Today’s South Tyrol is characterised by a strong autonomy. This was not always the case. As late as the 20th century, the cultural identity of the German- and Ladin-speaking minorities in the very north of Italy was threatened. Attacks by separatists who wanted to return to Austria and the sharp reaction of the central state almost caused the conflict to escalate. Many years of diplomatic negotiations between Bozen/Bolzano, Rome and Vienna, supported by the UN, led to the pacification of the conflict. Today, a sophisticated system of self-government protects the minorities and includes all language groups. Autonomy has turned South Tyrol into a peaceful and prosperous region in the heart of Europe, visited and studied by minority representatives around the world.

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