With the signing of this charter, eleven commitments have been made by the city and must be fulfilled.

Roost-Warendin signed on March 16 a charter to safeguard Ch’ti. The town, located near Douai, is the first town in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais to sign this charter “My town loves Picard / Eme comeune ale o kér el Picard”.

“Roost-Warendin is the first municipality in the North to publicly show its attachment to the promotion of the Picardy language, which is also called ‘ch’ti’ in our department, and its desire to see it displayed in public life. “, welcomes the City on its Facebook account.

Highly used by miners, the Ch’ti continues today, but it remains very little used by the younger generations. By signing this charter, the town of Roost-Warendin hopes to perpetuate this devalued language.

“It’s a very simple recognition, declares at the microphone of BFM Lille, Jean-Pierre Fitzner, president of the “Les Tiots Pères” academy. Because if you see Basque, Corsican, Breton, all these languages ​​are recognized. However, we, the Picard and the Ch’ti are not recognized.”

Eleven commitments

Municipal websites, tourist brochure, bilingual panels… With the signing of this charter, eleven commitments have been chosen by elected officials and will have to be carried out. “By signing this charter, the mayor has undertaken to implement over three years, eleven actions in the fields of public signage, communication, education, culture and tourism”, adds the Town.

At school too, children will have their dose of Picard. “We want to create workshops, explains Lionel Courdavault, mayor of Roost-Warendin. In these workshops, with teachers who will have a program, we want to reach young people, whose grandparents spoke [Ch’ti] and therefore perhaps thus perpetuating the history of Picard.”

In the coming months, other towns in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais should also sign the charter. In the North, since 2015, around thirty municipalities have also signed the “Yes to Flemish” charter, to encourage bilingualism.