Andreas Gabriel grew up in the Romansh-speaking region of Graubünden, Switzerland. After completing his commercial education in Ilanz, he worked in the private sector before joining Lia Rumantscha in 1999. He subsequently pursued further training in cultural management and business administration.

Throughout his career at Lia Rumantscha, he has held various positions, including responsibilities in human resources, administration and cultural affairs. From 2009, he headed the organisation’s cultural department, and from 2016, he was responsible for public affairs. In 2026, he became Secretary General and Head of the Executive Management of Lia Rumantscha, the umbrella organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting the Romansh language and culture in Switzerland.

His work focuses on language policy, institutional cooperation and strengthening the visibility and recognition of Romansh as a minority language in Switzerland.

Angela Heldstab is a Master's student in the Department of Computational Linguistics at the University of Zurich. She is part of the research group on Romansh text technologies, where she contributed to the development and evaluation of ALAS — the first neural machine translation system covering all six written Romansh varieties. Her current work focuses on collecting high-quality language data for the development of more language technologies for Romansh.

Within the European Commission, Annika Antikainen works as a Legal and Policy Officer on matters concerning multilingualism and language data in the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), developing EU policies and funding programmes for the research and deployment of language technologies. Originally from Finland, Annika holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Helsinki and worked as an Associate Lawyer at a Nordic business law firm before joining the European Commission.

Attila Rácz is an entrepreneur, founder and co-owner of Magic Solutions Ltd. in Miercurea Ciuc – Csíkszereda, Romania. Additionally, as an IT business developer and consultant, he has established and continues to support the Romanian market entry and growth of several Hungarian IT companies (Dorsum Software, IND, FX Software, Bifor Informatika, AAM Consulting - private branch, Teletrader, etc.). His primary area of expertise is banking and financial market IT. He also serves as the vice president of the IT PLUS CLUSTER to help boost the innovation and start-up ecosystem in Szeklerland.

Björn Teir has been CEO of the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland (Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, SLS) since November 2022. He holds a Master's degree in Political Science from Åbo Akademi University and has over 20 years of leadership experience in the real estate sector, including executive positions in listed and family-owned companies and as CEO of a real estate fund.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a personal assistant to the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the former Yugoslavia and at the European Parliament. He has served on the boards of several companies and foundations and was previously Chair of the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland. His professional experience combines institutional leadership, cultural engagement and international affairs.

Céline Geissmann is Director of the Microsoft Open Innovation Center (MOIC) in Strasbourg, where she leads strategic initiatives at the intersection of open innovation, multilingual AI, and public-interest technology. With extensive experience in partnership development and international stakeholder engagement, she works closely with European institutions, governments, and research organizations to advance collaborative innovation across the region. Céline is particularly focused on promoting language diversity in AI, and the development of open, trusted data ecosystems. She regularly convenes cross-sector dialogues to accelerate impactful, inclusive technology solutions in Europe.

Chasper Sarott studied law at the Universities of Zurich and Berlin after completing his secondary education in Chur, Switzerland. Originally from Sent in the Lower Engadine, he began his diplomatic career with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in 2010. Throughout his career, he has held various diplomatic positions, including postings at the Swiss embassies in Beirut, Lebanon, and Warsaw, Poland. He subsequently served as Swiss Ambassador to Madagascar from 2019 and to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2022.

Following his return to Switzerland in 2025, he assumed the position of Head of Human Resources at the FDFA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs). His professional experience encompasses international diplomacy, foreign relations, institutional leadership and personnel management in complex international environments.

In 2026, Chasper Sarott was elected President of the Lia Rumantscha, the umbrella organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting the Romansh language and culture in Switzerland. Combining his international diplomatic experience with his roots in the Romansh-speaking community, he is committed to strengthening the visibility, institutional recognition and future of Romansh as a minority language in Switzerland and beyond.

Curdin Derungs is Deputy Director of the Center for Public Administration at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (FH Graubünden), where he leads research and consulting projects for public institutions and nonprofit organisations. He studied economics, specialising in economic and regional policy, and earned his doctorate at the University of St. Gallen and the University of Glasgow. He previously worked at Ernst & Young as a public sector consultant.

His research focuses on public management, municipal governance, political participation and the effectiveness of regional networks. He has led numerous research projects on public administration and Switzerland’s political militia system and teaches Public Management and Microeconomics at FH Graubünden.

Daan van Esch is a researcher at Google, specialising in natural language processing, speech technology and multilingual artificial intelligence. His work focuses on expanding language support in digital technologies, particularly for underrepresented and low-resource languages. He contributes to the development of machine learning systems and linguistic resources that enable products such as Gboard and Google Assistant to support a wider range of languages.

His research interests include multilingual machine translation, speech recognition, language identification and the development of inclusive language technologies. Through his work at Google Research, he contributes to making artificial intelligence more accessible to speakers of minority and less-resourced languages worldwide.

