600 years of North Frisian freedoms: FUEN Working Group NKS underlines the importance of small peoples and languages in Europe

A special anniversary was marked in Boldixum on the North Frisian island of Föhr on 17 June: 600 years of North Frisian freedoms. At the centre of the commemoration was the so-called Siebenhardenbeliebung of 17 June 1426, in which key North Frisian customary rights were first recorded in writing.

To mark the anniversary, a ceremony was held, bringing together many high-ranking guests. Among them was Johannes Callsen, Commissioner for Minorities of the Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein. Callsen described the Siebenhardenbeliebung as a “political milestone and symbol of freedom”. He added: “600 years of North Frisian freedom do not only remind us of the past. They also remind us that cultural diversity, regional identity and democratic participation must be nurtured and protected again and again”.

FUEN Vice-President Bahne Bahnsen, spokesperson of the FUEN Working Group Non-Kin-State, attended the ceremony on behalf of FUEN. In his speech, he underlined the importance of this day for the North Frisians and for other small peoples in Europe. At the same time, he made clear how important small cultures and languages are for the diversity of our continent.

The North Frisian community is one of Europe’s autochthonous national minorities and communities without its own kin-state. For this very reason, its commitment to language, culture and political participation is an important example of the work of the FUEN Working Group Non-Kin-State.

The FUEN Working Group NKS warmly congratulates the Frisian community on this special anniversary and thanks the Nordfriisk Instituut and the Frasche Rädj / Friesenrat Sektion Nord for their work around this anniversary year.