It is now confirmed: from 2 to 5 July 2026, our Working Group will hold its 10th Annual Meeting, this time in Ljouwert/Leeuwarden in the province of Fryslân/Friesland (Netherlands). The conference will be hosted by the FUEN member organisation De Fryske Beweging, which is committed to promoting the West Frisian language and culture.

This year’s meeting will focus on the topic “Digital visibility of minority languages”. Discussions will address how languages can become more present in the digital space, for example through digital resources, media, or educational initiatives.

Please save the date, invitations will follow shortly!

In view of the upcoming NKS Annual Meeting, it is also worth taking a look at current developments on site: in the province of Fryslân/Friesland, traffic signs are to become bilingual. In addition to Dutch, Frisian will also become visible in public space.

However, the concrete design sparked debate: Frisian will appear below Dutch on the signs. The FUEN member organisation De Fryske Beweging had advocated for the opposite order (as shown in the image on the left).

Despite this decision, it remains an important step: Frisian will become significantly more visible in everyday life in the province of Fryslân/Friesland.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo have come to an end. Several competitions took place in the Ladin settlement area, yet the Ladin language and culture remained largely absent from the official presentation of the Games.

FUEN had already addressed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in advance, raising concerns about the lack of visibility and proposing concrete measures. The IOC’s response referred to responsibilities and legal frameworks, without outlining any concrete steps.

For those making last-minute plans: this Saturday (21 March), the Representation of the Free State of Saxony to the Federal Government in Berlin (Brüderstraße 11/12) will host a Sorbian Easter Market from 10:00 to 16:00. The event offers insights into Sorbian traditions, including lectures, Easter egg decoration workshops, music, as well as market stalls with regional products.

Registration for visiting the Easter market is not required. However, participation in the Easter egg workshops requires separate registration for one of the time slots. Places are limited. The workshops are suitable for children (from 6 years) and adults.

The Aromanian community in Romania is once again organising its music and dance festival “Spring of the Aromanians”. A first event already took place on 15 March in Bucharest, and another event will follow on 5 April in Constanța.

The festival brings together numerous artists and dance groups and provides insights into the musical and cultural traditions of the Aromanian community.

The event is organised by the youth department of the Aromanian community (CTArm) and is being held for the 18th (Bucharest) and 19th (Constanța) time.

The Sorbian Cultural Tourism Association developed an exhibition on Sorbian traditional costume regions last year. It comprises 22 large-format image panels and is currently being shown in Lusatia. A brochure with background information on the costume regions has also been produced.

The exhibition can also be borrowed by other organisations and offers opportunities for cooperation within the NKS network.

With the performance “Kanoet” (Birds), the Frisian theatre maker Theo Smedes shows how content in minority languages can be brought to the stage. The performance is part of the international theatre festival MITEM (Madách International Theatre Meeting), which takes place in April and May in Budapest and brings together productions in minority languages, such as Frisian, Catalan or Tatar.

The play “Kanoet” will be performed on 29 April in Frisian with Hungarian and English subtitles. At its centre are the world of wading birds, their connections across regions and the interaction of different ecosystems – as well as the question of how to find one’s own path.