New Realities, Old Challenges: Safeguarding Minorities in 21st Century Slovenia

On 28 May 2026, the Institute for Ethnic Studies hosted the first Minority Stakeholders Forum in Ljubljana as part of the EU-funded MINCOOP project. The Forum brought together representatives of minority communities, policy makers, civil society actors, and researchers to discuss contemporary challenges relating to minority recognition, minority rights, and minority membership in Slovenia.

The Forum aimed to create a platform for dialogue among stakeholders with different experiences and perspectives, enhance cooperation and networking, generate knowledge, and identify minority community needs that may inform future policy discussions. The event was designed as an exploratory and non adversarial exercise. Its purpose was not to achieve consensus, but rather to understand different viewpoints and identify areas of convergence and divergence.

This document summarizes the main findings emerging from the discussions and presents a set of stakeholder-informed policy recommendations. It does not necessarily reflect the views of all participants and should be regarded as a contribution to ongoing discussions on minority protection in Slovenia.