Living diversity – shaping Europe - FUEN Congress in the European Capital of Culture

From 8-22 May 2016 the European autochthonous, national minorities gather in the European Capital of Culture Wrocław/Breslau to have their annual congress.

On the invitation of the German minority in Poland, more than 150 delegates from over 30 European countries are expected.

They are all committed to the preservation and promotion of their own identity, language, culture and traditions, as part of the irretrievable European heritage.

In history and in the crises of Europe, conflicts are often related to minorities and the cohabitation of different peoples. The FUEN Congress will show that in many regions of Europe minorities have been active for many decades; peacefully, confidently and forward-looking. Minority policy is peace policy.

“We look forward to be guests in the European Capital of Culture Wrocław/Breslau with our congress. The city and the minorities both look back on a turbulent history. We want to listen to the stories and invite you to get to know us”, said FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen, who belongs to the German minority in Denmark.

Information
In Poland there are 13 recognised, autochthonous minorities. Among them are the Germans, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Kashubs, Lemkos, Jews and Roma. In the whole of Europe there are more than 400 national minorities and small peoples; in total more than 100 million people. They speak many different regional and minority languages.

Within the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), more than 90 minorities are organised. Among them are the Kashubs in Poland, the Ladins in Italy, the Hungarians in Romania, the Finns in Sweden, the Bretons in France, the Lusatian Sorbs in Germany, the Crimean Tatars in Ukraine, the Burgenland Croats in Austria, the Aromanians in Macedonia, the Meshketian Turks in Russia and the Western Thrace Turks in Greece.

FUEN is an interest organisation, platform for exchange/encounters and a community of solidarity. FUEN represents the interests of the European minorities on the regional, national and in particular on the European level. It is the largest umbrella organisation of the autochthonous, traditional minorities in Europe.

FUEN works for the preservation and promotion of the identity, language, culture, rights and traditions of the European minorities. It is the voice of the minorities at the international organisations, in particular at the European Union and the Council of Europe, but also at the United Nations and the OSCE.

FUEN was founded in 1949 in Paris. Nowadays, the organisation has three offices: in Flensburg, Berlin and Brussels.

Congress
The FUEN Congress takes place from 18-22 May, and is organised in cooperation with the organisation of the German minority in Poland VDG (Verband der sozialkulturellen Gesellschaften).

The delegates will arrive on 18 May. After the opening of the congress, the first day of the congress will be dedicated to the current situation in Poland and its minority policy, with a focus on the German minority. The second day of the congress will be a thematic day with the motto: “Quo vadis Europe? The multifaceted crisis of Europe”. Within the framework of the congress, there will also be the Assembly of Delegates of the largest umbrella organisation of the minorities. A minority market offers plenty of opportunity to get into contact with the many minorities, before the participants themselves will experience the Capital of Culture. 

Photo:
FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen, FUEN Secretary General Susann Schenk and Chairman the Masurian Association Tadeusz Willan, Chairman of Verband der deutschen sozial-kulturellen Gesellschaften (VdG: Germans in Poland) Bernard Gaida, Representative of the German youth association BJDM Katrin Koschny,  Chairman of Sozial-Kulturelle Gesellschaft der Deutschen im Oppelner Schlesien (SKGD: Germans in Opole-Silesia) Rafał Bartek.