The National Association of Swedish Tornedalians, Tornionlaaksolaiset, is an association for linguistic, cultural and societal topics. The association is an interest organization for all who feel connected with Meänkieli as well as the culture and history of the language. The association was founded in 1981 and is both religiously and politically unbound. The association is a language representative for an original native, linguistic and cultural minority and constitutes the government referral body on these minority topics. Our goal is to promote linguistic and cultural development and to strengthen the identity of the minority.