Related Projects

COMIR - Consortium of Minority Resources

Over the last several years a number of organizations (NGOs, INGOs as well as IGOs) have been engaged in the development of online resources to facilitate the exchange of information, to support minority initiatives and to advocate minority rights in the region. These organizations have adopted various strategies to collect and disseminate information. These strategies often result in overlapping efforts and parallel projects. Thus is seen the necessity of cooperation and coordination between various organizations engaged in the development of online resources, networking and dissemination of information on the issues of minority rights, multicultural politics and ethnic relations in Central and Eastern Europe, and in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

COMIR is an Internet-based cooperative project that aims at promoting the free flow of information and dialogue in the field of ethnic relations, multicultural politics and minority rights. COMIR aims to establish a clearinghouse of information and activities relevant to Europe (OSCE region) to support democratic governance of multiethnic and multinational societies. To this end, COMIR develops and promotes virtual libraries, mailing lists, a database of full text documents, training materials, etc. Major initiatives include a Virtual Library, coordinated mailing lists, a meta-search engine across founders' web sites, a Minority Rights Practitioners Resource Pack, a best practice database, curriculum development and advocacy training.

COMIR partner sites:

Center of Documentation and Information on Minorities in Europe - Southeast Europe	Minority Rights Group MRG	LGI MMCP Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative
European Centre for Minority Issues	European Roma Rights Center	Forum Institute for Social Studies
Balkan Academic News	Human Rights Watch	International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
Constitutional & Legal Policy Institute	Minority Electronic Resources	World Organisation Against Torture

Over 40 million people in the European Union speak a native language other than the official language(s) of the country in which they live. In order to promote theses minority languages, a sufficient supply of media materials - including printed matter in the respective language - is of particular importance.

The aim of the Association of Minority Daily Newspapers (MIDAS), in which the newspaper editors of more than ten linguistic communities in Europe are represented, is to provide a forum for the editors of daily newspapers in minority and regional languages in Europe to meet and develop a network for issues concerning minority dailies. The main themes of interest are advertising, common commercial initiatives and the training of staff.

The Association is the voice which represents the collective interests of the minority dailies in minority and regional languages within European institutions.

MIDAS forms a basis for mutual support between members and related media organisations, particularly minority print and electronic media, which ensures the future promotion and publication of minority dailies, encourages sharing of minority media experiences and continuous maintenance of high standards of quality. The Association provides a platform for minority newspapers and issues to ensure recognition not only within international institutions but also other organisations within the EU.

The main objectives of MIDAS include:

• Fostering of co-operation between members
• Support of minorities who do not currently have newspapers
• Research issues concerning minority media
• Distribution of information relating to European minority newspapers

The secretariat of the association is located at Eurac in Bolzano.