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MANUSCRIPTS:
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20060525 Romedi Arquint in Bautzen / Budysin
20061116 Romedi Arquint in Husum

CONFERENCES / SEMINARS / FESTIVALS:
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2006 • 52nd FUEN Congress in Bautzen / Budysin
2006 • 52nd FUEN Congress in Bautzen / Budysin (print version)
20061026-27 Minority Conference in Bolzano
20061116-18 2nd European Minority Film Festival in Husum

DOCUMENTATIONS / EVALUATIONS:
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20060401 FUEN Civil Society Dialogue Evaluation
200604027_27 Zlatka Gieler Fact Finding Mission in Greece

FUEN-ASSEMBLY:
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20050525 FUEN-Assembly in Bautzen / Budysin

CHARTER:
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Charter for the autochthonous, national minorities in Europe EN
Charta der autochthonen, nationalen Minderheiten / Volksgruppen in Europa DE
Charta des minorités nationales autochtones en Europe FR
Charter for the autochthonous, national minorities in Europe RU
Charter for de autoktone, nationale mindretal / folkegrupper i Europa DK
HÂNFÊST fan de autochtoane, nasjonale minderheden yn Europa FRYSKE

RESOLUTIONS:
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20060203 FUEN-Resolution regarding the situation in Charinthia
20060525 FUEN-Resolutions in Bautzen / Budysin 2006

RESOLUTION 2006-01

FUEN Main Resolution 2006

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities passed the following main resolution on 25 May 2006 in Bautzen:

The Assembly of Delegates of FUEN

expects and call upon

1. The European Union EU

to attend to and respect our rights in the EU both in terms of strategic policy objectives and in programmes and projects.

Specifically, the FUEN calls for

·         lasting provision to be made for linguistic, cultural and ethnic diversity, taking into particular account the autochthonous national minorities in the states within the scope of the EU Constitution project which urgently needs to be readdressed,

·         the respect and binding enforcement in all member states of minimum standards for a minority policy, such as those laid down in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and in the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities,

·         close co-operation on human rights issues, including minority rights, with the Council of Europe and its various institutions and bodies,

·         the speedy establishment of a human rights agency, whereby the rights of autochthonous national minorities are to be assigned their constitutive place under the mandate to be negotiated and in the agency’s subsequent day-to-day work,

·         the formation of an independent foundation to be supported by the representatives of the national minorities, the designated purpose of which should be the institutional and project-oriented financial support of national minority organisations in the member states,

·         a concept which, like the structures of the Council of Europe, involve civil organisations in political decision-making processes. Specifically, the organisations of those autochthonous national minorities in Europe directly affected by such decisions should be involved to a greater extent in the policy-forming and decision-making process. It is imperative that such organisations be recognised as important stakeholders in the areas of new governance and integrated into the various procedures of the Open Co-ordination Method as regular contacts.

·         a body within the EU to be made responsible for minority issues within the institutional structure of the EU. FUEN deems that it would be useful for this extensive task to be assigned to an EU commissioner who would be responsible for developing a coherent strategy with which to address the special concerns of the autochthonous national minorities and also co-ordination within the EU bodies.

2. The Council of Europe

to evaluate the policy hitherto in place concerning the preservation of autochthonous national minorities and to bring about a strategic realignment based on the assumption that preservation of ethnic diversity in Europe is the goal.

Specifically, FUEN calls for a switch from policies for to policies with the autochthonous national minorities and thus for the development and implementation of a concept that will guarantee the genuine involvement of those directly affected in the policy-forming and decision-making process of the Council of Europe. The civil organisations representing the autochthonous nationalities and ethnic groups must at last be recognised as important stakeholders in the areas of so-called “new governance” and integrated into the various procedures of the Open Co-ordination Method as regular contacts. FUEN reiterates its demand for those directly affected to be afforded genuine participation in all committees of the Council of Europe responsible for the evaluation and updating of minority-related standards.

FUEN further calls for

a review of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, priority demands and unconditional framework conditions to safeguard endeavours to preserve ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe,

·         a clear concept – aimed at preserving linguistic and cultural diversity – to take the place of wishy-washy, bendable phraseology and requirements,

·         a binding definition of “national minorities” based on the right of the national communities to perceive themselves as such and on the requirement that provisions for protection and rights be applicable not only in their traditional settlement areas, but also beyond them,

·         a commitment from the member states to transform the vision of linguistic and cultural diversity into a policy that does not stop at introducing protective provisions in favour of the various communities but is also binding on the majority population; this includes the postulate of multilingualism and of an open policy on culture and the media,

·         a commitment from the member states to recognise the autochthonous national minorities without any ifs and but,

·         emphasis to be placed on and the enforcement of effective participation and self-determination of autochthonous national minorities coupled with the granting of adapted forms of cultural autonomy as well as the necessary financial resources,

·         the resumption of the Council of Europe project to implement the protective provisions by drawing up an additional protocol on human rights with the aim of creating an international court with enforceable rights for ethnic groups and nationalities,

·         a concept defining norms and standards for the similarities and differences between the “old” historical autochthonous national minorities and the “new” minorities.

3. The member states

to adopt a general policy guided by the right of every member of the population to preserve and foster their individual and collective ethnic, linguistic and cultural identity.

Specifically, FUEN calls for

·         the ratification and implementation of the conventions and protective provisions in force in all Council of Europe states. These should be respected “in spirit and not to the letter”,

·         all state bodies at local, regional, state and international level to take the civil organisations of autochthonous national minorities seriously as equal partners capable of fighting eye to eye for their rights and interests,

·         adapted forms of self- and co-determination to be granted to those directly affected. These should be understood to include forms of cultural autonomy and self-administration, in particular for the fields of training and education, culture and media,

·         the majority population in the individual states and in Europe to be better informed about the situation of autochthonous national minorities, both in school books, in the media and in politics.

