15th Annual Summer School on National Minorities and Border Regions
The 15th Annual Summer School “National Minorities and Border Regions”, titled “Contested Loyalties: Kin-State Influence and Minority Rights in Europe,” took place from 24 to 31 August 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia. The event was co-organised by the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) and the Coppieters Foundation, in cooperation with the School of Governance, Law and Society of Tallinn University.
The 2025 edition brought together a diverse group of 19 early-career scholars, researchers, and practitioners from across Europe to examine the complex interplay between kin-state policies, minority rights, and international relations. The programme’s primary goal was to provide participants with a space for critical reflection, exchange, and collaboration on how kin-state engagement shapes the political, cultural, and social realities of national minorities.
Exploring Kin-State Policies and Their Impacts
Throughout the week, participants explored how kin-state policies—the measures and initiatives states direct toward communities sharing their ethnic or linguistic identity beyond their borders—can serve as both bridges and fault lines in European minority politics.
Discussions highlighted that such policies may promote cultural cooperation and mutual understanding, as seen in Denmark’s support for the Danish minority in Germany, but may also risk political instrumentalization, as illustrated by Hungary’s engagement with Hungarian minorities abroad or Russia’s manipulation of minority protection narratives in Ukraine.
By analyzing these dynamics through the lenses of trust, inclusion, and minority rights, the Summer School underscored the importance of designing policies that foster coexistence and respect in increasingly diverse European societies.
Lecturers and Speakers
The academic and practical depth of the Summer School was enhanced by contributions from prominent experts, including:
- Francesco Palermo (Institute for Comparative Federalism, Eurac Research)
- Natalie Sabanadze (Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs)
- Stefan Wolff (University of Birmingham)
- Riina Kionka (EU Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan)
- Karolina Lendák-Kabók (Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary)
- Elżbieta Kuzborska-Pacha (OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Office)
- Elisabeth Alber (Eurac Research)
- Ewelina Dobrowolska (former Minister of Justice of Lithuania)
and several other esteemed scholars and practitioners.
Building Networks and Inspiring Future Collaboration
Beyond the academic sessions, the Summer School created a vibrant environment for networking and idea exchange, connecting participants across countries, disciplines, and professional backgrounds. The experience encouraged continued dialogue and collaboration on issues of minority protection, autonomy, and regional cooperation in Europe.
Most of the participants already expressed their willingness to continue their cooperation with the ECMI, be it an internship, visiting fellowship opportunities, or joint project proposals.
The 15th Annual Summer School “National Minorities and Border Regions” is a joint initiative of the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) and the Coppieters Foundation, organised in cooperation with the School of Governance, Law and Society of Tallinn University. This event is financially supported by the European Parliament. The European Parliament is not liable for the content of the event or the opinions expressed by speakers.
