Collaboration with the Commission Vanishing Languages and Cultural Heritage (VLACH)
The Alevi Encyclopedia and the Commission “Vanishing Languages and Cultural Heritage” (VLACH) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) have established a partnership based on shared academic interests and ethical commitments to the preservation of cultural heritage.
Both initiatives converge on a common vision: to document, analyze, and sustain linguistic and cultural diversity through open-access, collaborative, and community-oriented research.
Alevism represents a vast cultural heritage encompassing diverse linguistic, historical, and traditional backgrounds. Among these are Alevi communities who speak endangered languages such as Kırmancki (Zazaki) of the Dersim region, which is listed by UNESCO as a vulnerable language. In this regard, the objectives and methodological approaches of the Alevi Encyclopedia and the VLACH Commission closely align — both seek to protect and revitalize intangible cultural and linguistic heritage through innovative, interdisciplinary, and accessible platforms.
This partnership foresees a continuous exchange of knowledge, expertise, and materials, with the aim of developing joint documentation and research projects. In particular, the expanding digital video archive of the Alevi Encyclopedia — for example, the series “Yol Önderlerinin Dilinden” (In the Words of Spiritual Leaders) — seeks to make visible the living oral traditions, memories, and languages of Alevi communities. These initiatives resonate strongly with the VLACH mission of safeguarding and promoting linguistic and cultural diversity through scholarly collaboration.