·         FUEN reminds the states of the recommendations of the Council of Europe concerning language teaching in schools and would like to see teaching of second and third languages as well as all forms of intercultural exchange intensified, also and especially for members of majority populations in the European states.

4. The individual states

FUEN expects and calls for the following

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

The four umbrella organisations of Germany’s recognised autochthonous national minorities (Frisians, Danes, Sorbs and the German Sinti and Roma), which joined forces to form the Minority Council (Minderheitenrat) at the end of 2004 with a view to obtaining better representation of their common minority interests, achieved the following results at federal level in negotiation with the federal government and parliament, the Bundestag, in 2005:

The German Bundestag parliamentary working party on minority questions set up in the 15th legislative period will continue its work in the new legislative period (2005 to 2009).

A non-government minorities’ secretariat was set up in mid-2005 at the office of the federal government’s commissioner for minority affairs.

The following political goals/tasks are on the minorities’ short- to long-term agenda:

Inclusion of a general minority article in the German Constitution for the protection and fostering of the four recognised national minorities;

Institutional provision for national minorities in the implementation of the EU’s antidiscrimation guidelines in Germany;

Provision for the culture of the autochthonous national minorities in the so-called “Kulturstaatszielklausel” (national cultural objective clause) of the German Constitution;

Assurance from the Federation that the necessary means for answering basic cultural needs, including infrastructure for the cultural education of autochthonous national minorities, will be included in the upcoming reform of the federal state structure;

The continuation and increase of sustainable and targeted federal funding for autochthonous national minorities;

permanent continuation of the secretariat for minority affairs for the four autochthonous minorities (with a full-time employee instead of a part-time one as to date).

FUEN welcomes the measures undertaken in 2005 and calls upon the Federal Republic of Germany to provide constructive and targeted backing for the goals of the Minority Council.

GREECE

1.The recognition of the Macedonian and Aromanian minority.

2.The recognition of the Macedonian and Aromanian language as a minority language and its introduction  into the elementary and secondary educational systems in the regions where it is widely used. The establishment of a university chair dedicated to the Macedonian and Aromanian language. Additionally, the recognition of cultural organisations like the Home of Macedonian Culture (registration pending for more than 15 years despite ruling of the European Court of Human Rights).  

3. The introduction  of the Macedonian and Aromanian language into the state mass media.

4. Unconditional and free entry into Greece for all political refugees of Macedonian origin. Additionally, the ability to claim back/buy property as well as to reclaim citizenship, which was taken from thousands of Macedonians during the civil war in Greece (1945–49).

5. The ratification of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as well as the implementation of all the international conventions and standards by the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe concerning the rights of national minorities.

6. The reinstatement of citizenship to Macedonian emigrants, most of whom live in Australia and Canada. Their citizenship was revoked following their public expression of their Macedonian identity. 

7. Also, we would like to discuss the attitude of the Greek Ministry of Education towards FUEN’s fact-finding mission in  Greece and its refusal to meet EFA-Rainbow. 

NETHERLANDS

Bearing in mind that the EU’s Mercator network for the study and furtherance of minority languages has, in the over twenty years of its existence, laudably acquitted itself of its task according to the recent Interarts evaluation report, it is with alarm that we have been  informed of the EU’s intention to end earmarking of the Mercator network for subsidisation and to mainstream it instead.

In view of the fact that the official state languages are subsidised by the same mainstream,

the actual allocation of any subsidy would henceforth be the result of a competition between the interests of minority and state languages, with the State’s authorities as their referee.

The unavoidable effect would be the crumbling and eventual breakdown of the Mercator network, in economic terms a considerable capital annihilation.

With reference, again, to the main resolution of the 2003 FUEN Congress in Bolzano,  reminding the EU of  “its responsibility to preserve and foster linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe”, we appeal to the EU to recall the said measure and to continue allotting an earmarked and adequate subsidy to the Mercator network.

AUSTRIA

FUEN establishes that the Austrian federal government, after more than four or five years, is still unwilling to act on the decision taken by the Austrian Constitutional Court (VfGH) either with regard to state languages or place-name signs – not least because the Carinthian head of state Jörg Haider, whose party, Bündnis Zukunft Österreich (BZÖ – Alliance for the Future of Austria) is a coalition partner in the government of Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, is torpedoing the implementation of the initiatives, especially that concerning the place-name signs. The aggressive campaign of Carinthia’s head of state against the Constitutional Court and also against the vice-chairman of the Carinthian Council of Slovene, Rudi Vouk, whose complaints to the Constitutional Court brought about the decisions relating to the place-name signs and official languages, is fomenting increasing agitation against minority nationalities in the state of Carinthia. At the same time, FUEN establishes that under existing Austrian legislation, the ethnic groups and their organisations have no right of complaint before the Constitutional Court and that suits for bilingual place-name signs can only be brought before the Constitutional Court in the form of opposition to penalties imposed against individual members of an ethnic group. 

FUEN calls upon the Austrian federal government to act upon the decisions of the Constitutional Court without delay and to make it possible for the ethnic groups to form a body under public law that shall be entitled to bring complaints before the Constitutional Court.

