27th annual meeting of the Working Group of German Minorities (AGDM) in Berlin

Important political talks with high-ranking decision makers of the German government are imminent for representatives of the German minorities from 5 to 8 November in Berlin. In addition, the minority representatives will take part in the ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Commissioner of the Federal Government for Ethnic German Repatriates and National Minorities, and will discuss the AGDM's future strategy in internal talks.

At the invitation of the Commissioner of the Federal Government for Ethnic German Repatriates and National Minorities, Bernd Fabritius, and with support from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, the Working Group of German Minorities will hold its 27th annual meeting in Berlin from 5 to 8 November 2018. 50 representatives of German minorities including young leaders from all over Europe and the successor states of the former Soviet Union are expected.

During the meeting, the minority representatives will be received by Stephan Mayer, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community. Besides, the group will meet with members of the German Bundestag, the CDU-CSU parliamentary group for Expatriates, Repatriates and German Minorities, which will be hosted by Mr Eckhardt Pols, Member of the Bundestag. Following these talks, there will be a meeting with Maria Bering, head of the Group for History and Memory at the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture Media (BKM).

At the Federal Foreign Office, the minority representatives will lead a discussion with Principal Heidrun Tempel, Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Education, Research and Foreign Cultural Policy, in the presence of representatives of the Goethe Institute and the Institute for Foreign Relations.

The members of the German Working Group, under the umbrella of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), aim to use these bilateral meetings not only to present their development, but to introduce their basic strategy regarding cross-border cooperation.

An important point on this year’s meeting agenda is the public presentation of the "Future Strategy of German Minorities" and the brochure "Strong for the Future". As a result of the "Future Workshop" project, a comprehensive brochure has been created which will helpto support the future work of the AGDM Coordination in Berlin.

The annual meeting gives the minority representatives the opportunity to intensify the dialogue with politicians, scientists and administration. On this occasion, Mr Emil Hurezeanu, Romania's Ambassador, will also be inviting the delegates to an evening reception at the Romanian Embassy in Berlin.

During the meeting, the minority representatives will take part in the ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Commissioner of the Federal Government for Ethnic German Repatriates and National Minorities, where representatives of the Minority Council and the Russian-German Territorial Association as well as AGDM spokesman Bernard Gaidawill address the guests.

The Federal Republic of Germany supports and promotes German minorities in more than 20 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the states of the former Soviet Union, to meet Germany's responsibility to cope with the consequences of World War II.