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The United Nations 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights' has been translated into Guernesiais, as part of a movement towards protecting race under Guernsey's new anti-discrimination legislation which is due to be approved by the States this week.
The Prevention of Discrimination (Guernsey) Ordinance will face a number of challenges when it is put before the States on Wednesday, with eleven amendments lodged against it.
The specific areas relating to race - which includes colour, nationality, ethnic origins, national origins, and descent, including caste - have not been challenged but they will be at risk from amendments which, among others, seek to remove small businesses from being compliant with the new law.
Linguistic rights is not protected in itself, but the new law will cover "national origins" with includes being of Bailiwick origin.
To support this move, Carol Le Page of the Guernsey Disability Alliance suggested the historic UN document be translated into Guernsey French for the first time.
Pictured: The document can be read in Guernsey French in full here.
The GDA's Social Policy Director, who is also a member of Equality Guernsey, liaised with Yan Marquis who translated the document from English into Guernesiais.
Mr Marquis said it had taken a long time to work through the lengthy text.
“It is an important document that has taken months to translate. The technical language of the declaration and the meaning and interpretation of the articles has been complex and fascinating."
As a fluent speaker, and teacher of Guernsey French himself, Mr Marquis is a keen supporter of all efforts to protect the language.
"Guernésiais is unique to the Island and forms part of our history and cultural identity," he said.
"It remained as the everyday tongue of the majority of those living in Guernsey from the time of the Normans and was undoubtedly spoken by the majority of those living in Guernsey well into the twentieth century.”
Mrs Le Page agreed that the language needs to be protected and was pleased with the translation work Mr Marquis had completed.
“I am overwhelmed with the amount of work Yan has put into this translation. I thank him and the Guernsey Language Commission for making this happen and the support and sponsorship, to the translation services, provided by Martin and Martin Designer Goldsmiths.
"My father-in-law spoke Guernésiais as his first language but my mother-in-law only spoke English so the language was not passed down to my husband and his siblings. I have always been interested in the language, and even tried to learn some at evening class. I am also a supporter of human rights and, knowing that the UDHR was the most translated document in the world, I thought it would be amazing if it could also be translated into my home Island’s own language.”
Pictured: Yan Marquis has worked on numerous translations, aimed at people of all ages, including the Gruffalo.
Mr Marquis will also be recording a copy of the translated declaration which Mrs Le Page hopes will "persuade others to be involved in this project and encourage interest in the language.”
“I will be investigating how we can get the translation to be part of the United Nations website which contains 532 translations including Manx!” she added.
“It would be nice to have this up on the UN site for 10 December which is International Day of Human Rights and celebrates the day the declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10th December 1948.
“It has also come at an important time as the States are considering the Prevention of Discrimination Ordinance on 28 September. I ask that anyone who is interested protecting human rights join me in St James Street on the 28 to celebrate our deputies going into the chamber that morning between 08:30 and 09:30 am to make an historic decision. The declaration will also be available for viewing that day!”
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is considered a milestone document in the history of human rights.
It was first drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, and it set out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
It is also the most translated document in the world, and is now in Guernesiais too, which can be accessed in full here.
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