In view of a lack of linguistic skills and poor teaching results for the minority language Croatian at bilingual elementary schools in the state of Burgenland, the FUEN Congress of Nationalities appeals to the competent bodies within the Austrian education administration and legislation to amend the 19 August 1994 Minorities’ Education Act for Burgenland, and to place particular emphasis on the following:

a)         The amendment to be passed for compulsory schools should lay down exactly to what extent classes are to be given in the minority language.

b)        At all lower levels of general secondary education in Burgenland, the minority languages must be available as a compulsory optional course. Here, the opening of a class or department should be based upon the relevant numbers applicable to secondary schools.

c) Bilingual classes for pupils must be provided at secondary schools in communities with elementary schools for those pupils who attended bilingual elementary schools.

SLOVENIA

Unlike the autochthonous minorities – Hungarians and Italians – mentioned in the Constitution, the existence of the autochthonous German-speaking minority is still denied; the minority neither receives official recognition, not does it enjoy any collective rights. Although mentioned in the Agreement on Cultural Co-operation between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Austria, it receives virtually no financial backing from Slovenia. The Republic of Slovenia should recognise its German-speaking minority because minorities whose status is not anchored in the Constitution enjoy no collective protection in Slovenia.

FUEN calls for recognition of the German-speaking ethnic group in Slovenia.

RESOLUTION 2006-02

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities passed the following resolution on 25 May 2006 in Bautzen:

The Assembly of Delegates is concerned about continuing racial discrimination in many cities of the Russian Federation.

Information is coming in from Moscow, St Petersburg, Voronesh, Chabarovsk and other cities and regions about discrimination against people of non-Slavic appearance (university students from African countries, Azerbaijan, China and many other countries) including incidents of people being brutally beaten up and often critically or fatally injured.

The murders of students from Cameroon and the Congo in St Petersburg and of a Peruvian in Voronesh are just some instances of what has recently occurred.

Attacks on foreigners have become much more frequent. As a result, foreigners are now prepared to take defence of their rights into their own hands. In 2005, more than 40 people became the victims of such attacks.

Citizens of the Russian Federation, such as Caucasians, Adigs, Balkars, Kabardins and Chechens, are also exposed to similar reprisals. Such crimes are often dismissed as hooliganism, however.

The Assembly of Delegates addresses an urgent appeal to the government of the Russian Federation to take steps to prevent such attacks and to punish offenders.

RESOLUTION 2006-03

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities passed the following resolution on 25 May 2006 in Bautzen:

The Assembly of Delegates of the 51th FUEN Congress of Nationalities expresses its gratification and gratitude to the government and president of the new, democratic state of Georgia, who, after many years in which the state has boycotted the problems of the Turkish Meskets, are now addressing this issue with all due care and attention in order to meet the obligations to which Georgia agreed upon its admission to the Council of Europe. These obligations concern the return to Georgia of the ethnic group, which was deported under the Stalin regime. The announcement by the Georgian leadership of the possibility of repatriation for Turkish Meskets, who are still scattered about various CIS states today and whose human rights are often violated there, has given rise to high hopes.

At the same time, the Assembly of Delegates expresses its concern about the intentions of different levels of the Georgian administration in bringing about the repatriation of the Turkish Meskets on a basis that would be of a discriminating character and in fact perpetuate the policy of discrimination against this people. Its concern relates to the officially declared intention, which has already been put into practice

-          of prohibiting the Turkish Meskets from preserving their Turkish identity and of declaring them all, irrespective of their personal opinions and choice, as “Turkish” Georgians (Meskets), and in such a manner to implement the policy of eliminating the national group;

-          not to permit the Turkish Meskets to return to and live in their historical homeland, the Achalzych region in the south of Georgia, from which they were illegally deported in 1944;

-          to hold a plebiscite in that region prior to the return of its autochthonous people, the Turkish Meskets and therefore effectively in their absence, on the provocative question “Do you want (would you agree to allowing) the Turkish Meskets to come here and to live here?” ;

-          to scatter the repatriated Turkish Meskets, against their will, in small groups (two-three families) throughout Georgia, which could lead to the effective elimination of the whole ethnic group as a community with its shared cultural characteristics and demands.

The Assembly of Delegates protests against such a policy and expresses the hope that the Georgian state will bring about a drastic change and take a democratic approach towards the problems posed by the repatriation of the Turkish Meskets.

RESOLUTION 2006-04

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities passed the following resolution on 25 May 2006 in Bautzen:

Witnessing the continued French government policy of ignoring the Breton language, the last Celtic language spoken on the European continent and part of the heritage of all Europeans,

Taking stock of the fact that France represents a unique case in Europe, in that its very constitutional set-up - to wit, article 2 of the French Constitution - provides the legal basis for a policy of total destruction of all her minority languages and makes it possible to actually implement their planned elimination.

Considering that the whole corpus of texts aimed at the protection of minorities, be they adopted by the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, UNESCO, or the CPLRE, have neither been signed nor ratified by the French government and thus remain totally ineffective on French territory,

Considering that the French government has for many years totally ignored the resolutions it has received from FUEN regarding this issue:

FUEN most pressingly appeals to the FUEN members living in countries respectful of their own minorities and urges them to request their diplomats to interpellate the French government on this subject, either through diplomatic channels or by means of written or verbal questions within the framework of international forums in Europe.

FUEN appeals more particularly to nationals of countries which France has, in the recent past, enjoined to pay due respect to legal texts it totally disregards itself, to governments such as that of Austria or the Irish Republic, for instance, which France has recently called to order regarding their minority languages.

FUEN appeals to the governments of Central and Eastern European countries, the new members of the European Union, which France has dared reproach for their failings in the field of human rights.

FUEN expresses the urgent wish that this desperate call for help from a small European people threatened with complete cultural extinction be as widely circulated as possible.

