Strong cooperation between German Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein and FUEN

The cooperation between Schleswig-Holstein and the FUEN lies on solid grounds and it should be intensified in the future. This was the conclusion of the meeting that took place on Wednesday, October 4th, in Kiel between the Minority Commissioner of Schleswig-Holstein, Mr. Johannes Callsen and the FUEN delegation led by President Loránt Vincze. The discussion focused on the main projects of the European minority organisation especially the Minority SafePack campaign and the House of Minorities in Flensburg.

Mr. Vincze appreciated the decades-long support from the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein for the work of the FUEN. In his opinion many initiatives of the organisation are deeply embedded in the German-Danish border region. “Our activities are based on our belief that minorities need different solutions and legal protection frameworks, adapted to their specific needs. But it is also true that sharing best practices should be the easiest way to pass decades of experience and wisdom on from one community to another. In this sense, Schleswig-Holstein has a lot to offer and the FUEN is ready to share this expertise. I practise this all the time during meetings and conferences” – explained Loránt Vincze.

The FUEN President expressed his hope that the project House of Minorities, which aims to become a European resource and expertise centre on minority issues, will become reality with the help of the bilateral cooperation between Germany and Denmark and the support of Schleswig-Holstein. “We need to show the world what we have got in this region. We already have the attention of partners in the Western Balkans that aim to use our experience in their homeland, for example in Bosnia Herzegovina” – stated FUEN Vice President Dieter Paul Küssner who took part in the meeting.

Mr. Callsen appreciated the activity and the strong visibility of the FUEN and expressed his willingness to take part in the upcoming FUEN projects and activities. The parties agreed to have regular exchanges of views and work relation in the benefit of the minority groups in the region and the European projects of the FUEN.