Research on Ethnic Groups
International Ethnic Group Information Exchange
International Cooperation
Conferences, Congresses
Social Partnership
Dialogue between Language Groups
Bozner Begegnungen/Bolzano Incontri (Bolzano Encounters)
Publication Series and Other Publications
Library and Archives

Research on Ethnic Groups

Since the great changes in Europe, the matter of ethnic minorities has become a human rights and security matter of the first degree, and the need for catching up is enormous.  For that reason, since 1990 the Institute has expanded its 30 years of research in South Tyrol to a Europe-wide scale.  In the intervening period, some results have already become part of the common scholarly literature.  In this way, the Institute has gained international recognition.

International Ethnic Group Information Exchange

Compared with many other areas inhabited by ethnic minorities, South Tyrol has something of a head start with experience.  The benefits of this may be reaped on a Europe-wide scale.  The Institute thus endeavors to impart the potential of the South Tyrolean experience to similar cases of conflict in Europe.  This takes place especially through the creation of specific programs for information-gathering visits to South Tyrol by representatives of minorities, by politicians, and/or by holders of high office from minority regions.  In recent years, the Institute has received delegations primarily from Central and Eastern Europe. 

However, the Institute’s specialized knowledge has already attracted interest from outside Europe, such as from foreign policy experts in the US Congress in Washington, government authorities from South Africa in Pretoria and Cape Town, the Kurdish parliament-in-exile in Brussels, and the Tibetan government-in-exile of the Dalai Lama in India.

International Cooperation

The Institute is strongly engaged in cooperating with international organizations to develop and provide guidance for a European system of minority protection. In this regard, the Institute has made a constructive contribution to the discussion with, among others, the Bolzano Draft Convention (1992 and 1994). Above all, the Institute cooperates with the relevant institutions of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. 

Conferences, Congresses

Attendance or delivering papers at conferences, congresses, and seminars on the subject of the protection of minorities in South Tyrol and Europe, and the organization from time to time of such events in South Tyrol.

Social Partnership

In order to foster social relations in South Tyrol, the Institute offers the leading associations of business, labor, agriculture, and environmental protection the impartial forum of a mediator, as well as partnership-based conflict resolution (the Social Partnership Commission).

Dialogue between Language Groups

Interethnic relations in South Tyrol are subject to a constant dynamic.  For that reason, the Institute offers a forum for dialogue on a case by case basis, in order to make possible an exchange of thoughts and ideas which is accepted and appreciated by the leading representatives of all three linguistic groups in South Tyrol above and beyond the confines of party and special interest affiliations.

Bozner Begegnungen/Bolzano Incontri (Bolzano Encounters)

This workgroup, charged with handling the image of South Tyrol, organizes media information events in order to directly provide impressions of the reality in South Tyrol.

Publication Series and Other Publications

The Institute issues its own publication series in which 75 volumes on the scholarly, social, or cultural problems of South Tyrol have appeared to date.  In addition, the Institute regularly publishes the results of its own research projects. These publications of international relevance come out in several languages as books or as articles in anthologies and periodicals.

Library and Archives

A collection of information and publications relevant to the field.  The Institute has a richly equipped collection of international documents on the protection of minorities at its disposal.