Dear Colleague, We have the pleasure to invite you to participate in the fourth INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE Inclusion and Integration in Diverse Societies: Open Inclusive Dialogue as the Precondition for successful Inclusion and Integration of Minorities and Migrants that will be held at the City Hotel in Ljubljana, Slovenia (Dalmatinova 15) on Friday and Saturday, January 26-27, 2018. (For your information: Because of logistical reasons we need to postpone the conference dates from traditional November in the previous years to the January 2018.) This, already traditional annual conference aims to gather a group of engaged scholars, social scientists and activists from South-Eastern and Central Europe as well as their neighborhood, who can contribute to the elaboration and development as well as implementation of discourses, theories, strategies, policies and (good) practices of diversity, inclusion, integration and diversity management in diverse societies in the region. The organizers, the Institute for Ethnic Studies and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), Zagreb Office are inviting participants particularly from (listed in alphabetical order) Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Kosovo, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. Although the focus will be on South-Eastern and Central Europe it will address also broader contexts and frameworks. Consequently, we expect that discussions, findings, conclusions and recommendations will be useful for other environments and regions, Europe as a whole and globally. We invite all participants to prepare one or more statements of maximally ten minutes on key topics that they would like to address and elaborate that should stimulate the discussion and, particularly, exchange of ideas, knowledge and experiences of participants. Participants can opt to send their statements to organizers at least a week before the beginning of the conference, so that they can be sent to all participants to stimulate their thoughts on addressed topics beforehand, or to present them at the conference. Bellow (attached), please, find the provisional Conference program, report on the last year s conference, brief concept paper on suggested topics and format as well as basic information on technical details. FES will cover travel expenses and accommodation for the duration of the conference for invited participants. Participants are asked to make their travel arrangements through FES. Please be aware that refunding of airplane tickets is not possible.
We would ask you to confirm your participation as soon as possible but no later than January 5, 2018, to Ms. Sofija Zver (sofija.zver@guest.arnes.si). We look forward to reading from you and to seeing you at the conference in Ljubljana, Sincerely, Dr. Max Brändle Director, FES, Zagreb Office Prof. Dr. Sonja Novak Lukanovič Director, Institute for Ethnic Studies Prof. Dr. Mitja Žagar, For the Organizing Committee Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung; Praška 8, HR 10.000 Zagreb; +385 1 4807970; fax +385 1 4807978 Institute for Ethnic Studies, Erjavčeva 26, SI 1.000 Ljubljana; + 386 1 2001872; fax +386 1 2510964
ORGANIZATIONAL, TECHNICAL AND LOGISTICAL INFORMATION ON THE FOURTH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE: Inclusion and integration in diverse societies: Open Inclusive Dialogue as the Precondition for successful Inclusion and Integration of Minorities and Migrants City Hotel, Ljubljana, Slovenia, January 26-27, 2018 Organized by the INSTITUTE FOR ETHNIC STUDIES (IES) and FRIEDRICH- EBERT-STIFTUNG (FES) Brief concept paper on the key topics and conference format: This conference will gather 25-40 scholars, social scientists and activists from South Eastern and Central Europe. Based upon their knowledge, experiences and assessment(s) of the situation, activities, programs and policies in their respective countries, they will discuss issues relevant for diversity, inclusion, integration and diversity management in diverse societies. They will focus particularly on inclusion and integration of minorities and migrants, including asylum seekers and refugees in the region as well as broader in Europe. Their analysis of the situations and current practices, programs, policies and strategies as well as their comments, conclusions and recommendations will serve as the basis for the development of the key elements and framework of effective national, regional and global strategies and policies of diversity management. Each participant is asked to contribute at least one short, possibly provocative introductory statement (up to 10 minutes) aimed to stimulate discussions on suggested topics, while everyone might prepare up to three statements on relevant topics that are coordinated with the organizers. These statements, if submitted in written form can be distributed to all participants beforehand if the authors wish so. We hope for an open, unrestricted, informal and inclusive discussion that shall result in the elaboration of the current situation and trends of development. The goal is to elaborate conclusions and recommendations for the development of effective strategies and policies of diversity management. For every, session a chair and rapporteur will be assigned. The chair will moderate the discussion. At the end of the session the chair, with the assistance of the rapporteur will summarize the discussion. Rapporteurs will report on the key contents, comments, conclusions and recommendations presented in the discussion within individual sessions at the final session. Participants: Invited scholars, social scientists and activists, including Trade Union and NGO activists from South Eastern and Central Europe, more precisely from Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. Duration/dates: 1.5 days International Regional Conference (in the format of informal brainstorming scholarly conference) to be held in City Hotel in Ljubljana, Slovenia on Friday and Saturday, January 26-27, 2018.
Location/Venue: City Hotel Ljubljana (Dalmatinova 15, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia) Organizers: The conference is organized by the Institute for Ethnic Studies in cooperation with Friedrich- Ebert- Stiftung (FES).
CONFERENCE PROGRAM (TIME-TABLE): Friday, 26 January 2018 ---- Arrival of participants 12:00 14:00 Registration 12:00 13:30 Lunch 14:00 14:15 The Conference Opening 14:15 16:00 The first session 16:00 16:30 Break 16:30 18:30 The second session 19:00 Dinner Debate (with invited guest speakers) Saturday, 27 January 2018 09:30 11:00 The third session 11:00 11:15 Break 11:15 13:00 The fourth session 13:00 14:00 Lunch 14:15 15:00 The closing session The format of the sessions: The structure of the sessions will be informal in order to facilitate an inclusive, open, unrestricted discussion and to stimulate the involvement of all participants. However, in order to enable discussion of as many relevant topics as possible the chairs will enforce the rules regarding the length of interventions. Each statement of maximally ten minutes shall be followed by immediate discussion. Each discussant will have up to three minutes for the reaction/comment and two minutes for additional responses and clarifications. The remaining time at the end of each session will be used for the general discussion and elaboration of ideas. Speaking time will be strictly controlled by the chairs. For every session, a chair and rapporteur will be assigned. The chair will moderate the discussion. At the end of the session the chair, with the assistance of the rapporteur will summarize the discussion. Rapporteurs will report on the key contents, comments, conclusions and recommendations presented in the discussion within individual sessions at the final session. The working language of the conference will be English.