A/HRC/20/6 participation in economic, social, cultural and religious life, in line with article 2 of the Declaration. 31. In reply, Mr. Castellino submitted that minorities were often excluded as a consequence of the project to build strong and viable national identities. In that project, any deviation from a centrally adopted position was viewed with suspicion and as a threat. Nonetheless, it was the diversity of societies that was often the most economically viable asset. To embrace the fruits of this diversity, all that had to be done, at a fundamental level, was to broaden the collective vision and become more inclusive in how the nation and the State were perceived. 32. Real progress within society came at the domestic level, and real protection of minorities could only come when there were robust legislative, administrative and judicial mechanisms to tackle political exclusion at that level. The right to effective political participation was one of the most fundamental rights after the protection of existence, as it offered the opportunity for the voices of all to be heard. 33. At the international level, there were good examples of minority participation. The speed and effectiveness with which issues concerning indigenous peoples had come to the fore had taught important lessons. The Declaration had breathed fire into the indigenous peoples’ movement. Mr. Castellino stressed that similar support for the Forum on Minority Issues and consideration for the adoption of a binding international standard would be equally appreciated and would most likely succeed in mainstreaming minority issues in human rights practice. 34. Despite the above-mentioned developments at the international level, victims and potential victims of human rights violations remained far removed from such power structures as the Human Rights Council. In the current era of globalization, appropriate models of political participation that were available to all had to be sought far and wide. Failure to do so would entail the risk of passing on a legacy of the denial of rights to all and defeat the human rights agenda cherished by all, and in whose service a great many of the most inspirational leaders, intellectuals and advocates of current generations had sacrificed their lives. 35. There were real ideas in the manner in which States had sought to tackle minority exclusion, even if their implementation was still a work in progress. Some States had taken such measures as establishing universities and schools in regions where national minorities lived in order to create access to education; others practiced a policy of reserving places for persons from minority communities in access to high-quality education. This system of reservation also extended to legislative bodies at the national and regional levels, including multi-seat constituencies to bolster minority presence at the national level. Such measures had often been less than popular among majorities; however, by keeping these issues on the national agenda, States had accepted the challenge to work ceaselessly to build inclusive societies for all. 36. The few above-mentioned examples of good legislative design were imperfect and difficult to replicate. Equally, there were no readily available solutions that could be taken off the shelf and copied. The Declaration provided no more than a skeleton for effective minority political participation. Flesh could be put on that skeleton only when the need to substantiate human rights through lessons learned emerging from society were accepted. In order to make the promise of human rights a reality for all, including minorities, the place to start was by ensuring that all were fully represented in the human rights project, to build viable sustainable societies that will stand the test of time. 9