Højskolen Østersøen will together with 8 other organisations carry out
Cultures in Dialogue 2005. 180 young Europeans representing Europe\’s
national, cultural and linguistic diversity, minorities and majorities, will
be invited to the event carried out from July 17th to July 30th 2005 in the
Danish-German border region.
Cultures in Dialogue will be an opportunity for participants to experience
Europe, explore its diversity face to face, and get insights into and
influence Europe\’s current agenda. Cultures in Dialogue are also a social
event, which will give participants the opportunity to expand their European
network. Participants must be between 18 and 25 years of age, with good
English language skills, and with a general interest in Europe and minority
issues.
For more information on application procedure (deadline on May 1st 2005),
please visit the website of Cultures in Dialogue at:
http://www.people.hojoster.dk/SEEEMS/3028.asp
Cultures in Dialogue will debate how to give recognition to national
minorities within the EU. Over 38 million or every 11th citizen in the
enlarged EU belongs to a minority. This reality, however, is not reflected
in any EU-policy or EU-programme dealing with minorities. This in spite of
the fact, that respect for the rights of minorities are now included in the
new EU-Constitution as being part of the Union\’s fundamental values.
Minorities experience that they are not recognised by the EU as contributors
to a Europe "united in its diversity". The 180 participants will therefore
negotiate how to make the ideal a reality. Result will be a joint
Resolution, which in follow-up is disseminated to the European public and
decision-makers. The event will thus in itself become a manifestation of a
public actively shaping the democratic processes of Europe.
Cultures in Dialogue also invite participants to produce
information-material (TV, booklet, articles for publication in regional
media in Europe and website) presenting minorities in Europe and their
expectations towards the enlarged EU. Cultures in Dialogue thus aim at
promoting tolerance Europe\’s minority and majority population-groups in
between.
Cultures in Dialogue will as point of departure mark the 50th anniversary in
2005 of the so-called Copenhagen-Bonn Declarations agreed on by the Danish
and German governments in 1955 with the aim of securing the rights of the
minorities in the Danish-German border region. The Declarations have been
important sources for the development of peaceful co-existence in the
region. It is important to include on the EU-agenda the experience that
minorities are a source of cultural richness (and not conflict) for Europe!
For more information on programme, please visit the website of Cultures in
Dialogue at
http://www.people.hojoster.dk/SEEEMS/3028.asp
Cultures in Dialogue are carried out on 3 independent schools in the
Danish-German border region on both sides of the border: At Højskolen
Østersøen (a Danish Folk High School), Jaruplund Højskole (Folk High School
of the Danish minority in Germany) and Deutsche Nachschule Tingleff (free
school of the German minority in Denmark). Although the 180 participants
work on 3 different schools throughout the 2 weeks, their work is closely
co-ordinated with joint meetings, joint conference, joint negotiations and
social events.
Cultures in Dialogue is carried out by an association under the same name
with the following member organisations, beside the 3 above mentioned
schools: Sydslesvigsk Forening (association of the Danish minority in
Germany, the region of South-Schleswig), Sydslesvigs danske
Ungdomsforeninger (youth association of the Danish minority in
South-Schleswig), Bund Deutscher Nordschleswiger (association of the German
minority in Denmark, the region of South Denmark), Deutscher Jugendverband
für Nordshcleswig (youth association of the German minority in South
Denmark), Grænseforeningen (Danish association supporting Danish culture and
language in South-Schleswig), Friisk Foriining (association of the
North-Frisian minority in South-Schleswig).