1st Meeting, 15th session of the Forum on Minority…

• Opening performance by minority artists

• Item 1: Opening Meeting

• Statement by the President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Csaba Kőrösi (pre-recorded video)
• Statement by the President of the Human Rights Council, H.E. Mr. Federico Villegas
• Statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk
• Statement by the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities, H.E. Mr. Kairat Abdrakhmanov (pre-recorded video)
• Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Mr. Fernand de Varennes
• Statement by the Chair of the Forum, Mr. Daniel Abwa

• Item 2: Review: Normative frameworks and the main-streaming of the Declaration at the UN

Under this item, the Forum will review the scope of the Declaration, the groups that it covers, and those that it leaves behind, and ways in which the scope of the normative framework can be made more relevant and effective. The Declaration, adopted in 1992, remains the only global instrument for the protection of minority rights. It reinforces and builds on the rights enshrined in the United Nations human rights framework and is centred on protecting and promoting the existence, equality, identity and effective participation of national or ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities in all areas covered by the Declaration. Participants will consider the degree to which the Declaration has enabled progress to be achieved in protecting minority rights globally. In his statement2 to the high-level meeting to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration, on 21 September 2022, the Secretary-General said: "The hard truth is that, 30 years on, the world is falling short. Far short." As the Special Rapporteur on minority issues pointed out in the concept notes prepared for the four regional forums held in 2022, the Declaration must be better understood, acknowledged and implemented. The Forum will aim to identify best practices and developments from international and regional bodies that present useful models for securing a more effective normative framework. Under this item, participants will be encouraged to take a fresh look at mainstreaming the Declaration and the human rights of minorities within the United Nations system. Participants will consider the findings of the Special Rapporteur set out in his report to the General Assembly and share their views on the evolution and positioning of the Declaration in the institutions, structures and initiatives of the United Nations.

•  Mr. Mohammad Shahabuddin, Chair in International Law & Human Rights, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
• Ms. Anna-Mária Bíró, Director of the Tom Lantos Institute
• Mr. Ojot Ojulu, East Africa Regional representative for the Danish Institute for Human Rights
• Mr. Pere Aragonès i Garcia, President of the Government of Catalonia

•  Interactive dialogue