo's new project, in conjunction with the Millevaches en Limousin Regional Natural Park and the Limousin Institute of Occitan Studies (IEO). The two Parks and the IEO—all three committed to the Occitan language—invited a delegation from Oplo to learn about the key players in Occitan culture in the Limousin region, as well as the initiatives undertaken, the region's expectations, and local challenges.

A visit to Limousin

This three-day visit to the Limousin region began in the Millevaches Regional Natural Park. There, participants discussed the urgent situation of the Occitan language and culture in Limousin , as well as the need to strengthen local initiatives and address the lack of technical and financial resources , and trained professionals in the region. Discussions continued with site visits to illustrate the possibilities for incorporating Occitan culture into public spaces. October 2nd was specifically dedicated to the issue of Occitan language education . The following day, the visit continued within the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park.

Giving a voice to local stakeholders

For this third ^and final day of meetings, the floor was given to local stakeholders, such as accommodation providers awarded the "Valeurs Parc" label and who had received support from the Park to develop Occitan-language offerings within their establishments. The Oplo delegation also had the opportunity to speak with cultural programmers who incorporate Occitan into their programs. Finally, meetings with local residents and newcomers , seeking to reintegrate culture into their personal and professional lives, enriched discussions on the role of Occitan in the Limousin region.

The discussions highlighted the successes, but also the limits of the projects due to a lack of resources. The aim of these three days was to mobilize more sustained support from the OPLO in Limousin.