these challenges together. Indeed the resolution creating this Forum envisages that it will contribute to efforts to improve such cooperation on activities related to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities, including at the regional level. I am delighted therefore to see this expectation born out in practice through the substantive engagement with this Forum of representatives of UN Treaty Bodies and Specialized Agencies, which realize the value of this Forum also to their own work and their consideration of minority issues. This is also expected to ensure that the Forum’s work reaches far and wide –beyond this chamber and the Human Rights Council, and that it becomes an effective tool and resource in the hands of States, advocates for minority rights and minority communities themselves. As many of you may already be aware the Human Rights Council is undertaking a review of its mandate and functions until June 2011. In this review, we have to be objective in assessing where we have succeeded and where we can and must make improvement. There are a number of areas and specific issues that we must address. I believe that the excellent work of this Forum demonstrates what can be achieved in important human rights fields such as minority issues. In that spirit, I wish you a successful and rewarding meeting. 4