RESOLUTION 2006-05

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities passed the following resolution on 25 May 2006 in Bautzen:

Certain demands on the Italian government

for uniform, legally guaranteed, positive measures for the protection of Ladin institutions throughout the entire Dolomite Ladin area, which is divided into three provinces and two regions, which should take into consideration the positive protective measures in place within the autonomous provinces and regions.

Assured institutional representation at community, provincial, regional, state and EU level.

Increase in bi-/trilingualism (as a preferential title and reflected in salaries).

Recognition of the UGLD as an institution of co-ordination on minority issues within the autonomous and non-autonomous local corporations and in relations with the state (as provided for in article of law no 482/99, for example,).

Equal rights for the official weekly newspaper of the UGLD, La Usc di Ladins, to receive state subsidies available to the daily newspapers of linguistic minorities.

RESOLUTION 2006-06

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities passed the following resolution on 25 May 2006 in Bautzen:

The Karachay nation lives right at the foot of Mount Elbrus and is old and indigenous to the Northern Caucasus. On 2 November 1943, all the Karachay people were repressed and deported to Central Asia and Kazakhstan by order of the Stalinist regime. There, in order to achieve their full assimilation, they were scattered around 558 villages. The autonomous Karachay region was then destroyed. 

In 1957, after 14 years of exile/genocide and with a new leader, Khrushchev, ruling the country, most of the surviving Karachay people managed to return to their historical homeland, but some were not able to return and remained in exile.  Half a century has passed since then, yet the Karachay people has still not been able to re-establish its autonomous region. On 26 April 1996, the Russian parliament passed a law on the rehabilitation of repressed peoples. The law is now 15 years old, but in reality it has not changed anything in the lives of the repressed Karachay people. Even today, certain books containing “justifications” for the deportation are still being published; new “scientific” works and doctors’ dissertations are being written in order to cast aspersions on the Karachay people; even the mass media contribute to this despicable business. Moreover, efforts are increasing to have the law repealed.  The Constitutional Court of Russia has even had to scrutinize the law once again in order to affirm its importance. Yet the verdict of the court was simple: the law is constitutionally valid and must therefore be enforced. Unfortunately, the law has still not been enforced and time is running out fast. In fact, if the truth be told, time is working against the repressed nations.

The Karachay people, for instance, are losing their language and customs. There are no national schools; not a single “mother-tongue and literature” textbook has been published for more than 20 years; there are no journals for children or, for that matter, for adults either.  The efforts of some enthusiasts to publish books, journals, scientific or fictional literature privately are not successful. The reason for this is lack of money and persistence. It is clear that without state support, minority cultures are doomed. The only way for small nations (especially repressed small nations) to survive in today’s Russia is by creating their own national autonomies, while Russian policies, on the other hand, make sure that national institutions are destroyed under the pretext of strengthening regions. 

The second very acute problem is that of the Karachay people still unable to return from exile – from Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian republics – even though their repatriation to their historical homeland is provided for under the law on the rehabilitation of repressed peoples.

There is no alternative to the law on the rehabilitation of repressed peoples. Only when law has been enforced will we be able to say without doubt that the repressed nations have been truly rehabilitated and that Russia has truly become a democratic country.

All that law-abiding Karachay people demand is the restoration of their rights and statehood as outlined by international conventions and, most importantly, the law on the rehabilitation of repressed peoples.

Fifteen years have passed since the law was enacted, but its basic and fundamental conditions have still not been fulfilled. It seems that Russian authorities are distancing themselves more and more from the problems of the repressed nations and even trying to destroy those national institutions still remaining. Such policies could lead to an explosion in multinational Russia.

FUEN is troubled by the statements of the Karachay Democratic Organization Dzhamagat and draws the attention of both the Russian authorities and international democratic organisations to the worries and legitimate demands of the repressed Karachay people.

RESOLUTION 2006-07

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities passed the following resolution on 25 May 2006 in Bautzen:

On 10th of December 2005 the National Congress of the Crimean Tatar peoples drew attention to the fact that within the framework of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars which took place on 18th of May 1944 a genocid began.

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities supports the efforts of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar peoples to draw the attention of the international public on this sorrow.

PRESS RELEASES

Press Release No. 2006-33

Smallest film festival in the world:
Bo Landin and Alex Scherpf with the Sámi version of MACBETH
won the award of the European Minority Film Festival in Husum

From 16th to 18th November 2006 the Friisk
Foriining and the Federal Union of European
Nationalities organised a Film Festival which
dealt with feature films in minority languages.
Contributions from Scotland (Foighidinn), West
Frisia (Sportman fan è ieu), Grisons (Staila
crudanta and Retourn), Ladinia (Ci co cunta)
and Saomi / Lappland (Macbeth) were shown to interested parties in Husum / North Frisia /
Germany. All films had German or English
subtitles.

The aim of this so-called European Minority
Film Festival was to draw attention to the
specific situation of small European nations
without a so-called kinstate via feature films.

The annual award at this festival went to Bo
Landin and Alex Scherpf with the Sámi
version of MACBETH. The director Alex
Scherpf expressed his gratitude to the
organisers of the »smallest film festival in
the world« and is looking forward of a con-
tinuation of this event.

The next festival of this kind is planned for
2008. Further information:
www.minority-film.net

Director Alex Scherpf

Press Release No. 2006-32

EU-Commission is going to support language networks
FUEN and YEN consider participation in upcoming call for proposal

Months of speculating about what's going to happen in the field of future support of
regional and minority languages in the new program generation of the European Union
is coming to an end. The EU-Commission recently invited several actors in the field
to a conference on this matter in Brussels. The Federal Union of European
Nationalities (FUEN) and the Youth of European Nationalities (YEN) where represen-
ted by their common representative Jan Diedrichsen. The future financial support for
language networks through the EU-Commission was debated. For many years the
European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL) has been receiving a direct
subsidy from the EU-Commission as the EU-network for regional and minority
languages. In the next program generation this will not longer be the case.

