What is the forum?
FUEN’s annual “Forum of the Minority Regions” brings together European minority regions and is a venue for cooperation. These networks would enhance the political weight of the individual regions and speaking with one voice would strengthen their position when influencing the policies of the European Union. The Forum is also the setting for exchanging and discussing differences in the defence and promotion of minority rights. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to learn from both best and worst practices.
What is FUEN?
The Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) is the main advocate and the largest umbrella organisation of Europe’s autochthonous national minorities, nationalities and language groups. Under its umbrella it unites more than 100 member organisations from 35 European countries, with new members joining every year.
Forums of the Regions
Introduction
Regional and minority languages are spoken by roughly 40 million people in Europe. In many regions they are spoken by a majority. The regions where linguistic or ethnic autochthonous minorities live cement European Unity.
2016
The first forum in 2016 determined the guidelines and objectives, it set the goals of the forum such as networking of regional decision makers and cooperation with stakeholders.
2017
The second Forum in 2017 took place during the Committee Week of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and provided many expressions of support for the FUEN by the members of the CoR and thus the optimal environment for the Forum of Minority Regions.
Press releases
- Deeply Rooted in the Regions: minorities are active partners in regional development- Deeply Rooted in the Regions – FUEN conference starts on Thursday in Brussels
2018
Under the title "Shaping our regions" the third forum in 2018 built on regional cooperation and discussed the role of the state in supporting disadvantaged regions. An important topic was the role of the regional authorities in the development and economic growth of the regions, as well as the promotion of regional and minority languages using the example of best practices.
Press releases
- Shaping our Regions: FUEN gathered the minority and minority-friendly regions in South Tyrol- 3rd Forum of European Minority Regions will take place in South Tyrol between 13-14 December 2018
2019
Migration and labor migration are more topical issues than ever before. What does this demographic challenge mean at the regional level and how can emigration and migration be counteracted? Labour migration can be an advantage if those who have emigrated return to their home region with new skills. How economic migrants and thus the knowledge and experience they gain during their stay abroad can be regained in order to counteract the lack of skilled workers was the topic of discussion at the fourth Forum of Minority Regions in 2019 under the title "The Demographic Challenge".
Videos
Press releases
- Brain drain and the movement of workforce were the topics of the Forum of the Regions in Potsdam- Stopping the brain drain – Turning drawbacks into assets
Summary
The European Forum of Minority Regions has developed within four years with the commitment and work of the FUEN from a spontaneous meeting to one of the most important annual conferences in Europe and a brand for stakeholders in the field of minority rights and multilingualism and will continue to promote the development of European minority regions.
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