During the official visit to Germany, held from 10 to 21 June 2025, a series of thematic meetings and research activities took place in the cities of Flensburg and Hamburg, within the framework of the scientific research project MINUCON – National Minorities Caught in State Conflicts. The meetings focused on strengthening international cooperation, structuring joint publications, and planning the application for a new international research project.
Below is a summary of the key meetings and activities.
Meeting – Vello Pettai and Peter Thaler
At the meeting with Vello Pettai and Dr. Peter Thaler, the continuation of work on a joint monograph within the MINUCON project was agreed upon. Thematic areas were defined, covering identity, political organization, memory culture, and the status of minority communities. The structuring of chapters was discussed so they reflect parallel themes from the Croatian-Serbian and German-Danish contexts. It was agreed to prepare summaries of existing research, which will be translated and used as a basis for communication with future partners. The meeting was assessed as a key step in the operational consolidation of the international research team within the project.
Meeting – Martin Klatt
At the meeting with Prof. Dr. Martin Klatt, cooperation on a joint scientific chapter within the MINUCON project was confirmed. The discussion focused on a comparative historical analysis of minority communities in Central and South Eastern Europe throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Prof. Klatt assisted in identifying relevant scholarly literature and contributed to the formulation of the research framework. Consultations aimed at integrating scholarly perspectives and building a coherent comparative model. Support was also confirmed for a future project application that would represent an extension of the MINUCON project.
International Partners’ Meeting
A consultative meeting was held with international partners involved in the preparation of an application for a new COST project, envisioned as an extension of the existing MINUCON project. The meeting focused on linking war memory with the development of institutional approaches to minority issues. Key countries identified for the comparative framework include Germany, Denmark, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia. Partners expressed their readiness to continue working on the application and on scientific collaboration within the proposed research initiative.
