Does the EU project promote the participation of cultural groups such the Romany or Jewish communities? What is the role of the Armenian community in the debate on European citizenship? Do transnational collectives identify with European citizenship? In what way can these communities contribute to integration in Europe?

The debate on European citizenship is one of the axioms of the European Constitution and of prior treaties that aim to encourage citizens to become involved in the process of integration. In this regard and only a few days from the referendum on the European Constitution to be held in Spain, from 27-29 January the European Parliament Office in Barcelona (Passeig de Gràcia, 90) will host the conference “Diasporas in Europe and European Citizenship”. This event has been organized by the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation (IYMF) and its associated groups, which include the Research Centre on Citizenship and Civil Society (CISC), a group that belongs to the Universitat de Barcelona (UB, University of Barcelona) and is located at the Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB, Barcelona Science Park).

The conference seeks to examine the principle of European citizenship and the rights of European citizens through the analysis of current policies adopted by EU institutions on the integration of the ethnic, religious and cultural communities scattered through several states, the so-called diaspora. Furthermore, the conference aims to promote a more active participation of these communities in the European project and to also produce, among other documents, a “Barcelona Declaration”, which will be presented to the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament.

The conference will be opened by the rector of the UB, Joan Tugores, and will bring together representatives from the academia, members of the diasporas, policy-makers and opinion groups that are involved in the decision-making process of the EU. Among the participants are: Michel Bruneau, a CNRS researcher from the University of Bordeaux III; Georges Prevelakis, professor at the Paris Institute for Political Studies of the University of Paris I; Alain Brun, head of the Directorate General unit for Justice and Home Affairs of the European Commission; Enrique Barón, president of the IYMF and member of the European parliament, and Juan de Dios Ramírez-Heredia, president of the Barcelona Romany Union, to mention a few.

For more information and refistration please contact cisc@pcb.ub.es or finances@menuhin-foundation.com