For the first Council Meeting of the new working year 2017/18, EDS was warmly welcomed by RMKDM in Cluj Napoca, Romania. The event took place from 27 September to 1 October 2017. The topic was “Students for Minority Rights”.

Key people from Romania spoke to participants on the various minority groups which are present in Romania. The event was opened by The Executive President of RMDSZ, Porcsalmi Bálint, opened the event. He spoke about the importance of communication with our communities and how student organisations play an important role in organising events. Former MP Moldován Jozsef addressed the participants on his experience in Parliament.

On Friday, delegates had the chance to hear from MEP Winkler Gyula who spoke about cultural identity and how minority issues are perceived in the European Parliament and in the Commission on Minority Issues. He shared his own view on diversity and said that diversity must be defined in a positive way because it represents richness, different languages and cultural backgrounds and exchanges. In the same session, a keynote speech was delivered by Vincze Loránt, President of FUEN (Federal Union of European Nationalities) and presented the Minority Safe Pack Initiative. The participants were also invited to sign the European Citizen’s Initiative on the topic.

On Friday as well, the participants discussed the Conference Resolution and split into each of the Working Groups to discuss and develop the motions to be presented at the Council Meeting. For this working year a new ad-hoc Working Group called “European Elections 2019” has also been created.

On Saturday, the first Council Meeting of the Working Year was held at Bánffy Castle, an architectural monument situated in Bonţida, a village in the vicinity of Cluj-Napoca.

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