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Home > Council & democracy > Council meetings > ePetition - Recognise Cockney as a community language

Petition details

Recognise Cockney as a community language

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We the undersigned petition the council to ensure Cockney language, identity and its unique cultural heritage related to the East End of London be recognised as a community language and be celebrated annually on 21st February on International Mother Language Day, and for Cockney to be included in any community language provisions by the Council.

Cockney is geographically related to eastward boroughs of London although the cultural heritage is most prevalent and significant inside Tower Hamlets. Cockney is traditionally considered a part of English working-class identity, though many diverse groups like Black, Bangladeshi, Jewish, Greek and Irish communities also identify with a Cockney identity. We want to see Cockney better understood, protected and celebrated across communities just as other community languages are, to instil a sense of civic pride and confidence within embedded communities.

In 2022 our group called Cockney Cultures held the first ever ‘Cockney Conversations Month’ and we featured on BBC Radio and BBC London News. We think that regional languages and accents should be celebrated across the United Kingdom.

This petition has been started by Grow Social Capital CIC and Bengali East End Heritage Society.

Further links:

1. Grow Social Capital CIC website: https://growsocialcapital.org.uk/campaigns/cockney-conversations/#:~:text=An%20innovative%20and%20pioneering%20project,Society%20and%20Grow%20Social%20Capital
2. Conversation: Is Cockney Dying?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtQ6Akyt_TI
3. Conversation: Can you succeed in film, advertising and PR with a Cockney accent?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOHZ289UbwU
4. Feature on BBC Radio’s Robert Elm show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og50krTkZmE

This Petition ran from 25/11/2022 to 09/01/2023 and has now finished.

31 people signed this Petition.

Disclaimer

Tower Hamlets Council accepts no liability for the petitions on these web pages. The views expressed in the petitions do not necessarily reflect those of the Council. If you have any queries about petitions or any comments or suggestions, please email Committee Services at committee.services@towerhamlets.gov.uk or call 020 7364 4878.

 

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