Autochthonous minorities in Europe
04.06.2019Definition: "The autochthonous, national minorities / ethnic groups are the minorities that came into being as a result of developments in European history, as a result of the changes of state borders and other historical events. The autochthonous, national minorities / ethnic groups are also the peoples of Europe who have never established a state of their own and who live as a minority in the territory of a state." (from the FUEN Charter)
There are more than 400 European minority groups on the continent. Altogether, in Europe there are more than 100 million people belonging to autochthonous minorities, while in the EU their number exceeds 50 million. One in seven Europeans is part of an autochthonous minority or speaks a regional or minority language. The needs and challenges of these communities are very heterogeneous. There are excellent models to achieve a balance between minorities and majorities in Europe, but there are also states that deny the existence of their autochthonous minorities.
According to official numbers of the EU there are, apart from 24 official languages of the European Union, more than 60 regional and minority languages. The total number of minority language speakers is estimated at 40 million citizens. In the whole of Europe there are 90 languages; 37 of these are national languages, and 53 languages are regarded as “languages without a state”.
The European minorities ask for more attention and influence in their regions, their states and on the European level. FUEN is here to help them.
PRESS RELEASES
- VATAN representatives visit FUEN Brussels and raise awareness in the European Parliament
- German Bundesrat calls for inclusion of national minorities in the Basic Law
- FUEN’s European Dialogue Forum engages in political talks in Brussels
- 7th Annual Meeting of the FUEN Working Group on Education to be held in Western Thrace (Greece)
- Reception at the FUEN Office in Brussels on the Occasion of the European Day of Languages
- European Parliament Event Calls for Stronger Protection of Minority Languages on European Day of Languages
- In memoriam Ivan Budinčević
- Women of Minorities: New Women for a New World
- FUEN Delegation Holds Political Talks in Berlin
- SAVE THE DATE: Third Thematic Meeting of the FUEN “Women of Minorities” Project