The Gach Latha campaign has been launched by Bòrd na Gàidhlig to inspire more people to use the language with confidence. The aim is to showcase Gaelic being spoken in communities, at home, online, and in workplaces, encouraging others as we go and supporting others to use the language more often.
‘Gach latha’ means ‘every day’ in Gaelic. We believe that the language will have a bright future in Scotland if everyone with Gaelic language skills aims to put them into practice daily – whether they are fluent speakers, recent learners, or lapsed speakers from more traditional Gaelic communities.
To drive the movement, Gaelic speakers and supporters of all abilities are being asked to show their love for the language through posts on social media, using the #gachlatha hashtag. We’ve also created #gachlatha GIFs, which can be found on Giphy and on Instagram by searching for ’gachlatha’.
Private, public and third sector bodies are being urged to join the campaign by pledging to incorporate Gaelic words and phrases into every working day in some way. High-profile organisations have already given their backing to the initiative, including the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), True North Advisors, and Inverness Chamber of Commerce. You can download all of our digital assets here, including an email signature and the campaign logo.
At the campaign launch, Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Ceannard (CEO), Ealasaid MacDonald, said:
“We are inviting people and organisations across Scotland to join this movement to use Gaelic every single day.
“We know there is great love and interest in the Gaelic language and culture across Scotland and beyond, and we are seeing encouraging growth in the number of people learning Gaelic.
“There are fantastic events organised across the country by organisations like An Comunn Gàidhealach, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Ceòlas, and a wide range of others that successfully showcase Gaelic in our homes, our schools, our streets, and our businesses each year. With this new ‘Gach Latha’ campaign, we want to build everyday momentum for Gaelic.
“You absolutely do not have to be a fluent speaker to participate – we want to hear from people from all walks of life, including businesses and organisations – who want to show their love for Gaelic and speak it more often.
“Our hope is that when people see friends, colleagues or even their managers using Gaelic on social media or in the workplace, it will give them the confidence to join in.”