The 4th annual FUEN TAG Meeting was held in Izmir.

Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) Turkish Minority/Community Working Group (TAG)’s 4th annual meeting held on 24-27 October,2017. The meeting was hosted by the Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese islands Turks Culture and Solidarity Association (ROİSDER). The meeting which was held under the leadership of FUEN Vice President Halit Habipoglu was attended by Minority Safe Pack Initiative (MSPI) Campaign Coordinator Laszlo Bodor.

Macedonia Turks and Gagauz Turks attended the meeting for the first time.

Thirteen organizations from nine different countries of Europe participated to the meeting. The Turkish community in Western Thrace, Greece was represented by ABTTF, Friendship Equality and Peace (FEP) Party and Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA); Ahiska Turks were represented by International Society of Meskhetian Turks “VATAN” and the Association of Meskhetian Turks “Vatan"from Azerbaijan, Karachay-Balkar Turks were represented by, Social Organization for Fostering and Development of the Karachay-Balkar Traditions “Bars El”, and representing Crimean Tatars the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar attended the meeting as FUEN members. In addition, the Kosovo Youth Union representing the Turks in Kosovo, the Kardzhali Turkish Culture and Art Association representing the Turks in Bulgaria, the Moscow Qumuq Organization “Qumuqlar” representing the Qumuqs, the Culture and Fine Arts Association “Yeni Yol” representing the Turks in Macedonia and the Ukrainian Gagauz Union representing the Gagauz people in Ukraine also participated in the meeting, which are not members of FUEN yet.

During the culture programme of host organisation ROISDER ,the delegation met with Karsiyaka Mayor of Republic of Turkey.
On Wednesday 25 October, in the framework of cultural and historical tour of host organization ROISDER and with the contributions of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Izmir culture and historical tour was organized.In the afternoon the FUEN TAG delegation visited the Mayor of Karsiyaka Municipality of Republic of Turkey in his office .There FUEN Vice President Halit Habipoglu introduced FUEN and FUEN TAG. Also the representatives of Turkish minorities/communities had possibility to introduce themselves and their problems. At the dinner which organized with contributions of Karsiyaka Municipality of Republic of Turkey and ROISDER association, the delegation came together with municipality executives.

The MSPI Campaign Manager Laszlo Bodor told about the campaign which has the potentiality of changing the fate of minorities in Europe.
During the meeting held on Thursday 26 October, the welcome speech was delivered by FUEN’s Vice President Halit Habip Oğlu. Afterwards, László Bodor, Campaign Coordinator for MSPI, made a presentation on the European Citizens’ Initiative called “Minority SafePack Initiative (MSPI)” launched to form a Europe-wide minority protection mechanism and to strengthen the linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe. Bodor, gave important clues to Greece and Bulgaria, related with campaign strategy and management that should be followed during the campaign.

The host ROISDER expressed the problems of Rhodes and Kos Turks.
The host of meeting in Izmir, President of ROİSDER Prof. Mustafa Kaymakçı made a presentation on the problems such as citizenship, education and learning the Turkish language, religion and prayer, endowments and the cultural heritage of the Ottoman Empire and the problems which faced the Turks living on the islands. Kaymakci, wanted the protection of the Aegean forgotten Turks, Rhodes and Kos Turks.
The attendees shared the developments happened in their own Turkish minorities/communities in the last one year.

Following the meeting, FUEN’s Vice President Halit Habip Oğlu and on behalf of FUEN TAG Secretariat Melek Kırmacı Arık provided information about the works carried out by FUEN TAG in the last one year. Western Thrace Turks, Ahiska Turks, Crimean Tatars, Karachay-Balkar Turks, Qumuqs, and the Turks who live in Kosovo and Bulgaria articulated current problems they have in their countries.

Macedonia Turks and Gagauz Turks who attended the meeting for the first time, introduced the communities and associations’ works.
Having the motto of “Know your sibling” Macedonia Turks and Gagauz Turks attended the meeting for the first time and introduced their communities. The Culture and Fine Arts Association “Yeni Yol” which is the oldest association founded in 1947, the secretary-general of it Seval Nuredin made a presentation on the current state and problems of the Turks living in Macedonia. As second presentation done by Vasiliy Kelioglu President of the Ukrainian Union of the Gagauz people, made a presentation on the history, life and problems of the Gagauz people living in Ukraine.

With the ideas and suggestions of attendees the 2018 roadmap was created.

At the meeting the FUEN TAG 2013-2017 activity report and the FUEN TAG’s brochures were introduced. Besides the discussion of FUEN TAG’s international activities of the year 2017 ,a joint road map was identified through discussing the activities for the year 2018 of FUEN TAG with the participating organizations.

FEP Party