Forum of European Minority Regions held in Chur, Switzerland

The 10th Forum of European Minority Regions was held in Chur, Switzerland, on October 23 and 24, 2026. 

Organized by the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) in cooperation with local organizations Lia Rumantscha and Pro Grigioni Italiano, the event brought together representatives from politics, technology, science and culture to discuss the relationship between minority cultural heritage and emerging digital technologies.

The two-day forum focused on the theme "Minorities and Artificial Intelligence – Risks and Promises", examining the opportunities and challenges the digital age presents for minority and less widely spoken languages.

Opening the forum, FUEN President Olivia Schubert stressed that Europe's strength lies in respecting its linguistic and cultural diversity. She called for an inclusive approach to artificial intelligence grounded in human rights. Schubert noted that both the Council of Europe and the European Parliament are addressing the challenges posed by AI, emphasizing the importance of protecting human rights and ensuring that minority languages remain represented in the digital world.

Digital sovereignty and regional initiatives

Marius Lukosiunas of UNESCO pointed out that, of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken worldwide today, only around 1,000 have an online presence.

Nicoletta Mariolini, the Swiss Federal Delegate for Multilingualism, noted that artificial intelligence tends to prioritize majority languages. She emphasized that simply translating a language is not the same as understanding the community that speaks it.

To secure the digital future of their languages, regional representatives called for greater "digital sovereignty". The concept refers to giving language communities the resources and technological capabilities they need to develop and maintain their languages independently in the digital sphere.

Burgenland Croats actively involved in FUEN

As full and active members of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), representatives of the Burgenland Croat community regularly take part in these gatherings, helping shape discussions and ensuring that their language and specific needs are recognized at the European level.

With artificial intelligence and the survival of minority languages in the digital age at the center of this year's forum, the discussions were particularly relevant to the Burgenland Croat community.

Participants explored ways to prevent digital exclusion and how minority languages can benefit from open-source technologies and tools. These are important challenges for Burgenland Croats as they work to preserve their linguistic identity, particularly among younger generations.

FUEN is actively advocating for initiatives that would encourage the European Union and technology companies to invest in digital tools and open-source AI models for languages such as Burgenland Croatian, helping ensure that they are not left behind in the digital future.