The Ministry of Education decided yesterday to put ISK 1.5 billion (USD 24 million, EUR 17 million) towards having a draft of an Icelandic language policy created. The draft is scheduled to be finished before Icelandic Language Day next year, celebrated annually on November 16.
According to Gudrún Kvaran, head of the Icelandic Language Committee, this is the first time a public language policy has been created, adding that the other Nordic countries have achieved more in regards to protecting their language, ruv.is reports.
Five groups will be appointed to help creating the draft and will collect information about the position of the Icelandic language in various fields of society, like the different levels of education and within the media and administration.
Afterwards the groups will estimate which factors have to be taken into account when creating a strategy for preserving the Icelandic language.
