2013 FUEN Congress witnessed Western Thrace Turkish Minority undersign a historical accomplishment

ABTTF President has been elected FUEN Vice-President
Our Minority’s Party, Friendship, Equality, Peace (FEP) Party has become FUEN Member

Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) Congress 2013 has taken place in South Tyrol, Italy, on 19-23 June. At the Congress hosted by South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP), the Western Thrace Turkish Minority has been represented by ABTTF, Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) and Friendship, Equality, Peace (FEP) Party. ABTTF partici-pated at the congress with an 8-person delegation including ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu, Vice-Presidents Cengiz Ismail and Engin Ismail, General Secretary Gökhan Kocaveli, ABTTF Man-agement Board members Mustafa Kasap and Dr. Sebahattin Abdurrahman as well as ABTTF Management Board former member Sebaytin Mümin. FEP Party participated at the congress a long with a 4-person delegation of FEP Party President Mustafa Ali Çavuş, Advisor to the President Ay-dın Ahmet and FEP Party representatives Leyla Salihoğlu and Şerif Osman. The editor of daily Gündem, Cemil Kabza attended the Congress on behalf of WTMUGA. Ms. Pervin Hayrulah, Gen-eral Director of Western Thrace Minority Culture and Education Foundation (PEKEM) has followed the congress alive in South Tyrol.

The day of arrival, 19 June, at Brixen in South Tyrol, “Minority Market” offered a warm welcome to the congress participants. FUEN Member minority representatives introduced culinary specialities of their cultures at the Minority Market, which is organised each year on the occasion of FUEN Congress. The tastes of diverse cultures presented at the event brought Europe’s minority’s together and provided room for closer friendships.

On the second day of the Congress, 20 June, FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen made the of-ficial opening of the Congress. Following the official opening, keynote speeches on autonomy models in Europe has been delivered by Luis Durnwalder, Prime Minister of South Tyrol and Mar-tha Stocker, FUEN Vice-President and Member of the executive of the region Trentino /South Tyrol. The second session hosted a discussion on models of cultural autonomy with contributions of Carinthian Slovenes, Germans in Poland, Welsh and Lusatian Sorbs.

“1 Million Signatures for Diversity” Campaign official took off!

On Friday, 21 June, FUEN led European Citizens’ Initiative with partnership of South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP), Democratic Alliance of Hungarians of Romania (RDMSZ) and Youth of European Nationalities (YEN) has been presented. At the FUEN Congress Declaration Member of the European Parliament Herbert Dorfmann and Member of the European Parliament and Tradi-tional Minorities, National Communities and Languages Intergroup Co-Chair Csaba Tabajdi have taken floor to address minority representatives.
The ceremonial inauguration of the 1 Million Signatures Campaign has officially been announced as “Minority SafePack” at the Cathedral Square in Brixen. With participation of the three members of the seven members of Citizens’ Committee to lead and operate the campaign, FUEN President Hans-Heinrich Hansen, RMDSZ President Hunor Kelemen and Prime Minister of South Tyrol Luis Durnwalder have sent campaign balloons to sky along with the slogan “You are not alone!”

FEP Party became FUEN Member

At the Assembly of Delegates on 22 June, the political representative of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority, FEP Party has been voted and approved as FUEN member. Along with FEP Party, two other members have joined FUEN, too: Party of the Hungarians in Slovakia (Magyar Közösség Pártja) and National Breton Party in France (Strollad Breizh).

Together with FEP Party’s membership, Western Thrace Turkish Minority will be represented by WTMUGA and ABTTF at FUEN.

ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu has been elected to FUEN Presidium

The elections at the assembly of delegates brought out new composition of FUEN Presidium. ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu has been elected as FUEN Vice-President for a term of three years. The FUEN Presidium members are composed of President Hans-Heinrich Hansen, German North-Schleswig’s Union), Vice-President Martha Stocker (SVP), Vice-President Bernhard Ziesch (Domowina), Vice-President Lorant Vincze (RMDSZ), Vice-President Olga Martens (IVDK), Vice-President Dieter Küssner (SFF) and Vice-President Halit Habipoğlu (ABTTF).

The Assembly of Delegates discussed hate motivated attacks to and violations of fundamen-tal rights of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority

The Assembly of Delegates was submitted a draft resolution on Greece violation of internationally recognised rights and freedoms of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority by ABTTF and WTMUGA. The resolution, voted on the same day, has been adopted.

Secondly, the joint resolution submitted by ABTTF and WTMUGA regarding the rise of extreme right in Greece, in particular Golden Dawn, has informed the delegates on increasing number of hate motivated attacks towards minority members and called for common action to fight against hate crimes. Equally, this resolution of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority has been welcomed and adopted by delegates following the voting at the assembly.