Events 2023
Here you can find an overview of our events this year. Contact us if you want to know more.
We stand together for Ukraine! (12.07. - 15.07.)
After a long period of preparation, the time had finally come on the 12th of July. We welcomed a total of 20 participants from Ukraine to our Academy Centre in Sankelmark. It was a very colourful group of people of very different ages. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, we all understood each other very well straight away, which was also due to our three great translators.
After the first lunch, the programme started with a presentation of the recognised national minorities in Germany. The very fact that our translators had to think about how best to translate the term "minorities" made it clear that the participants learned a lot of new things. Many other exciting lectures followed, some of which were even held in Ukrainian.
It was particularly exciting to be able to exchange ideas directly with members of the minorities. A very nice ending to the meeting was when the representatives of the Sinti and Roma spontaneously sang the Ukrainian national anthem together with the participants. The singing continued later in the evening when the Ukrainian singer David Kadymian visited us and presented his stunning voice in a small concert.
Another highlight was the excursion to Hallig Hooge on the next day. We got lucky, as it was the only day during the entire seminar with reasonably good weather. On site, the participants were enthusiastic about the unique nature and way of life on the Hallig and were able to learn a lot about the frisian culture.
A simultaneously sad and beautiful moment happened when we paused in the local church for a short devotion for the people who died and suffered in the war in Ukraine. Finally, exhausted but happy, we made our way home. Many participants told us that they had learned a lot about minorities and enjoyed the experience very much. After a last lunch together, we said goodbye to each other with gratitude and satisfaction.
Study Visit - Participation in the 16th International Conference in Golubić, Croatia
From 24th to 27th August 2023, the 16th international conference took place in Golubić. For 16 years, minority members and scholars have been meeting here to accompany the reconciliation process between Croatia and Serbia.
The village of Golubić looks back on a turbulent history. Members of the Serbian minority lived there until they were displaced. Today, Croatians and Serbs live in the village again. Due to its history, Darko Gavrilović, the conference’s organiser and leader, chose the small village as meeting point for discussions and thoughts on the reconciliation process.
This year, members of the MKN were invited to present the German-Danish borderland as a good practice model, to exchange ideas and to talk about how a violent past can become a peaceful future. The MKN was represented by the Danish minority in Germany, the German minority in Denmark, the local Sinti and Roma association and the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI).
A return visit of Croatian and Serbian minority members to the German-Danish borderland is planned for the end of the year.
We express many thanks for the hospitality and the interest shown in our presentations! The conference and the personal exchange of experiences were perceived very positively and we are looking forward to lasting contacts.
Fair Play between Denmark and Germany? Minority Exchange on Identity and Sports (29.09. - 03.10.)
From 29 September to 3 October 2023, the event "Fair Play between Denmark and Germany? Minority Exchange on Identity and Sports" took place at Knivsberg on the occasion of the upcoming European Football Championship for national minorities "Europeada", which will take place in the German-Danish borderland in 2024.
The participants arrived at Knivsberg on the first day, where Caroline Honervogt gave them a warm welcome. They had their first dinner together, followed by an informal get-together, which kicked off the intensive dialogue.
The following days were dedicated to national minorities and the border region. After an introduction by Caroline on the minorities in the German-Danish border region, various facets were highlighted - from fistball and cross-border youth projects to the Europeada 2024 and the activities of FUEN. The day was rounded off with an informal get-together, which provided space for in-depth discussions.
On the third day, the participants were given an insight into the work of the North Frisians and the Danish minority. Visits to the football club SV Frisia 03 in Risum-Lindholm and the Nordfriisk Instituut in Bredstedt (in Frisian: Bräist) provided a direct insight into the life and identity of the minorities. The day ended with a joint dinner and an informal exchange at Knivsberg.
The exploration continued on the fourth day, when the event focussed on the German Sinti and Roma and the Danish minority in South Schleswig. There were on-site exchanges as well as an excursion to Flensburg. A city tour focussing on minorities and German-Danish history in Flensburg and an exchange with FUEN provided space for cultural exchange and deeper insights.
The final day began with a reflection on the impressions and discussions on identity and sport in the German-Danish border region. The presentation of the results and feedback rounded off the event before the participants made their way home after lunch.
The event proved to be a significant contribution to minority exchange and stimulated inspiring discussions on identity and sport. Many thanks to all participants for their active involvement - see you next time at Knivsberg!
This event was funded by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community.
Discussing Minority Identity, Language and Religion (20.11. - 24.11.)
