ScienceBlogs
Home

Little optimism for the future

1
1
Little optimism for the future
Fernand de VarennesCredit: Hatto Schmidt | All rights reserved

FUEN Congress: Attitudes towards minorities are becoming increasingly hostile – The attempt to develop new strategies and goals – Seize every opportunity!

‘Surviving 75 years is an achievement in itself,’ said Loránt Vincze, President of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), at the anniversary congress in Husum, the capital of the North Frisian community in Schleswig-Holstein. However, there was no celebratory atmosphere as everyone is aware that the national minorities in Europe have little to be optimistic about. Instead, the delegates discussed new strategies.

To this end, the former UN Special rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, and Paul Videsott, the scientific director of the South Tyrolean Institute of Ethnic Groups, analysed the current situation of minorities.

‘It is going rather backwards,’ said de Varennes, pointing out that states are restricting the use of regional and minority languages more and more, from Russia and Ukraine to France. A dangerous precedent was set by a judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, according to which it is lawful for Latvia to prohibit the teaching of Russian in private schools.

‘Legally binding regulations are needed at EU level,’ de Varennes stated. For 20 years, however, there has not only been a lack of progress, but also a number of setbacks, particularly in the field of education. Governments are increasingly actively hostile towards minorities. An attempt should be made to establish a permanent forum for minority issues in the EU and a team of experts should be assembled to provide support in legal disputes. The decisions of the European Court of Human Rights should also be regularly analysed.

Paul VidesottCredit: Hatto Schmidt | All rights reserved

‘Many people have the impression that national minorities in Europe are doing well; they often think of Catalonia and South Tyrol,’ said Paul Videsott. But this is not true: ‘There are 360 minorities in Europe and two-thirds are in decline,’ Videsott stated. The minority languages are in dramatic trouble. ‘In the past, languages were passed down through families. But today, although in 90 percent of cases the grandparents still speak the minority language, among the grandchildren the figure is only nine percent,’ Videsott explained. Therefore, the language must be passed on at school. And to that end, all means must be used: ‘The mobile phone is the pencil of the 21st century,’ said Videsott, ‘if the language of the minority cannot be found there, it will perish.’

FUEN should develop 10 clear, common goals and formulate ready-made proposals so that it can be on the scene immediately when a window of opportunity opens somewhere. The protection of minorities must be put into a positive context, away from the caricature of secessionist tendencies and the insinuations of micro-nationalism. ‘Protecting minorities means peace and prosperity for all; minorities are not a danger, but enriched,’ Videsott concluded.

Factbox

The history of FUEN

The history of FUEN was explained by the historian Jørgen Kühl, who belongs to the Danish minority in Germany. FUEN was founded on 20 November 1949 in Paris. The time was characterised by a spirit of optimism after the Second World War. Federalists from France, Belgium and other states, but only a few representatives of minorities, wanted to realise their hope of contributing to peace by founding a federalist organisation of the Western European democracies. A planned second congress in Meran (South Tyrol) was banned by the Italian authorities for fear of separatist activities. Initially, FUEN was dominated by regionalists, but then the interests of national minorities came to the fore. In 1989 FUEN was recognised by the Council of Europe and in the same year – after the fall of the Iron Curtain – it expanded eastwards. In 1995 FUEN was recognised by the United Nations.

Image 1 of 2
One of the discussion panels: (from left) FUEN Honorary President Hans Heinrich Hansen, moderator Petar Tyran (Burgenland-Croat), FUEN President Loránt Vincze and Jens A. Christiansen, Secretary General of the Sydslesvigsk Forening, the association of the Danish minority in Germany.Credit: Hatto Schmidt | All rights reserved
Image 2 of 2
A group in traditional costume presenting the North Frisian community, the host of this year's FUEN Congress.Credit: Hatto Schmidt | All rights reserved
Hatto Schmidt

Hatto Schmidt

Born and raised in Baden-Württemberg (Germany), studied history and political science in Freiburg and Tübingen, then spent 33 years as a journalist for the daily newspaper “Dolomiten” published in Bolzano. For many years he has dealt with questions and problems of national minorities.

Citation

https://doi.org/10.57708/bse_w6r-pq0yxqwehmnbo4g
Schmidt, H. Little optimism for the future. https://doi.org/10.57708/BSE_W6R-PQ0YXQWEHMNBO4G
alt

This blog is supported by the European Association of Daily Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages (MIDAS). MIDAS was founded in 2001 to provide assistance to minority language newspapers and nowadays has members all over Europe. MIDAS serves as a platform for exchange, uniting minority language newspapers to present a collective voice to the European institutions.

Related Post

When the President sang a hit
ScienceBlogs
midas

When the President sang a hit

Hatto SchmidtHatto Schmidt
FUEN: elections 2025 and future plans
ScienceBlogs
midas

FUEN: elections 2025 and future plans

Hatto SchmidtHatto Schmidt
New Signs – Old Scratchworks
ScienceBlogs
midas

New Signs – Old Scratchworks

Hatto SchmidtHatto Schmidt