The Columba Project or Iomairt Cholm Cille, formerly known as the Columba Initiative is a program for Gaelic

Goidelic languages

The Goidelic languages or Gaelic languages are one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic languages, the other consisting of the Brythonic languages. Goidelic languages historically formed a dialect continuum stretching from the south of Ireland through the Isle of Man to the north of Scotland...

 speakers in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 and Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 to meet each other more often, and in so doing to learn more of the language, heritage and lifestyles of one another. It was named after Colm Cille (St Columba

Columba

Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...

, 521–597 AD), whose monasteries shaped and spanned the Gaelic world of Ireland and Scotland. It involves Scotland and Ireland, but not the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

, which has its own Gaelic language, Manx

Manx language

Manx , also known as Manx Gaelic, and as the Manks language, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, historically spoken by the Manx people. Only a small minority of the Island's population is fluent in the language, but a larger minority has some knowledge of it...

. However the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

 has become increasingly involved in the Initiative in recent years. The Initiative provides a channel for interaction, cultural exchange and relationship building over complex geographical and political boundaries. Its activities include community exchanges, cultural events, language courses and an annual youth parliament.

History

It was launched in 1997 by the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson

Mary Robinson

Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...

 and Brian Wilson MP, Scottish Minister of State for Education, Industry and Gaelic:

"to foster support for the Gaelic language (sic) and develop links between Gaelic Scotland and Ireland."

The immediate inspiration for the project came from Mary Robinson's Sabhal Mòr Lecture

Sabhal Mòr Lectures

The Sabhal Mòr Lectures are a series of annual televised lectures held at the college Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Skye, Scotland. The lectures are held in English, but focus on topics related to the Scottish Gaelic language, often with emphasis on related economic or cultural issues...

 in 1997, at which she spoke of the possibility of creating "an island space" for the Gaelic languages and their cultures. The Scottish office of the initiative is therefore located at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is a Scottish Gaelic medium college located about north of Armadale on the Sleat peninsula of the island of Skye in northwestern Scotland. It is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands and also has a campus on Islay known as Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle.The college was...

 in Skye

Skye

Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...

.

Aims

The Columba Initiative was inspired by the demand from Gaelic speakers in Scotland and Ireland for the chance to meet each other more often, and in so doing to learn more of the language, heritage and lifestyles of one another. This interaction is intended to support Gaelic-speaking communities in Ireland and Scotland in the present and future. It aims through its work:

• "to develop strategies and projects in which the Gaelic language in Ireland and Scotland can draw together people from diverse backgrounds, within and between each country and region."
• "to develop new relationships between communities and speakers of Irish and Scottish Gaelic and enhance the links already existing."
• "to facilitate practical and sustainable co-operation between communities, networks and speakers of Irish and Scottish Gaelic in the arts, and in social and cultural matters."
• "to encourage debate on common concerns in social, cultural and economic issues with a view to building self-confidence within the Gaelic language communities."
• "to heighten awareness of the contribution of Gaelic to the cultural identity of both Ireland and Scotland."
• "to foster understanding of the diverse experience and culture of the Irish and Scottish Gaelic communities."
• "to promote and facilitate the learning of Scottish Gaelic in Ireland, and Irish Gaelic in Scotland."
• "to identify, initiate and develop projects and partnerships in line with the above."