The Institute of the Mirandese Language (Anstituto de la Lhéngua Mirandesa in the Mirandese language) is the institution responsible for the representation, research, promotion, normativization and distribution of the Mirandese language. Its headquarters is in the town of Miranda do Douro.[1][2] It arose from the need for the existence of an entity to defend and promote the use of the Mirandese language. The decision to form the institute resulted from a meeting in September 2000, in Miranda do Douro, where a number of persons interested in the language met. From that meeting came the decision to move towards the creation of said institute, also to affiliate Mirandese with the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages.[3]