A/HRC/20/6 55. Speaking on behalf of a group of States, a delegate stated that, although the Declaration had been adopted 20 years earlier, its provisions were not fully implemented. According to the delegate, civil society, non-governmental organizations and representatives of minorities had a vital role to play in promoting the Declaration and the rights of persons belonging to minorities. In this regard, they should take an active role in advocating for their rights. First, however, they need to better organize themselves to successfully partner with various decision-makers to express their needs and take the steps necessary for the full realization of their rights. 56. Another delegate recalled that the Declaration, the main international reference document for minority rights, granted persons belonging to minorities the rights to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, as well as the right to participate effectively in decisions that affect them. These rights could only be guaranteed by the full and effective implementation of the provisions of the Declaration. In addition to granting rights to persons belonging to minorities, the Declaration also provided all States with guidance and inspiration regarding measures to improve the protection of their rights. 57. A representative of the BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights took the floor to stress the importance of the implementation of the Declaration with regard to the violation of the rights of minorities. The speaker from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People raised specific concerns pertaining to the participation of minorities in electoral processes. V. Conclusions 58. The panel discussion offered an excellent platform for experts to discuss the approaches that, in their view, worked to advance minority protection and for States to outline the approaches adopted to advance the principles contained in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. 59. The discussion revealed that a number of States had taken new measures to combat the exclusion of minorities and to promote their identity, the full enforcement of which could be instrumental in tackling contemporary problems obstructing the protection of the rights of minorities. 60. The discussion also demonstrated that respect for the principles of the Declaration, adopted 20 years earlier against a backdrop of major transitions, including in the former Soviet Union and in Central and Eastern Europe – remained crucial in the transition processes today witnessed in many societies. 61. The discussion participants also pointed out once again that access to quality education plays a vital role in combatting discrimination and in building the capacity of minorities to participate in the political, social and economic life of the countries in which they live. The role of the core principles of equality and non-discrimination was highlighted as a prerequisite to securing minority rights. In this and other areas, the panel discussion offered an important opportunity to collect good practices that could be replicated to strengthen the implementation of the Declaration in all regions of the world. 13