The Commission announced that there will be provided financial support for eight to
ten language networks – among these in all likelihood there will be a network for the
regional- and minority languages. 

The new EU-program "Lifelong Learning" will be the financing source of these
networks. Besides, the Lifelong Learning Program will also provide the regional- and
minority language communities the possibility to search for project funds – like before
in the well-known EU-programs like Socrates or Lingua.

In the past FUEN and YEN have underlined the fact that creating a network, just to
create a network, does not make much sense. In fact a new network should be
"customer oriented" and the norm should be the needs of the regional and minority
languages. Especially attention should be paid to the small and very small languages
in Europe. They will have a hard task to compete with the bigger languages, if they
do not get the proper help and advice.

The board of YEN and FUEN will now examine the new information and then decide if
they together should participate in the upcoming call for proposals.

Also on the highest political level there have been significant changes. The designa-
ted EU-Commissar from Romania, Leonard Orban, is appointed to be the European
Commissioner for Multilingualism. Until now this topic has been part of the portfolio
of Commissioner Jan Figel´. With its own Commissioner the field of Multilingualism
will be given a higher official appraisal.

Press Release No. 2006-31

Estonian Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs
welcomes the FUEN Congress 2007 in Estonia
FUEN is organising its 52nd international Congress in Talinn

Within the framework of a just ended FUEN seminar in Bolzano, a FUEN
delegation took the opportunity to talk to the Estonian Minister for Population
and Ethnic Affairs, Mr. Paul-Eerik Rummo. The Politician of the Reform Party
stressed that he very much appreciates the fact that the largest umbrella
organisation for national minorities and autochthonous groups has chosen the
Baltic Area. Rummo promised active support for this event. The FUEN
delegation took the opportunity to talk about first ideas of contents of the
congress.

FUEN-Vice President Hans Heinrich Hansen says „Mr Rummo has proved that
the minority issue must be solved with the groups directly concerned and that
he is willing to support FUEN«. Paul-Eerik Rummo studied literature in Tartu
and was employed at the Theatres in Tartu and Tallinn. Furthermore he worked
as Writer and Interpreter (English and Russian) Paul-Eerik Rummo has been
member of the Estonian Parliament for many years and was Minister for
Education. Since 2003 he has been Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs

The protection of minorities is a matter very close to our heart and we are looking
forward to hosting minorities from all over Europe, Mr. Rummo said to the FUEN
delegates. Regarding the above metioned conference the presidium has decided
to continue the started focussing on education and its specific sigificance for the
minorities and that it will be concluded in Talinn.

The FUEN presidium delegated the Sorbian Judith Walde, to coordinate the
European aspect on education in conjunction with FUEN-Vice President Heinrich
Schultz. It is our aim to deal with the basic rights of minority protection at regular
intervals with the assistence of experts and minority representatives. This was
started in Bautzen on the subject of education and will be concluded in Tallinn.
From left to right:
FUEN-President Romedi
Arquint, Minister Paul-
Eerik Rummo, FUEN-
Vice-President Hans
Heinrich Hansen, FUEN-
Vice-President Heinrich
Schultz, FUEN and YEN
Commissioner Jan Died-
richsen.
Also FUEN Secretary Gene-
ral Frank Nickelsen
belonged to the delegation.

Press Release No. 2006-29

International Conference in Bozen:
To be a minority is an opportunity!

According to the motto – “Minorities – Law and Rights”, a European conference will
take place next week from the 25th to the 27th of October in Bozen, South Tyrol /
Italy and bring together about 100 minority representatives from all over Europe. “The
issue of minorities in Europe has lost none of its actuality. Looking back at the Balkan
War and at the establishment of the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina or at the current
negotiations on Kosovo, it becomes evident that the solution of ethnic conflicts is
the basis for peace und democratisation processes. The Council of Europe and the
EU are giving a significant contribution to the protection of minorities in Europe. But
even in the EU there are still unsolved minority questions and, as the example of
South Tyrol shows, self government can often be a promising approach”, explains
Dr. Martha Stocker, vice-president of the Federal Union of European Nationalities
(FUEN). Dr. Martha Stocker is the initiator of the conference in Bozen. One of the
main topics is the integration of the youth. Kathia Nocker, chairwoman of the
Südtiroler Jugendring, has together with her team prepared a special youth
programme.

The situation in Northern Ireland, in the Basque region and the difficult condition for
the Roma people in Europe plus the situation of the regional- and minority languages
are main topics at the conference. There will be lectures, workshops and discussions
where these topics will be deepened. The conference starts on Wednesday the 25th of
October with the premiere of the film “The wind that shakes the barley”. After the film
presentation there will be the possibility to discuss the situation in Northern Ireland
with a representative of Sinn Fein, Francie Molloy. On Thursday, 26th of October, the
conference will be officially opened by FUEN-vice-president Martha Stocker. Luis
Durnwalder, Landeshauptmann (governor) of South Tyrol and Lorenzo Dellai,
Landeshauptmann of Trentino will welcome the guest from all over Europe. Member
of the European Parliament, Michl Ebner, will provide a lecture on the topic: “How can
the European Union and the Council of Europe protect the language minorities?”
There will also be a lecture on the peace process in Northern Ireland and about the
Basque culture. The afternoon will be reserved for workshops where the participants
can discuss with experts. The topics will be networking between European language
communities, the participation of the youth in minority organisations and the issue of
minorities and languages. On Friday, the last day of the conference, the situation of
the minorities in Greece, the Baltic States and the situation of the Roma in the
European Union will be discussed. (For detailed information take a look at the
attached program of the conference. The conference ist organised by: Autonomous
Region Trentino-South Tyrol, Südtiroler Jugendring, Grup dla mendranza ladina
(GML), Federal Union of European Nationalities, Autonomous Province Bozen in
cooperation with MIDAS – Minorities Dailies Association, GfbV – Society for
threatened peoples, YEN – Youth of European Nationalities , EURAC – European
Academy / Institut for Minority Rights, South Tyrolean Institute for Ethnic Groups
and CONFEMILI.
www.minorities-conference-bozen.eu

