One conference in two countries with over 200 participants and, at the heart of the discussions, the rights and integration of new and old minorities in border regions in today’s EU.

The second TEIN4citizens conference organised on the 3 October 2019 by the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (Austria) and the Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) started in Klagenfurt with inputs and reflections on the history of the protection of minority rights in Carinthia (Austria) since the 1919 State Treaty of Saint Germain. Representatives of local and regional government, of the Slovene minority and civil society organisations discussed with academics, citizens, and students its implications today, also in comparison with its relevance in the neighbouring border region of South Tirol.

Members of the Slovene minority in Carinthia shared their personal stories also about their work aiming at connecting new and old minorities in Carinthia, especially since the increase of refugees coming to live in Austria.

With a trip across the border to the University of Ljubljana the conference took on a true cross-border character.  The second part of the conference was dedicated to the discussion of integration policies of new minorities in Slovenia and Carinthia.