Istituto culturale cimbro - Kulturinstitut Lusérn (Cimbrian cultural institute)

The Kulturinstitut Lusérn is an ancillary body of the Autonomous Province of Trento, committed to the safeguard, promotion and enhancement of the ethnographic and cultural heritage of the German-speaking minority of Luserna/Lusern, with particular attention to historical and linguistic expressions, the protection of the environment and the economic- cultural development of the Cimbrian community settlement. To attain these goals, the involvement and participation of the community in the Institute’s activities constitute an approach of particular relevance in the work of the Institute itself.

The aims of the Kulturinstitut Lusérn/Istituto Cimbro (Cimbrian Institute) concern, in particular, the safeguarding, promotion and enhancement of the ethnographic and cultural heritage of the German-speaking minority of Luserna/Lusérn, with particular attention to the historical and linguistic expressions, the protection of the environment and the economic-cultural heritage of the Cimbrian community.

The Institute pursues the following goals:

1. preservation and enhancement of the customs and traditions and consolidation of the cultural identity of the Cimbrian minority;
2. dissemination of knowledge of the Cimbrian language and culture through the means of information and communication, cooperation with the school and organization and participation in study and research initiatives;
3. definition and updating of the linguistic rules and norms aimed at encouraging the standardization of the Cimbrian language, and implementation of training and refresher courses for interpreters, translators and teachers of the Cimbrian language;
4. collection of toponyms of the concerned area and promotion of relating research and studies;
5. collection and study of assets that refer to the history, economics, language, folklore, culture, customs and tradition of the Cimbrian people, with the promotion and publication of any studies and research on these topics;
6. establishment of awards and scholarships to promote learning of the language and knowledge of the cultural, linguistic and original toponymy heritage of the historical settlement area of the Cimbrian community;
7. cooperation with bodies and associations operating in the territory of Luserna/Lusérn and in the Cimbrian area, and cooperation and exchange with bodies at national, interregional and cross-border level;
8. development of proposals for the solution of cultural, social and economic problems faced by the Cimbrian community, and preservation of the environment;
9. promotion of and support to the development of arts, crafts, traditional activities and cultural tourism, in cooperation with organizations and associations pursuing the same goals.

Source: www.istitutocimbro.it