Minority SafePack Initiative: the first 100,000 signatures

"I am happy to announce that we have the first 100,000 signatures for the Minority SafePack Initiative” – stated FUEN President Loránt Vincze. He added, “This proves that with hard work, we can collect the one million signatures needed, and we can make Europe a better and safer place for the autochthonous national minorities and language groups. Some of our member organizations have already exceeded the minimum threshold for signatures in their respective Member State.”

In September the FUEN put together a European campaign strategy for the Minority SafePack Initiative and has a campaign team that has been in contact with the Member Organisations and regions. The new website, focusing on easy-to-understand stories from all across Europe was launched along with an MSPI booklet together with other promotional materials. The European Commission has also updated the petition site, which is now accessible also from mobile devices.

Besides getting the 1 million signatures, another important objective of the campaign is to raise awareness, seek and win the support of political leaders on national and European level. To do so, President Vincze and other members of the Presidium and the Citizens Committee have travelled and visited many partners, institutions and member organizations in several countries during the last two months.

The FUEN President also emphasized: "Our experience is, that in order to collect signatures, we must go on the road, and talk to people. Campaign events, press conferences or flash mobs are great to raise awareness about the Initiative, but the most important part is to get people to understand what the Minority SafePack Initiative is about. It would benefit all the minorities of Europe, regardless of their current state, and it does not take away anything from the majority, but on the contrary: it aims to protect Europe's cultural and linguistic diversity."

The MSPI is a European Citizen’s Initiative for the protection and support of minorities in the European Union. Sign the petition and make the European Union a place where every person belonging to a national minority or a language group can feel at home! You can sign the petition until April 3, 2018 at www.minority-safepack.eu.