Elena Bertossa was born in 1990 in Bellinzona, Switzerland, and grew up in Roveredo, in the Italian-speaking region of Graubünden. She studied Scenography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy. She has worked in theatre and the arts in Italy, Germany and Austria, while also pursuing activities in arts and crafts.

Since 2023, she has worked as a cultural coordinator for Pro Grigioni Italiano (Pgi) in the Moesano region, promoting Italian language and culture through cultural initiatives and activities. In 2026, she became Secretary General of Pgi, an organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting the Italian language and culture in the canton of Graubünden. Her professional background combines artistic practice, cultural management and a commitment to supporting the Italian-speaking minority in Switzerland.

Elke Schlote became a lecturer in multimedia didactics at the Institute for Multimedia Production (IMP) of the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons in 2023 and was appointed a professor in January 2025. She studied at the University of Konstanz, where she earned her doctorate with a sociolinguistic dissertation on the Swiss dialect spoken in the city of Berne.

She has been conducting research and teaching in the fields of audiovisual media and multimedia didactics since 2005, initially at the Bavarian Broadcasting Research Institute (IZI BR) in Munich, Germany, and from 2016 to 2022 at the University of Basel. There, she co-developed a web app for collaborative video analysis and discussion as part of the SNF-funded project “Development and Evaluation of the Digital Learning Tool TRAVIS GO” and was active in both research and teaching.

As a media educator, she designs and leads creative projects on new media technologies and is actively involved in the development of Open Educational Resources (OER) like « Viagg-io » and « IdiomVoice ».

Fiorenza Lanfranchi is an Italian language teacher at the Sportgymnasium Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. She is involved in Viagg-io, an interdisciplinary project developed by the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (FH Graubünden) that combines virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI) and language education to promote the Italian language and culture of Switzerland.

As part of the project team, she contributes her expertise in Italian language teaching to the development of immersive learning experiences. She has also participated in presenting the project at educational conferences, exploring how digital technologies can support language learning and strengthen awareness of Switzerland's linguistic and cultural diversity.

Franco Milani was born in 1966 and is originally from Poschiavo, Switzerland. He holds a degree in Physics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). Since 2013, he has been Head of Procurement, Sales and Marketing at St. Moritz Energie.

He previously served as President of Pgi Valposchiavo, the regional branch of Pro Grigioni Italiano in Valposchiavo, and played a key role in establishing Pgi Engadina, its regional branch in the Engadine. Since 2018, he has been President of Pro Grigioni Italiano (Pgi), an organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting the Italian language and culture in the canton of Graubünden. Through his longstanding involvement, he contributes to strengthening the visibility and institutional recognition of Italian as a minority language in Switzerland.

Giorgio Iemmolo is Director of the Language Center of the University of Zurich (UZH) and ETH Zurich, a position he has held since November 2024. He holds a PhD in Linguistics and a Master's degree in Linguistics from the University of Pavia, Italy, where he also studied Classical Philology. He has conducted research at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, the University of New Mexico and Lancaster University.

He previously worked as a researcher at the University of Zurich and as Director of Academic Management at EF Education First. His academic work focuses on linguistic typology, Romance linguistics and language structures. In his current role, he promotes multilingualism, language education and academic communication in higher education. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Eaquals – Excellence in Language Education.

Giuanna Emilia Caviezel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Multilingual Communication from the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting at the University of Geneva and a Master of Arts in Sociolinguistics from the Centre for the Study of Language and Society at the University of Bern. She served as the Swiss Confederation’s official Romansh translator and terminologist and was also active as a Romansh tour guide in the Swiss Parliament Building. She later worked as a research assistant at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim and at the Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø.

She is currently a PhD student and lecturer at the Institute of Romance Studies at the University of Zurich. Her teaching and research focus on the commodification of minoritised languages, the political economy of language, language policy, language attitudes and ideologies, minoritised languages in the context of machine translation and artificial intelligence, minority rights and institutional protection.

Giuanna is a member of the PLURILINGMEDIA Ad hoc AI Committee, which examines the relationship between AI and media in minoritised language settings.

Ines Honegger Wiedenmayer is a researcher and project manager associated with the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (FH Graubünden), Switzerland. Her work includes interdisciplinary projects combining digital technologies, education, language and culture.

She is part of the project management team of Viagg-io, an immersive learning initiative that uses virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to introduce learners to the language and culture of Italian-speaking Switzerland. The project brings together expertise in multimedia production, language education and cultural communication, exploring innovative ways to promote linguistic and cultural diversity through digital technologies.

Janine Oliveira is a globalisation and international product leader with more than 20 years of experience creating inclusive, localised digital experiences for consumers worldwide. She currently serves as Executive Director at Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group, following senior leadership roles in globalisation and localisation across Lenovo, Motorola Mobility, Google, Good Technology and Silicon Graphics. Janine has built and led globally distributed, cross-functional teams and complex internationalisation programmes spanning engineering, quality, programme management and worldwide product delivery. In 2020, she spearheaded Motorola’s first Digital Inclusion of Endangered Indigenous Languages initiative. Now led by Lenovo/Motorola’s Globalisation organisation, the initiative works closely with Indigenous and minority communities to bring endangered languages to mobile platforms, expanding digital access while supporting linguistic revitalization and cultural continuity.

