the challenges and opportunities governing minorities in various spheres of their daily lives, such as education, employment, and healthcare. At the same time, the Forum provides an important opporunity to recognize the integrative role played by those genuienly cohesive and inclusive societies. As President of the Human Rights Council, I would like to take a moment to highlight that the Council has taken significant action to ensure that minority issues remain firmly on the Council’s agenda. For example, in April of this year, the Council once again decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, who is tasked with promoting the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and examining ways to overcome existing obstacles to the full and effective realization of those rights. The Council’s establishment of this Forum in 2007 is another case in point. Every year, this Forum produces valuable guidance to human rights actors at the international, regional, and national levels. The outcomes of the discussions of each Forum are then presented to the Council by the Special Rapporteur through a set of recommendations. To ensure inclusive participation in this Forum, in 2013 the Council established a Special Fund for the Participation of Civil Society in three of its Forums, including the Forum on Minority Issues. The aim of this Special Fund is to facilitate the broadest possible participation of civil society representatives and other relevant stakeholders and to give priority to the participation of local or national level non-governmental organizations active in the relevant fields. Over the next two days, you have the opportunity to actively contribute to the outcomes and recommendations of this Forum and to continue building on the important work that has been carried out by the Forum at its previous sessions. I encourage you all to seize this opportunity to contribute to the promotion and protection of the human rights of minorities around the world. I wish you all fruitful and constructive discussions and a successful Forum on Minority Issues. I Thank you. 2