To register your interest in attending, volunteering, performing or hosting a workshop at the Black Europeans summit 2025, please fill out this expression of interest form by Thursday 17 April.

Introduction

The motto of the European Union (EU) is “united in diversity.” However, the reality within the EU is quite different. The diversity of our society is not represented within the EU institutions and among the European Commission staff, as acknowledged by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Despite the adoption of various legal instruments and the implementation of the first EU anti-racism action plan for 2020-2025, levels of racial and ethnic discrimination in the EU remain high. We are not united in diversity.

The principle of "you REAP what you sow" resonates deeply when we reflect on the history of the European Union (EU) as a symbol of peace and solidarity. While the EU promotes unity in diversity, it is important to acknowledge the historical backdrop of colonialism, during which European nations were responsible for significant oppression. Consequently, we have reservations about the celebration of Europe Day, feeling that there are more aspects that divide us than unite us.

The European Union has recognized its historical role and responsibility in the context of the slave trade and colonialism and acknowledged that the diversity of our society is not represented within its institutions. However, there remain challenges in fully embracing diversity within its framework. Nevertheless, we remain optimistic. We are committed to collaborating with our European counterparts to cultivate a foundation for unity in diversity that respects and includes European minority ethnic citizens. While we acknowledge that the EU as an institution does not fully embody unity in diversity, the exemplary work of our EU officials in the UK inspires us. We stand unwaveringly behind their efforts, filled with hope. Our collaboration with the EU Delegation, the EU Parliament Liaison Office and Member States demonstrates that meaningful systemic change is achievable.

This ‘Europe Day’ week, join us in London for our first EU Minorities Summit 2025 (MS2025) to connect and organise our community. The Summit will build on the success of the European Minority Ethnic Citizens (EUROMEC) Monitoring Network framework, which facilitates dialogue between EU citizens, The EU Delegation and Member States and helps to dismantle the racialised barriers within the EU institutions.

Objectives of MS2025

Bringing together black and minority ethnic grassroots organisers and community leaders from across the EU and UK, we invite attendees to connect, share thriving community-led anti-racist practices and ways of organising, and work together to achieve the goals of the Summit, which are to:

1. Develop a joint Lived Experience (LEx) [1] Racial Equity Action Plan to address systemic racial hierarchies in the EU. This plan will be submitted to the office of the EU Commission, the EU Representations and the EU Delegations.

1. Establish Black Europeans chapters across the EU and third countries, led by EU citizens with lived experience of racism.

2. Promote Black Europeans’ Minorities REACT (Race Equity Action) framework, our action plan to develop systems and concrete steps for change in collaboration with the EU and Member States.

With the diplomatic connections Black Europeans has been building since 2024, the LEx Racial Equity Action Plan will be taken directly to EU policymakers to ensure it has real influence in shaping systemic change and serves as a tool for advocacy at national and EU levels.

What to Expect at MS2025

• Targeted workshops on successful community-led anti-racist strategies, adaptable for broader implementation. Each workshop will aim to identify one specific challenge and develop concrete proposals to include in the Lived Experience Racial Equity Action Plan

• Community-led entertainment between workshops.

• Stalls showcasing the work of attending groups.

• Delicious food and refreshments throughout the day.

Join Black Europeans and be part of a movement that already has a seat at the table.

Background: Why this Summit Matters

Formation of Black Europeans

As EU citizens of colour, we continue to encounter systemic discrimination and barriers in accessing the EU Settlement Scheme post-Brexit. The Home Office has persistently regarded EU citizens of colour as second-class Europeans. This situation is exacerbated by EU embassies routinely treating people of colour with suspicion and questioning the nationality that many of us have held for decades, if not since birth, reminiscent of the treatment of the Windrush generation in the UK. We have also faced numerous obstacles within the charity sector, which is gridlocked in its hesitance to meaningfully engage in initiatives related to black Europeans and Europeans of colour.

Despite the considerable number of individuals from racialised communities facing difficulties, representation of these communities in EU Settlement Scheme negotiations and across other topics that affect us is virtually non-existent.

