“The heritage of Europe’s nations is the basis from which they can continue building their diverse identities, and joint future within Europe”

It is interesting that the centennial of the establishment of the Free State of Rijeka coincides with that of the birth of Maurits Coppieters, a Flemish politician who has dedicated his whole, rich life to social justice, pacifism and building a Europe of the peoples, and whose name our Foundation has adopted. A teacher by training and a youth leader at heart, for most of his life Coppieters was active in Flemish national politics and was deeply involved in the social and cultural life of the Flemish community in Belgium. One thing that our Member organisation, the Free State of Rijeka Association, and Maurits Coppieters have in common is their firm belief in multiculturalism and their commitment to cultural and linguistic diversity.

This commitment to multiculturalism and diversity is at the core of the values and identity of our Foundation. As a research centre based in Brussels, we develop new ideas and produce knowledge on a wide range of topics related to European affairs. Those include the management of cultural and linguistic diversity, self-determination, minority rights and the protection of human rights in Europe. We believe in a more inclusive and diverse Europe, in which all voices, experiences and cultures should find their place. This means more diverse representation in media, in our governments, more diversity in the languages we use in public spaces, and acknowledging the diversity in Europeans’ cultures and religions.

We are honoured to have the Free State of Rijeka Association among our Members since 2012, and to be supporting their work since then. Today, the Coppieters Foundation collaborates with 17 different Members from across Europe, from the Basque Country to Transylvania, and including Brittany, Macedonia and Wales. Our Members are associations and foundations whose topics of expertise are varied. This is the diversity that truly comes to enrich the work we do as the Coppieters Foundation.

Events such as the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Free State of Rijeka are important, as they allow us to look back on history, celebrate, and remember. In this case, to remember the emergence, lifespan and disappearance of this State, and celebrate its legacy.

Historical studies are one of the pillars of the Coppieters Foundation’s work. Together with our partners we promote research on the history of all nations in Europe, we gather and manage information and historical knowledge on regionalist movements, and with this work, we are able to greatly enrich our contribution to debates on European public policy. Most importantly, we strive to make the results of this work accessible to the general public, including through archiving efforts.

The heritage of Europe’s nations is the basis from which they can continue building their diverse identities, and joint future within Europe. It is these elements learnt and experienced in the past that help Europeans from across the continent understand where they are and how their nations, and Europe, have come together.

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The Coppieters Foundation is financially supported by the European Parliament. The European Parliament is not liable for the content of the conferences, events or opinion pieces published on our website.

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