Novi Sad, 27 June - A two-day conference titled “The Added Value of Minority Communities in Cross-Border Regions”, organised by the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), was opened today at the AP Vojvodina Assembly.
The conference was formally opened by Bálint Juhász, president of the AP Vojvodina Assembly, who emphasised that the AP Vojvodina was a proud host of that event. He said authentic national communities represented a key factor in preservation of the European diversity and regional development. Juhász also added that Vojvodina had been regarded as an ideal host, being the region that is home to 26 national communities, having six languages in the official use, thus representing a good example of multiculturalism and institutional support to minorities.
“Vojvodina is a proof that national communities not only successfully preserve their identity, but also make an active contribution to the society at large, showing that multiculturalism is not a challenge, but an advantage. Today, we proudly present the results of our work and send a clear message: national communities are not seeking privileges, but rather an opportunity to contribute and serve as bridges of cooperation between countries and drivers of regional development”, president Juhász said.
Bálint Pásztor, Member of the National Assembly and president of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians that co-organised this event, highlighted that Serbia and Vojvodina in particular, had a lot to present to Europe, in terms of successful cooperation models between the majority population and national minorities. Among the most significant results, he emphasised the historic reconciliation between the Serbian and Hungarian peoples, achieved through political dialogue.
“We seek to present to Europe a model of building partnerships between the majority and minority populations. The relationship
between Serbia and Hungary is now at a historic high, owing to sustained dialogue and the trust we have cultivated over the years”, Pásztor said, adding that the said relationship was also the product of the cooperation between Vojvodina’s Hungarian community and their kin-state.
Lóránt Vincze, Member of the European Parliament and president of the FUEN, underscored that it was the first time for one of the most significant events of the FUEN to be organised outside the EU territory.
“We wanted to demonstrate that a successful cooperation and preservation of the cultural identity of national communities is possible even beyond the EU borders. Vojvodina is one of the best examples of such practice”, the FUEN president said.
Žarko Mićin, Mayor of Novi Sad, stated that hosting such an important gathering of minority community representatives from across Europe was a great honour not only for the city but for the entire Republic of Serbia. He also underscored that Novi Sad had been a multicultural city with a long-standing tradition of respecting diversity and fostering mutual understanding, noting that national communities played a crucial role as a foundation for the country’s ongoing economic and cultural development.
On behalf of the Serbian Government, the conference participants were addressed by Usame Zukorlić, Minister without portfolio in charge of reconciliation, regional cooperation and social stability. He emphasised the importance of the event and the themes of economic and political contributions of national communities to the welfare of the countries in which they reside, highlighting that they represented a strategically vital resource.
The attending guests and conference participants were also welcomed by Richard Maša, representative of the EU Delegation to Serbia and Željana Zovko, member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Human Rights.
During the conference, Juhász, Pásztor and Vincze convened a meeting in which they expressed satisfaction with the strong participation and the successful launch of the two-day event. They also conveyed their expectations that the conference will produce meaningful results by advancing cooperation, facilitating the exchange of best practices and formulating recommendations for specific actions. They emphasised the importance of minority communities as a valuable resource in building stronger economic ties.
During the two-day conference, participants - representatives of national minorities from across Europe - will discuss Vojvodina as a model of cultural autonomy, minority issues, cross-border cooperation and its economic significance, as well as the role of national minorities in the European Union accession process.