Black Europeans, led by and for black Europeans and Europeans of colour, was established to:

1. Raise awareness of the mistreatment inflicted on us by the Home Office and

2. Advocate for greater representation of European citizens of colour in the Third Sector, as well as in dialogues with the EU, the Independent Monitoring Authority, the UK government and relevant stakeholders

3. Connect and Unite European Ethnic Minority Citizens together, particularly in third countries, in the face of adversity to root out systemic barriers within the EU

In the wake of the UK’s exit from the EU, we collaborated with the EU Delegation in the UK to create the European Minority Ethnic Citizens (EUROMEC) Monitoring Network. This pioneering platform serves to address the challenges encountered by EU citizens under the withdrawal agreement, ensuring we can maintain our residency and live with dignity. The collaboration has garnered strong support from the Delegation and Member States.

Black Europeans today and next steps: replicating successful accountability mechanisms across the EU

On 27 March 2025, Black Europeans National Coordinators from Italy, France, Portugal, Spain and the UK convened a meeting in London to launch the Minorities Building Grounds project. This initiative moves beyond the experiences of EU citizens in the UK and aims to monitor racial inequality and pinpoint areas within EU institutions where minority ethnic citizens may be underserved more widely. Our approach involves working alongside member states, the EU Delegations in third countries, the EU representations throughout Europe, and allies advocating for European minority ethnic citizens. Together, we aim to:

1. Replicate the model of the EUROMEC Monitoring Network, fostering a safe environment to dismantle barriers that sustain segregation within the EU and to break the cycle of homegrown hate in Europe.
2. Connect and Unite all European Minority Ethnic citizens and their family members who face adversity due to their nationality, race, or religion, irrespective of their place of residence, provided they hold the nationality of one of the 27 countries, to join the Minorities Movement and collaborate with us and their officials in their respective countries.

The Minorities Summit 2025 will be a keystone moment in the Building Ground Project and our wider efforts to build the Foundation for System Change within the EU. Having established our seat at the table and secured the buy-in of the EU Delegation in the UK, we invite you to join our network and propose solutions.

Get Involved!

To participate in MS2025, applicants must:

• Be an individual who holds an EU passport/nationality or a family member of an EEA citizen, or be part of an EU/EEA citizens-led organization, group, or collective.

• Be from a Minority Ethnic background.

Host a Workshop

We invite minority ethnic organisers and groups to help shape Minorities Summit 2025 by submitting workshop proposals. The aim is to inform our racial equity strategy and develop scalable solutions for the UK and EU. We are intending to run four parallel workshops in two slots (morning and afternoon), with two workshop spots reserved for visiting EU nationals and the other two for UK-based EU citizens from Minority Ethnic Backgrounds.

We particularly welcome workshop proposals with an intersectional lens; i.e. those that explore how EU policies or practices impact multiple social identities (e.g. race, gender, class, sexuality, ability etc.).

Please fill out the expression of interest form and submit a proposal that includes:

• A systemic issue affecting you or your community due to EU policies or practices

• Workshop leaders' details, including name, bio, and relevant experience

• Proposed format, methodology and resource requirements.

• Interpretation needs

Session details:

• 90-minute duration.

• 20-30 participants per session.

• Parallel sessions throughout the day.

Funding: Black Europeans may be able to offer travel and accommodation for workshop facilitators from outside the UK, and travel costs only for local workshop leads. Please let us know in the expression of interest form if you need support to attend the conference.

Please submit your proposal for consideration by Thursday 17 April 2025. Successful applicants will be informed by Friday 18 April.

Black Europeans will work with the workshop organisers to seek seed funding to set up BE and EUROMEC Monitoring Network and support the national coordinator, if desired.

Attend, Perform, or Volunteer

Interested in attending, performing, or volunteering? Fill out the the expression of interest form:

If you have any questions or need help filling out the form, please don't hesitate to contact Aya at aya-uk@blackeuropeans.org for support.

We look forward to hearing from you and building grounds for racial equity in the EU.