Wrocław/Breslau is waiting for you

Starting from next Wednesday, 18 May 2016, the European autochthonous, national minorities gather in the European Capital of Culture Wrocław/Breslau to have their annual congress.

On the invitation of the German minority in Poland and their association VDG, more than 150 delegates from 30 European countries are expected, who will be able to enjoy a colourful programme with meetings and excursions.

The OSCE High Commissioner on Nationalities, Ms Astrid Thors will give the main speech of the congress. This is very relevant at the present situation, since questions of security and how to live together in our societies are on top of the agenda for the minorities. The German 2016 OSCE Chairmanship has chosen the national minorities as one of their priorities. Another important subject at the congress is the situation in Poland and the minorities living in this country.

“We expect to have an exciting congress, in which each of our members has the chance to express his opinion and to raise his questions in the discussions. The issues of renationalisation, reinstatement of borders in Europe, the policies around refugees and migrants and the international policies to achieve and maintain piece are important for all of us”, said FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen.

Besides representatives of the OSCE and the German Task Force for the OSCE, we also expect representatives from the UNHCR, from the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe, Members of the European Parliament, academics and many partner organisations and representatives of the media to have an exchange of views and opinions.

There is a large interest to participate in the congress. The host, the association of the Germans in Poland VDG looks forward to welcome all the guests and participants in Wrocław/Breslau on Wednesday.

Practical information
Programme
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Information

In Poland there are 13 recognised, autochthonous minorities and one recognised community with a regional language. Among them are the Germans, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Kashubs, Lemkos, Jews and Roma. In the whole of Europe there are more than 400 national minorities and small peoples; in total more than 100 million people. They speak many different regional and minority languages.

Within the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), already more than 90 minorities are organised. Among them are the Kashubs in Poland, the Ladins in Italy, the Hungarians in Romania, the Bretons in France, the Lusatian Sorbs in Germany, the Crimean Tatars in Ukraine, the Burgenland Croats in Austria, the Aromanians in Macedonia, the Meshketian Turks in Russia and the Western Thrace Turks in Greece.

FUEN is an interest organisation, a platform for exchange and encounters and a community based on solidarity. FUEN represents the interests of the European minorities on the regional, national and in particular on the European level. It is the largest umbrella organisation of the autochthonous, traditional minorities in Europe.

FUEN works for the preservation and promotion of the identity, language, culture, rights and traditions of the European minorities. It is the voice of the minorities at the international organisations, in particular at the European Union and the Council of Europe, but also at the United Nations and the OSCE.

FUEN was founded in 1949 in Paris. Nowadays, the organisation has three offices: in Flensburg, Berlin and Brussels.

Congress

The FUEN Congress takes place from 18-22 May, and is organised in cooperation with the organisation of the German minority in Poland VDG (Verband der sozialkulturellen Gesellschaften).

The delegates will arrive on 18 May. After the opening of the congress, the first day of the congress will be dedicated to the current situation in Poland and its minority policy, with a focus on the German minority. The second day of the congress will be a thematic day with the motto: “Quo vadis Europe? The multifaceted crisis of Europe”. Within the framework of the congress, there will also be the Assembly of Delegates of the largest umbrella organisation of the minorities. A minority market offers plenty of opportunity to get into contact with the many minorities, before the participants themselves will experience the Capital of Culture.