Between April 1st and 3rd, members of the LocalLing project participated in a series of impactful academic exchanges hosted by the Faculty of Languages, Arts, and Human Sciences (FLASH) at Ibn Zohr University in Aït Melloul, Morocco.

The centerpiece of the visit was The 1st International Conference on Amazigh Language in the 21st Century: Realities, Challenges, and Future Prospects. A major highlight was the keynote address by our colleague, Yamina El Kirat El Allame, who explored the critical gap between constitutional recognition and the everyday practices that determine linguistic vitality. Her analysis of the Beni Iznassen community underscored a central theme of the event: that the future of a language is decided not just by policy, but through the lived decisions of its speakers.

The LocalLing team contributed a comparative perspective to these discussions. Project coordinator Merilyn Meristo and Maris Saagpakk (Tallinn University) presented research on the revitalization and support mechanisms for Estonian local languages, including Muhu, Võru and Seto. This dialogue further deepened our collective understanding of how local and minoritized languages navigate similar challenges across diverse geographical contexts.

To conclude the visit, a post-conference doctoral day titled Advancing Research Dialogue was held on April 3rd. This seminar provided a valuable space for LocalLing researchers and other keynote speakers to engage directly with doctoral students. The session focused on the practical and ethical challenges of conducting socially grounded research on language and identity, offering mentorship to the next generation of scholars in the field.

We would like to thank the event coordinators, Yassine Boussagui and Yassine Ait Hammou, as well as the FLASH team, for their hospitality and for organizing such a high-quality platform for academic exchange.