Dear Participants, The thematic focus of the First Forum on Minority Issues is on education, which is of highest importance. Education is a key issue and a definitive point in the life of minorities. Nowadays, being a member of a minority group is still rather a disadvantage. The only way to fight against this situation is to provide the access to education. However, education per se is not enough. States should implement the core principles of human rights such as the principle of equality and non-discrimination. We must promote quality educational services for minorities and ensure equal access of minority students to schools. To ensure minority-language educational systems, training of teachers from minority communities is of great importance. Access to education should be guaranteed to everyone, regardless of his or her national or ethnic origin, religion or mother tongue. My personal experience in this matter shows that due to the fact that I did not have the possibility to use my mother tongue in school makes it difficult for me to express myself fluently in the Romani language. Minority-language education could have a key role in passing minority languages from generation to generation. The importance to learn at least partly in the mother tongue is inevitable for the preservation of the language, and even for the preservation of minority identity and culture. Without adequate minority-language education, minority pupils – as we have seen it many times – could easily have to face identity problems without a real possibility to find a solution further on. I admit that knowing the official language of the given country, the language of the majority is not only an obligation, but also a tool for being able to achieve professional goals in that country, still, promoting minority-language education is indispensable for the above-mentioned reasons. And last, but not least, as the Chair of the Forum, I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact, that as human rights start at national level, it would be advisable to legally recognize the existence of minorities in all countries. According to the provisions of the Hungarian Constitution, minorities living in Hungary are recognized as constituent components of the state, and Act on the Rights of National and Ethnic Minorities lists all the thirteen Hungarian minorities. Distinguished delegates of the Forum, honourable colleagues, dear friends! Today and tomorrow our task will be to find the best solutions, best recommendations and best practices with a special regard to the diversity of the different minorities. I wish that our work be carried out in a good and cooperative atmosphere, trying to find common grounds in the interest of advancing the cause of minorities. Thank you for your attention.