Press Release No. 2006-26

Dave Buzza from Cornwall was the winner of the 3rd YOU!MM
FUEN participated with two runners at the annual European Minority Marathon
in Flensburg

The European Minority Marathon in brief YOU!MM takes place every first
Sunday in September. From 1800 active runners about 500 participated in the
classic Marathon distance of about 42 kilometres.
All the other participants,
e.g. a large number of
representatives of the
Frisian minority, the
German minority in
Denmark, and the Danish
minority in Germany
participated in other
disciplines of 10 km, 5
km and Inline skating.
The first two YOU!MM
runs were won by local
runners. This year a
Cornishman, David
Buzza, won with a new
record of 2.36 h.
Buzza and Tibor Hethalmi from the German minority in Hungary were invited by
the FUEN and from the above mentioned organisations to participate in the
annual event. A few days earlier both runners took the opportunity to draw
attention to their specific situation (the Cornish in Great Britain (PDF see page 4), the Germans in Hungary).
Dave Buzza (left) and Tibor Hethalmi


Press Release No. 2006-25

International Arumanian conference in Romania
FUEN-President Romedi Arquint in Constanta

The cultural days from 26th to 28th of August, organised by the Arumanian com-
munity of Romania (Fara Arameanasca dit Romania) brought over 200 people
together, Arumanians from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Romania, and also
representatives from all over the world had a meeting in Costanta on the Black Sea.
"I am impressed by the dedication that unites young and old people and which is a
lively sign of the will to keep the Arumanian language and culture alive. ", reports the
FUEN president Romedi Arquint. Lectures reflected the history and lingual character
of the Arumanians, a Romanian-Arumanian theatre play, a folklore evening with a
Canadian-Arumanian troubadour, traditional dances and a modern fashion show, trips
and get-togethers until dawn, together with perfect organisation and cordial hospi-
tality, enthused the FUEN president. "An extraordinary achievement of many
idealists, who organised and arranged the event without any financial support." The
Romanian state does not give any support to the Arumanian community and is not
willing to recognise them. Indeed, the inadequately or total lack of recognition of the
Arumanians in the Balkan countries (except for Macedonia) is a pitiable fact. The
Arumanians are descendants of a pastoral people, they are spread over five Balkan
countries, they belong to the "small autochthonous ethnic groups". Through the partly
open policy of assmilation, e.g. in Greece, their existence is threatened. The FUEN
already has and, regarding the future membership of Romania and Bulgaria in the
European Union, will now more than ever insist on the recognition and support of the
Arumanians as a community of "dying Europeans" (Gauss). Their strong self-
confidence was impressively shown to the guests in Constanta.


Press Release No. 2006-24

On the 10th anniversary of the European Convention for the
protection of minorities – a balance
by Romedi Arquint, Member of the Regional Parliament of Grisons / Switzerland and President of the FUEN

The European Frame Convention for the protection of national minorities is the
first multilateral politically binding instrument for the protection of national min-
orities. At the beginning of the 90s, the European Council worked out the draft for
a convention, which defines rights and protection terms for the national min-
orities.

The Frame Convention defines all areas for the protection of the lingual and
cultural community of an ethnic group. But the problem of the convention it is
based on the unsolved problems of the western European concept of a national
state. Even in the second half of the 20th century, western European states did
not manage to embed the concept of the national state into a state philosophy
which engages the state to a policy of difference and ends up with the
enhancement of homogenity.

This already starts with
the terms: While Switzer-
land as one of the single
states of Europe is bound
to the idea of a multina-
tional political system and
in law thus uses the term
of „lingual and cultural
communities“, the idea
of„national minorities“ is
a result of the idea of
national states, who
idealistically strive for a
union of state and nation
with lingual and cultural
background.
As an exxaggeration, you can say that, at the beginning of the 90s, the European
Council created an instrument for protection that exports ist own unsolved wes-
tern European problems to the states of central and eastern Europe and to the
Balkans and burdens them with hitherto unknown problems.
Romedi Arquint, President of the FUEN during the 51st FUEN Congress in Bautzen / Budysin


Press Release No. 2006-21

FUEN-Congress in Bautzen / Budysin available as pdf-format
51st FUEN Congress of Nationalitites from 24th - 28th of May 2006
at Hotel Holiday Inn in Bautzen / Budysin Saxony

The Federal Union of European Nationalities held its 51st Congress on Nationalities
and its obligatory Assembly of Delegates in Bautzen / Budysin Saxony
from 24th to 08th May 2008. The documentation of a/m event is just finished and
 available on following sites. Just see below.
Within the framework of the
Assembly the FUEN
delegates adopted the Charter for the autoch-thonous,national minorities in Europe.
The photo shows FUEN-President Romedi Arquint (left) and the president of the Youth of European Nationalities YEN, Aleksander Studen Kirchner signing the document.

