Symposium “Minorities and ethnic groups in urban areas”
Simposij “Manjine i narodne grupe u urbanoj sredini”

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Burgenland Croatian Cultural Association in Vienna, 50 years of the House at Schwindgasse 14 and the 20th anniversary of the Croatian Centre.

From 28-29 November 2014 
in the Hrvatski centar / Kroatischen Zentrum / Croatian Centre in Vienna

FUEN member Hrvatski centar organises a symposium on the subject of “minorities and ethnic groups in urban areas” in Vienna from 28-29 November 2014. 

The starting point for the subject of the symposium is the minority of the Burgenland Croats, for whom the (current) region of Burgenland has been defined as the autochthonous area of settlement. Already in the first years after the end of the First World War, during the same period when many people left for emigration overseas, the influx of Croats commenced, especially to Vienna. 

The main question will be: what does the urban environment mean for the existence of an ethnic group? What was/is needed in order to maintain, foster and develop language and culture, also in a large city? What are the (legal) conditions that were required? Are there any similar examples among other minorities and ethnic groups in Europe? What is the relation between “old” and “new” minorities in the urban area (more concretely: in Vienna) – are there similarities and differences?

The subject of the symposium will be covered based on an interdisciplinary approach, based on both theory and practice, and from different academic perspectives – history, sociology, legal basis/minority protection and minority rights, education science, linguistics, everyday life, spatial planning and urban landscape, communication and media, and music research.

Several interesting guests, researchers and speakers have been invited, e.g. Valentin Inzko, Chairman of the Council of the Carinthian Slovenes (NSKS) and UN High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the President of the Austrian Ethnic Group Centre, Marjan Pipp. 

Also FUEN will be represented at the symposium: former FUEN Vice President Heinrich Schultz will welcome the guests on behalf of FUEN and give a speech about the subject of minority protection in Europe.

The results of the symposium are eagerly awaited.

FUEN looks forward to a successful conference!