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The Domowina, with its headquarters at Bautzen/Budyšin, is a politically nonpartisan, independent association of Sorbs, and the umbrella organisation for Sorbian societies throughout Upper and Lower Lusatia. It officially represents the interests of the Sorbian people, and its activities are focused in the Sorbian settlement area of the Federal State of Brandenburg and the Free State of Saxony.
Ever since its foundation in 1912, the Domowina has worked for the preservation, development, promotion and propagation of the Upper and Lower Sorbian languages and the culture and traditions of the Sorbian people. As umbrella organisation, it brings together and supports Sorbs and Sorbian societies in their work, and officially represents their interests in the public sphere and in dealings with parliaments, institutions and administrations at municipal, district, state and federal levels as well as internationally.
> Homepage of the Domowina
> More about the Sorbs
Its delegates to the Minority Council are:
Dawid Statnik and Judit Šołćina/Scholze for the Upper Sorbs
and Kito Ela / Christian Elle for the Lower Sorbs/Wends.
předsyda Domowiny – Zwjazk Łužiskich Serbow z.t.
Chair of Domowina – Federation of Lusatian Sorbs (Bund Lausitzer Sorben e.V.)
Professional career:
• until 2013, Master of Events Technology specialising in Stage/Studio
• since 2013, Chair of Domowina full-time
Social involvement:
• 2007-2009, board member of the Sorbian youth association Pawk e. V.
• since 2009, member of the Domowina association board
• since 2011, Chair of Domowina
• since 2013, assembly member, Saxon State Institute for Private Radio and New Media (Sächsische Landesanstalt für privaten Rundfunk und neue Medien, SLM), and its Chair since 2020
• since 2015 member of the Council for Sorbian Affairs of the Free State of Saxony
jednaćelka Domowiny – Zwjazk Łužiskich Serbow z.t. / Chief Executive of Domowina – Federation of Lusatian Sorbs (Bund Lausitzer Sorben e.V.)
Professional career:
• Certified psychologist
• 2009-2015, Project Manager of the RML2future network for multilingualism and linguistic diversity and of the European language campaign language diversity
• 2013-2021, Head of the Minority Secretariat of the four autochthonous national minorities and ethnic groups of German in Berlin
• since 2022, Chief Executive of Domowina
Social involvement:
• 1998-2000, board member of the Sorbian youth association Pawk e.V.
• 2000-2002 and 2003-2005, member of the praesidium of Youth of European Nationalities (YEN)
• 2009-2021, member of the Domowina association board and, since 2011, of its praesidium
• 2013-2017, Deputy Chair of Domowina
• since 2015, member of the Society for the Promotion of Sorbian Culture and the Information Centre in Berlin (SKI)
čłon Zwjazkoweho předsydstwa Domowiny / Member of the association board of Domowina
• born and grew up in Commerau near Königswartha (Upper Lusatia/Saxony)
• living in Lower Lusatia for over 40 years
Professional career:
• Retired physics and mathematics teacher
• 1985-1990, Principal, Sorbian Extended Secondary School, Cottbus
• 1998-2001, Research Assistant to Sorbian Schools Association (Sorbischer Schulverein e.V.)
• 2001-2011, Director, WITAJ Language Centre, Lower Lusatian Branch
Social involvement:
• Christian Elle has rendered great service to the revitalisation of the Sorbian/Wendish language in Lower Lusatia
• Member of the association board of Domowina