Press Release No. 2006-16

FUEN Assembly passed seven resolutions
FUEN Assembly on 25th of May 2006
at Hotel Holiday Inn in Bautzen / Budysin Saxony

Among the charter (see PR No. 2006-14) The assembly of delegates passed a main resolution and six further appeals. The main resolution is directed to the European Union, the Council of Europe and the individual member states. All passed resolutions are available here::
www.fuen.org/pdfs/20060525Resolutions_EN.pdf
During the Assembly in Bautzen / Budysin: f.l.t.r: Stephan Kleinschmidt, former. YEN-President und Commissioner for the Brussels project, FUEN-Vicepresident Dr. Jurji Brankack, FUEN-President Romedi Arquint, the FUEN-Vicepresidents Heinrich Schultz, Dr. Martha Stocker, Hans Heinrich Hansen and FUEN-Secretary General Frank Nickelsen

Press Release No. 2006-15

FUEN Advisory Board presented Civil Society Dialogue
Evaluation"
51st FUEN Congress of Nationalitites from 24th - 28th of May 2006
at Hotel Holiday Inn in Bautzen / Budysin Saxony

Within the framework of the FUEN Congress of Nationalities the FUEN Advisory
Board - a body of state and governmental representatives from countries where
minorities are situated - presented the first evaluation seminar of the so-called Civil
Society Dialogue. The chairman of the board, Dr. Detlev Rein from the German
Ministry of the Interiour and chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Protection
of National Minorities at the CoE, stressed that one aim of the project is to collect
and compare the different possibilities of this dialogue in order to show possible
solutions to the minorities and governments as well. " Methodically we used smaller
seminars to bring certain governmental and minority representatives together in
order to explain to them the idea of the project and to discuss basic questions of
participation. Such seminars have been organised in Bucharest (RO) and twice in
Sankelmark (D) so far. Further meetings, e.g. in eastern Belgium, are planned.
The documentation of
the above mentioned
evaluation seminar
was compiled by
Johan Häggman and is
available under

Als PDF
Als PowerPoint

Press Release No. 2006-14

FUEN Assembly adopted Charter
for the autochthonous, national minorities in Europe
FUEN Assembly on 25th of May 2006
at Hotel Holiday Inn in Bautzen / Budysin Saxony

Within the framework of the
Assembly the FUEN
delegates adopted a Charter
for the autochthonous,
national minorities in Europe.
This document was
compilied by the FUEN and
the Youth of European
Nationalties and is the joint
milestone for future activities
in this direction.


Press Release No. 2006-12

Romedi Arquint: »A basic right for your own language«
51st FUEN Congress of Nationalitites from 24th - 28th of May 2006
at Hotel Holiday Inn in Bautzen / Budysin Saxony

In close cooperation with its member organisation, the Council of the Lusatian
Sorbs "Domowina", the Federal Union of European Nationalities held its 51th
FUEN Congress on Nationalities and its Assembly of Delegates from 24th to
28th May 2006 at Hotel Holiday Inn in Bautzen.

The congress was devoted to the subject » School and education« and was
attended by nearly 220 participants from about 30 states. These were mainly
representatives of minorities from the more than 81 associated associations, but
also included state representatives, scientists, and a number of representatives
from the media chiefly from Germany and other European countries. The event
was opened by FUEN President Romedi ARQUINT ARQUINT'S speech is
available on www.fuen.org/pdfs/20060525RA_Budysin.pdf

Further welcoming speeches
were made by Georg MIL-
BRADT, Minister President
of Saxony, Christoph
BERGNER, Commissioner
of the Federal Republic of
Germany for National
Minorities and Resettler´s
Issues, Johanna WANKA,
Minister for Science and
Culture of Brandenburg,
Christian SCHRAMM, Mayor
of the municipality Bautzen,
Francoise KEMPF, Council
of Europe, Aleksander
STUDEN-KIRCHNER, Pres-
ident of the Youth of Euro-
pean Nationalities and Jan
NUCK, Chairman of the
Council of the Lusatian
F.l.t.r: Georg MILBRADT, Minister President
of Saxony, Christoph BERGNER, Commissioner
of the Federal Republic of Germany for National
Minorities and Resettler´s Issues and FUEN-
President Romedi Arquint
Sorbs "Domowina". Speeches on basic principles were made by Csaba TABAJDI,
Chairman of the Intergroup for National Minorites and Regional Languages at the
European Parliament, and Wolfgang WÖLCK, Research Centre for Multilinguism
of the University Brussels.

The main subject of the congress "School and Education" was exemplified by
various examples. Introductions into different school systems were made by
Oliver PAASCH, Minister for Education and Science of the german speaking
community in Belgium, Manuela SCHMOLE, Lusatian Sorbs, Anna KERNER,
Hungarian Ministry for Education, Claude NADEAU, Bretons in France, and Dr. Michael GUDOWNIG, Slovenians in Austria. After several status reports on the
topic a conclusion was made by Gerhard BAUMGARTNER.


Press Release No. 2006-08


Europe being guest in Lusatia
203 participants from 30 states are expected in Bautzen
51st FUEN Congress of Nationalitites from 24th - 28th of May 2006
at Hotel Holiday Inn in Bautzen / Budysin Saxony

t the moment the FUEN is very busy with the final preparations for the 51st FUEN
Congress of Nationalities from 24th - 28th of May 2006. More than 184 partici-
pants from 30 European and Central Asian countries have already been registered
at the moment.

Besides the opening of the congress by FUEN President Romedi Arquint there
will be words of greeting from the Minister President of Saxony, Mr. Georg
Milbradt, the Minister for Science and Culture of the Land of Brandenburg, Ms
Johanna Wanka, the German Comissioner for National Minorities, Mr Christoph
Bergner, the Mayor of Bautzen, Mr Christian Schramm as well as from Mr Jan
Nuck, the chairman of the Sorbian organisation "Domowina"

Speeches on topical minority and language policies from different points of view
will be made by the Hungarian representative Mr Csaba Tabajdi, chairman of the
Intergroup for Traditional National Minorities, Constitutional Regions and Regional
Languages at the European Parliament, as well as by Wolfgang Wölck of the
University of Brussels.

