are themselves minorities and who bring their deep understanding of the issues at hand to this event. I also want to congratulate and welcome Prof. Dr. Gita Sen as she takes up her appointment as the Chair of this year’s Forum. Non-discrimination, justice and equality for all are core universal human rights principles upon which the Human Rights Council and the entire work of the United Nations rests. Within the framework of international human rights standards and mechanisms to promote and protect such principles, minority issues have been an important concern of the United Nations since its establishment. They remain so today within the work of the Human Rights Council and its various mechanisms and bodies. I am therefore delighted to see that this essential Forum for discussion of minority issues has, under the inspired guidance of the Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms. Gay McDougall, grown and established itself as a key international platform to confront some of the most pressing minority issues globally. Since its establishment in Resolution 6/15 of the Human Rights Council in 2007, this Forum has truly fulfilled its mandate to provide a platform for dialogue on minority issues, as is witnessed by the presence of you all here today and the spirit of constructive cooperation which has been a feature of this Forum’s work. Within this Forum, minorities and States can voice their concerns freely, discuss their challenges together and work collectively towards shaping sustainable solutions to minority issues. A key objective of the Forum is promoting implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, adopted in 1992. 2