"Office Work in Belarusian!" asks football clubs to more widely use the Belarusian language
On the eve of the beginning of the
Belarusian football championship in the higher league, activists of
the civil initiative "Office Work in Belarusian!" addressed
the twenty football clubs who take part in the championship, with the
proposal to extensively use the Belarusian language during the
organization, holding and elucidation of the matches.
The
coordinator of "Office Work in Belarusian!" Ihar Sluchak
reminds that the activists sent a similar address to the clubs during
the previous championship and received positive replies. However, the
implementation of the proposals was delayed by the clubs as the
season had already started and it was hard to introduce changes in
the organization on the move. "However, some of the clubs
promised to support our proposals in this or that respect in the new
season. Now we decided to remind the football community about their
promises, I hope they will be kept," pointed Mr. Sluchak.
Among
other things, it is proposed to write the surnames of the football
players on their closes in the Belarusian language, to accompany the
matches at home stadiums in the Belarusian language, to supply the
websites of the clubs with Belarusian-language versions, to hold
press-conferences in Belarus and more widely use the Belarusian
language in ordinary life and contacts with the press.
The
activists also reminded the administration of the football clubs that
football is the kind of sports which attracts the greatest number of
adherents in Belarus. "Moreover, this is a kind of sports which
has a direct influence on the formation of patriotic traits of
character, love to the native land. This is a kind of sports which
unites the people. In Belarus this people is Belarusians, and its
language is Belarusian. You have an opportunity to help increasing
the use of the Belarusian language in Belarus," reads the
application.
The activists think that the implementation of
their proposals will not bring many expenditures, but will allow not
only to increase patriotism among Belarusian and extend the use of
the Belarusian language, but will also raise the public interest to
the championship, which will result in an increased sale of tickets
and advertisement, which can bring direct profit to the football
clubs.