About us, our aims, our missions, our contact details

The Institute for Occitan Studies (Institut d’Estudis Occitans - IEO) is an association created in 1945, whose purpose is the maintenance and development of the Occitan language and culture as a whole.

Aims

All IEO members are working for the recognition of the Occitan as a full European language. That is why IEO advocates a place for Occitan in public life, media and education.

The action of IEO aims at the recognition of the Occitan culture as a genuine modern culture, both creative and innovative and faithful to its history.

IEO supports the efforts of all those who want the Occitan language to find its place in the cultural diversity inherent in today’s society.

This is a goal you can share with us, together with the 2100 volunteers of IEO and its forty workers employed in its various branches. You can join one of our 28 departmental and 8 regional federated sections, or the federal section of IEO directly.

IEO supports the promotion and teaching of Occitan respectful of dialectal diversity. IEO recommends the use of the so-called “classical” or “standard” spelling, adapted to dialectal diversity and to the teaching of Occitan on its entire territory, including the Aran Valley (Val d’Aran, in Spain) and the Occitan valleys (Valadas occitanas) of Italy.

Networking

IEO is a so-called “loi 1901” association recognized as a “public utility” by the French State (1949) with an agreement for Youth and Popular Education (1986).

How to join: one can join either a departmental section (if a regional chapter) or the federal section IEO in Toulouse. In both cases, the amount of the contribution is the same.

IEO is open to anyone who wants the promotion and development of Occitan and who shares the goals and orientations of the association.

The association is organized into regional and local sections and circles that cover the whole of Occitania. Each level pursues the objectives of IEO in the area is concerned, taking into account its specific historical, geographical and human background.

In addition, various branches, affiliates or members of the IEO care for specific activities.

IEO is a member of the European Network for the Promotion of Linguistic Diversity (NPLD), the French Committee of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL-France) and of the Interregional meetings, which bring together representatives of the various languages of France. IEO is also a UNESCO club.

Main fields of action

Occitan in everyday life

IEO contributes to the socialization of the language and awareness of Occitan culture through its actions (see also section for information on the Occitan language):

• Occitan ... Qu’es aquò ? is a tabloid document for the general public (published in tabloid 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2015) on the Occitan language and culture.

• Paginas Occitanas (www.paginas-occitanas.com) Occitanas is an Internet directory that lists the various people and services dealing with Occitan for economic or cultural purposes.

• Servici de l’emplec (www.emplec.com) is the first site that connects employers and job-seekers mentioning their competence in Occitan.

• IEO has initiated the creation of an organisation, Anem Òc (www.manifestarperloccitan.com), has initiated the creation of an organisation, Anem Òc, founded in 2004 which called for mass demonstrations in favour of Occitan culture in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2015. Anem Òc claims the development of language policies to develop the use of the Occitan language in the media, the arts, education, and public life.

Resource Centre and Research

• Service of toponomic heritage: research, information and help to develop bilingual signage;

• Translation and linguistic advice: translation work, proofreading and advice, publication of terminological glossaries in biology, mathematics, computer science and mobile phone.

• IEO and the General Council of Aran (Conselh Generau d’Aran) have initiated the Academy of the Occitan language, which aims at strengthening the unity of the Occitan language while respecting its diversity.

Occitan courses for adults

• IEO, associated with the Escola Occitana d’Estiu (EOE) and the Centre de Formation Professionnelle Occitan (CFPO) makes a yearly campaign for Occitan courses for adults throughout Occitania but also on the internet and by e-mail (posters, brochures, website: www.aprenemloccitan.com).

• To develop the quality of training courses for adults in Occitania, the IEO, the EOE and the CFPO have partnered to create the PARLESC label, a network of accredited Occitan courses for adults.

Book industry

• IEO-IDECO is the publishing and distributing sector of the Institute of Occitan Studies. Based in Puylaurens (81), on the one hand it ensures the publication of books in Occitan and on the other hand the distribution of most of the Occitan cultural production. IEO-IDECO is supported by the Centre National du Livre (CNL). Several departmental and regional sections also develop a publishing activities (books, magazines, CD), often in partnership with IEO-IDECO.

• Anem Occitans !: IEO publishes a quarterly magazine, Anem Occitans! sent to each member of the association. With a circulation of over 1800 copies, this is one of the most important journals in occitan.

Contact

Institut d’Etudes Occitanes - Section Fédérale

11, rue malcousinat

31000 Toulouse

+33 5 34 44 97 11

direccion@ieo-oc.org