Juliana Rebelatto is Lenovo MBG Head of Globalization and ESG Initiative Leader on Endangered Minority Languages, bringing nearly two decades of industry experience across language services, human resources, and project management. Based in Brazil, she is part of the MBG Research and Development leadership team, driving international language operations and complex globalisation strategies. Alongside her core R&D responsibilities, Juliana leads key digital inclusion efforts in partnership with the Lenovo Foundation, championing programmes that bring endangered minority languages to mobile platforms to bridge the digital divide and foster cultural continuity worldwide.

Ladina Schena-Zanetti holds a diploma from the Higher College of Tourism in Graubünden, Switzerland. She works as a presenter at Radiotelevisiun Svizra Rumantscha (RTR), the Romansh-language public broadcaster in Switzerland. Through her work in broadcasting and communication, she contributes to the visibility and promotion of the Romansh language and culture. Her professional background combines expertise in tourism, media and communication, with a focus on Switzerland’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

Marius Lukošiūnas has worked with UNESCO since 2005. He served as Adviser for Communication and Information at UNESCO’s offices in Moscow (2005–2010) and Cairo (2010–2014) before moving to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, where he currently serves as Chief a.i. of the Section for Universal Access to Information.

Prior to joining UNESCO, he served as Head of the Press Service and Adviser to the President of Lithuania (2004–2005). From 2001 to 2004, he worked with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) on civil engagement and political affairs. Earlier, from 1997 to 2000, he managed projects related to European Union enlargement at the European Journalism Centre in Maastricht, the Netherlands).

Marius began his professional career as a journalist with Lithuanian Television and Radio (LRT), the public service broadcasting company. During Lithuania’s first presidential election in 1993, he produced and moderated the televised presidential debates, broadcasted on LRT. From 1992 to 1997, he also served as Director of the Institute of Journalism at Vilnius University.

He holds a PhD in mass communication and media theory.

Mathias Stuflesser is Director of the Department of Ladin Education and Culture of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano–South Tyrol, Italy, a position he has held since 2020. He oversees the administration and coordination of Ladin education and supports cultural initiatives promoting the Ladin language and culture in the Dolomite valleys of Val Gardena and Val Badia.

His work focuses on educational administration, cultural policy and institutional cooperation. He collaborates with educational authorities, cultural organisations and public institutions to strengthen the visibility, preservation and development of the Ladin language and cultural heritage in South Tyrol.

Appointed by the Federal Council as Federal Delegate for Plurilingualism in August 2013, Nicoletta Mariolini has held this post ever since. Drawing on her many years of experience, she is dedicated to implementing and evaluating public policies. Her current area of expertise is multilingualism policy.

Ms Mariolini completed her Economics degree at the University of Lausanne. She specialised in health economics in Lausanne and New York, in developing countries in Senegal, and in adult education in Lausanne. She also holds a Master's degree in Social Mediation from the Cattolica University in Milan.

Samuel Frontull is a PhD candidate and university assistant in Computer Science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. He holds a Master's degree in Computer Science from the same university. His research focuses on natural language processing (NLP), machine translation for low-resource languages, particularly Ladin, and computational complexity analysis.

He develops machine translation systems and AI-based writing assistants for Ladin in collaboration with the Istitut Ladin "Micurá de Rü". His work explores how artificial intelligence and language technologies can improve digital accessibility and support the preservation and use of minoritised languages.

Shane Moynihan is an Irish politician and member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish Parliament, representing Dublin Mid-West since 2024. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Trinity College Dublin and previously worked in public policy research. From 2019 to 2024, he served as a member of South Dublin County Council.

He currently chairs the Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community. In this role, he is involved in parliamentary work concerning the promotion and protection of the Irish language, the rights of Irish-speaking communities and language policy in Ireland.

Will Lamb is Professor of Gaelic Ethnology and Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He holds a PhD in Linguistics and an MSc in Celtic Studies from the University of Edinburgh, as well as a degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He previously taught at Lews Castle College (University of the Highlands and Islands) before returning to Edinburgh in 2010, where he became Professor in 2022.

His research focuses on Scottish Gaelic linguistics, traditional music, oral narratives and language technologies. He is particularly known for his work on Gaelic grammatical description, formulaic language and natural language processing (NLP) for endangered languages. His recent research concentrates on developing computational language resources and technologies for Scottish Gaelic.

Yiyang Chen is a PhD student at the Department of Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich. Her research focuses on speech synthesis, particularly generating natural and expressive speech. As part of the Romansh TTS project, she develops text-to-speech systems for different varieties of Romansh, addressing the challenges of building synthetic voices with limited training data.