Within the framework of the FUEN Assembly the passing of a so-called Bautzen
declaration is planned. Among a large number of other issues, the congress will
deal with school systems as examplified by various models. Furthermore the
latest development of the FUEN Civil Society Dialogue and of the Youth of
Nationalities will be dealt with.

Finally the organizers (Union of the Lusatian Sorbs "Domowina" and the FUEN)
ask the participants to take part in the programme "Germany: country of ideas"
and bring multilinguistic information material, typical items and culinary objects
for the FUEN market on Saturday 27th of May 2006 from 2:00 - 6:00 pm at the
"Kornmarkt" in Bautzen.

"Europe being guest in Lusatia" is regarded as an appropriate theme for the
congress which is being staged in Lusatia at the same time as the FIFA World
Cup.

Furter details on
www.fuen.org/pages/english/e_7_2002.html


Press Release No. 2006-07

State, science and minority in dialogue
1st FUEN Civil Society Dialogue Seminar in Sankelmark

Last Saturday 01/04/2006 40 representatives from 11 European countries met for
a conference in the European Academy Sankelmark. The conference was the first
evaluation seminar of the so-called FUEN Civil Society Dialogue. This kind of
seminar is an initiative of the FUEN Advisory Board, which was founded in 2000,
and is supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants were
representatives of the states, science and of national minorities and ethnic groups.
During two preliminary semi-
nars, which took place in 2005
in Bucharest and Sankelmark,
the states of Romania, Hun-
gary, Germany, Denmark,
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
were requested to compile a
report on the status quo of the
national minorities and ethnic
groups on the basis of an
FUEN questionaire.The first results of these seven reports were presented by project coordinator Johan Häggman (photo)
in the form of a detailed documentation. Here the international legal remedies (e.g. the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages), national laws and possibilities of participation in certain states were mentioned.
Furthermore the documentation dealt with the fields of
education, culture and media. During the discussion
the Estonian minorities in particular criticised the fact
that not all demands had been considered.

The final documentation will be completed and will be
available soon. A first official presentation will take place
at the FUEN Congress of Nationalities on 27th of May in
Bautzen.

Among 40 participants also the Secretary of State of Romania, Mr. Attila Marko (right) was present.
FUEN Civil Society Dialogue
Project coordinator Johan Häggman


Press Release No. 2006-05

Europe being guest in Lusatia:
51st FUEN-Congress in Bautzen
All required information now available

The FUEN is organising its 51st Congress of Nationalities and Assembly of Delegates from 24th - 28th May in Bautzen / Saxony. All individual guidelines as well as the first programme is now available. Deadline is 07th April 2006

The congress will be opened by the Minister President of Saxony, Mr. Georg Milbradt, together with the Minister for Science and Culture of the Land of Brandenburg, Ms Johanna Wanka. Within the framework of the FUEN Assembly the passing of a so-called Bautzen declaration is planned. Among a large number of other issues, the congress is dealing with school systems as examplied by various models. Furthermore the latest development of the FUEN Civil Society Dialogue and of the Youth of Nationalities will be dealt with. Europe being guest in Lusatia is regarded as an appropriate theme for the congress which is being staged in Lusatia at the same time as the FIFA World Cup.

All information about the the 51st Congress of Nationalities is available on
www.fuen.org/pages/english/e_7_2002.html


Press Release No. 2006-04

FUEV intensifies contacts with the
German Bundesland of Brandenburg
Delegation in Postdam

On Wednesday, 15th February, a FUEN delegation, composed of FUEN vice-president Heinrich Schultz and FUEN Secretary General Frank Nickelsen, visited the German Bundesland of Brandenburg. Both delegates were accompanied by the Vice-Secretary Executive of the umbrella organisation of the Lusatian Sorbs "Domowina", Mr Harald Konczack.

On the agenda were talks with representatives of the Brandenburgian Parliament as well as with the regional government in Potsdam. The FUEN delegation met the vice-president of the Landtag, Ms Gerlinde Stobrawa. During the discussion a special focus was laid on the institution of the FUEN Advisory Board whose first chairman was Dr. Herbert Knoblich, who was the President of the Brandenburg Landtag at that time. Ms Stobrawa was very interested and announced her participation in the next meeting of the Advisory Board within the framework of the 51st FUEN Congress of Nationalities in Bautzen as official representative of the Landtag Brandenburg.

Further discussions took place with the representatives of the Ministry for Science, Research and Culture, Mr Reinhold Kier and Mr Clemens Neumann from the Department for Issues of Religous Groups and Sorbs. Both sides considered possible fields of forthcoming cooperation. The FUEN delegation was pleased to hear about the announcement of the Minister for Science, Research and Culture, Ms Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, agreeing to express words of greeting during the next FUEN Congress in Bautzen.

F.l.t.r.: FUEN-Vice-President Heinrich Schultz, Vice-President of the bundesland Brandenburg, Gerlinde Stobrawa, Deputy Secretary of the Lusatian Sorbs "Domowina" und FUEN-Secretary General Frank Nickelsen

Further details about the next FUEN congress
www.fuen.org/pages/english/e_7_2002.html


Press Release No. 2006-01

FUEN demands more influence in Expert groups
dealing with minority issues
Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities visited FUEN

On Wednesday, 11/01/2006 representatives of the Advisory Committee on the
Framework Convention for the Protection of national Minorities of the Council