Working Groups

The FUEN currently has six Working Groups, the oldest being established 33 years ago, the newest formed in 2023.

With support of the umbrella organisation, the working groups give the FUEN member organisations the opportunity to devote themselves to specific topics which meet their particular needs and challenges.

The work is based on the meetings which each of the five working groups holds twice a year: during the FUEN Congresses and during the annual meetings or seminars, which last several days and are organised in cooperation with a FUEN member organisation.

Following the principle of solidarity, the aim of the working groups is to strengthen the network of minorities, to promote the exchange of ideas, to pool expertise, to develop problem-solving strategies and thus to advance the work of the autochthonous minorities in Europe. 

German Working Group (AGDM)

On the initiative of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, in 1991 the German communities decided to establish their own working group under the umbrella of the FUEN in order to shape their autonomous profile, share their common interests and create their own projects.
The German working group inside of the FUEN represents the biggest language group, which certainly has a crucial role in shaping our organisation. Germany as a kin-state assumes the role and responsibility it has towards the German communities all over Europe. The German organisations play an important role as bridge-builders between Germany and their homeland.

Number of member organisations: 25 (19 Ordinary and Associate Members, 6 Supporting Members)

Speaker of the Working Group: Bernard Gaida

agdm.fuen.org

Working Group of Slavic Minorities (AGSM)

The Working Group of Slavic Minorities (AGSM) was founded under the umbrella of FUEN in 1996 and comprises more than 30 organisations. It is the largest working group in FUEN and it advocates the interests and concerns of the Slavic minorities in Europe. It is a bridge builder not only between the minority communities but also with the states they live in and it fosters their cooperation.

Number of member organisations: 32 (14 Ordinary Members, 18 Associated and Supporting Members and umbrella organisations)

Speaker of the Working Group: Hartmut Leipner.

agsm.fuen.org

Working Group of Turkic Minorities/Communities (TAG) 

The Working Group of Turkic Minorities/Communities (TAG) aims to succeed in supporting the Turkic minorities/communities over a vast geographical area from the Caucasus to the Balkans. The FUEN TAG Secretariat is currently being run by the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) located in Germany.

Number of member organisations: 12

Speaker of the Working Group: Halit Hapib Oğlu

tag.fuen.org

Non Kin-State Working Group

The Non Kin-State Working Group’s first ever official meeting took place in November 2017 in Rome, Italy. The working group aims to give minorities without a kin-state the opportunity to establish a fruitful dialogue and strengthen their connections.

Number of member organisations: 40

Speaker of the Working Group: Bahne Bahnsen

nks.fuen.org

Education Working Group

The first meeting of the Education Working Group took place in Flensburg in May 2018 with the participation of 14 organisations. The focus of the working group is the exchange of experiences and the sharing of problems and best practices regarding the right to education in mother language and the minority school systems.

Number of member organisations: 14

Speaker of the Working Group: Daniel Alfreider

Working Group of Hungarian Communities (MKM)

The working group was formed in 2023. The Hungarian working group might be the smallest inside FUEN with six representing member organisations, but overall, they represent the largest linguistic community in Europe.

Number of member organisations: 6

Speaker of the Working Group: László Brenzovics