On November 25-26, the 7th Forum on Minority Issues took place to
promote dialogue and cooperation. The goal was to identify, share, and analyze
the good practices, opportunities, challenges, and initiatives to better
implement the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or
Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities.
In the introductory speech it was
reminded that people are not born with a sense of categorization,
children do not have the idea of friend/enemy; external elements, such as society
or competition, introduced this notion. For this reason there is a strong need
of educating and learning to appreciate the beauty of the diversities between
people.
Among many topics addressed, two main causes for reflection were the
following; “a life should have more value than another one? Why?” (Bacre Ndiaye, Former Director of the Division of Human Rights Council and Division at
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and former United Nations
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions); and
the second is in Nelson Mandela’s
words (quote by Patrick Thornberry, Chair of the Forum on Minority Issues):
“education is the most powerful army
that can be used to change the world!”
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