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of minority churches in Europe, we welcomed a group - mainly consisting of a delegation from the Church of the Swedish-speaking Finns, the diocese of Borgå - to the North Sea Academy in Leck from 20 November to 24 November.
The group got on well with each other right from the start, even with the various participants who were not part of the Finnish delegation. On the second day after our arrival, we had an exciting, theoretical introduction to the German-Danish-Frisian border region and its history with four different presentations. These included something on the general significance of minorities, a report on minority identity in conflict situations and a presentation on language policy for minority languages. Two representatives of the Sinti and Roma were also guests to talk about the minority, specific experiences and coming to terms with the past.
The third day was also particularly interesting for the group, with the first excursions. This took us to the west coast, where we were able to visit the pastor of the German minority, Matthias Alpen, and his congregation in Lügumkloster. The participants were particularly interested in the strong cooperation between the Danish national church and the German minority church and the strong anchoring of the church in the overall structure of the minority. This was then discussed over coffee in the parish hall.
During the subsequent visit to the Danish minority in Bredstedt, the participants had a completely new experience: the tradition of "school churches" or "cupboard churches" was presented to them. Here, a cupboard is opened in a classroom, which houses the church altar and often wall paintings. This custom dates back to the time when minority churches had to be hidden. In the Bredstedt school, the children then sang together, a unifying moment for everyone.
Later, at the Nordfriisk Instituut, Dr Claas Riecken gave us a short lecture on the North Frisian minority, followed by a visit to the "Nordfriisk Futuur" exhibition.
On the penultimate day, the group travelled to the island of Sylt. Here we visited the church of the Danish minority and were given an insight by Pastor Jon Hardon Hansen, who belongs to both the Danish and the North Frisian minority - and also offers some services in Frisian. The participants were also given insights and language samples in Sölring, the Frisian language of Sylt. And they sang together!
After a short break, the participants discussed the connection and link between the topics of minority identity, language and religion - and related this to their own lives and everyday life. Finally, we returned to the mainland.
We used the last day for a joint conclusion and reflection. The participants worked through the experiences of the last few days and discussed outstanding issues. Thank you for taking part!
This event was funded by the Ministry of General Education and Vocational Training, Science, Research and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein.
Study visit - Minority and Politics (09.12. - 13.12.)
From 9 to 13 December 2023, an event dedicated to the topic of "Minorities and Politics" took place at the Sankelmark Academy. After the participants arrived at Sankelmark, a warm welcome by Caroline Honervogt was followed by dinner together. The day ended with an informal get-together.
The next day began with breakfast, followed by an introduction to the border region by Caroline Honervogt. Prof Dr Martin Klatt from the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) in Flensburg shed light on minority policy in Germany and Denmark. After a guided tour of Flensburg and a visit to the ECMI, the day ended with dinner and free time in Flensburg.
On the following day, a presentation on the Danish minority in regional politics was given by Martin Lorenzen, general secretary of the SSW (South Schleswig Voters Association) - the party of the Danish & Frisian minority. This was followed by a coffee break and a presentation on minorities and politics at national level by the personal advisor of Stefan Seidler, Member of the Bundestag from the SSW. After lunch, the participants had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Danish and Frisian minorities. The day ended with tea, coffee and cake as well as a further exchange with members of parliament from the governing parties in the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament and the state government's commissioner for minorities, Johannes Callsen (CDU).
Tuesday's programme included a visit to the German minority in Denmark. The participants travelled to Sonderburg, where they visited the German Museum and received a lecture from Stephan Kleinschmidt, Vice Mayor and member of the German minority, in Sonderburg Town Hall. After that, Dr Karin Haug (SSW) and Ruth Candussi (SP) hold a keynote speech on women in minority politics, followed by a visit to the German school in Sønderborg. Then the group returned to Sankelmark, where the day ended with dinner and an informal get-together.
On Wednesday, the day began with breakfast, followed by an evaluation and concluding remarks by Caroline Honervogt. The participants then travelled home.
This event was funded by the Ministry of General Education and Vocational Training, Science, Research and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein.
Cluster meeting 2023
Four different working group meetings, so-called cluster meetings, took place at the beginning of the year. The aim was to exchange ideas with the associations of the various minorities in the border region on the topics of identity, culture, historical reappraisal and education. With diverse inputs and subsequent discussion, four new sample programmes were developed that can be used for visitor groups who want to get to know the borderland. You can find the results in the menu below:
