Newsletter of the FUEN Non-Kin-State Working Group 01/2025

Dear NKS member organisations, dear friends!

The NKS annual meeting in South Tyrol is fast approaching – so it is high time for a little update from our Working Group! In this edition of our newsletter, we take a look at the upcoming gathering with the Ladins and share the latest news from our member organisations and the world of minorities without a kin-state.

From new technological developments and important decisions for the future to anniversaries and cultural highlights – we would like to offer you an insight into the many topics currently shaping our community.

Let me also briefly introduce myself: my name is Katharina Schaible, and I am currently coordinating the FUEN Non-Kin-State Working Group while Ilona Tomić is on maternity leave. I am very happy to be in touch with you during this time and look forward to the upcoming meetings!

Enjoy reading this first newsletter of the year!

Annual Meeting of the NKS Working Group in South Tyrol

From 29 May to 1 June, our Working Group will meet with the Ladins in St. Vigil in Enneberg/Al Plan de Maréo (Val Badia, South Tyrol, Italy) for its annual meeting. This year’s thematic focus: the visibility of minority languages at major public events. The host organisation is the Union Generela di Ladins dla Dolomites (UGLD), the umbrella organisation of the Dolomite Ladins. In addition to thematic discussions, participants can once again look forward to a varied cultural programme.

Click here to read more about the meeting.

Dawid Statnik confirmed as Chair of the Domowina

During the 23rd General Assembly of the Domowina – the umbrella organisation of Sorbian associations in Upper and Lower Lusatia (Germany) – Dawid Statnik was re-elected as Chair. He will be supported by Marlis Młynkowa/Müller and Dr. Hartmut Leipner as deputies, along with a newly elected federal board consisting of 24 dedicated Sorbs. One of the central goals remains: 100,000 Sorbian speakers by the year 2100.

Online Translation Tool for North Frisian Launched

With the new online translation tool Fering Auersaater, there is now, for the first time, an AI-based translation programme for Föhr North Frisian (Fering). Developed by the Ferring Stiftung, it enables translations between Fering, German and English – an important step forward for this small language community.

Find out more about the tool here.

International Roma Day

On 8 April, together with our Roma member organisations, we celebrated International Roma Day. The day commemorates the first World Roma Congress held in London on 8 April 1971 and highlights both the cultural richness of the Roma and the ongoing challenges they face.

Click here to see FUEN’s Facebook post on this special occasion.

50 Years of the “Radgenossenschaft der Landstrasse”

On 31 March, the NKS member organisation Radgenossenschaft der Landstrasse – the umbrella organisation of the Yenish and Sinti in Switzerland – celebrated its 50th anniversary. Bahne Bahnsen, FUEN Vice President and spokesperson of the NKS Working Group, delivered FUEN’s congratulations in person. Zurich’s Mayor Corine Mauch also honoured the organisation’s work. And we say: congratulations on the anniversary!

Click here to see two photos from the birthday celebration at the documentation centre of the Radgenossenschaft in Zurich.

New Book Release

The “Atlas of Endangered Languages” was recently published by DuMont Buchverlag. Written in German, the book introduces 50 endangered languages from around the world – including North Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Low German, and Romansh.

You can learn more about the book here.

If you have any suggestions, interesting information or news from your organisation, I would be happy to hear from you! I also welcome reading recommendations. You can reach me at katharina.schaible@fuen.org.

Enjoy the springtime – and I look forward to meeting many of you in person at our upcoming NKS annual meeting in South Tyrol.

With warm regards,

Katharina Schaible
Deputy Coordinator (interim) of the FUEN Non-Kin-State Working Group