A/HRC/12/32 page 8 9. The High Commissioner stated that the Expert Mechanism can make a significant contribution to the advancement of the rights of indigenous peoples by providing the Human Rights Council with well-grounded thematic advice, thus enabling the Council to address promptly situations and issues of concern by factoring in the Expert Mechanism’s advice. She referred to the first thematic study on lessons learned and challenges to achieve the implementation of the right of indigenous peoples to education, and said that the publication of the thematic studies should not be seen as the end of a process. Rather, they should be a launching pad for concrete follow-up activities that her Office stands ready to support. She concluded by saying that the participation of indigenous peoples, regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations is essential and so is constructive dialogue with Governments, whose engagement is a sine qua non for achieving true positive impact at the national level and in intergovernmental processes. 10. The Vice-President of the Human Rights Council was invited to take the floor. He recalled that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was the first human rights texts adopted by the Human Rights Council and should contribute, along with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 169 (1989) concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, to the realization of the human rights of indigenous peoples. He welcomed steps that have been taken by the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to coordinate its work with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, both of which were represented at the session. 11. The Vice-President recalled that the Council was also holding thematic discussions which are relevant to the rights of indigenous peoples; hence, the Expert Mechanism could be called upon to contribute to these discussions. He informed the participants that the Council would consider the study on the right to education and the report of the second session, including proposals the Expert Mechanism may wish to submit to the Council’s consideration, at its twelfth session in September 2009. D. Election of officers 12. The outgoing Chairperson-Rapporteur invited the experts to nominate a Chairperson for its second session. Jose Molintas announced that they had decided, by consensus, to nominate Jannie Lasimbang and Catherine Odimba Kombe as Chairperson-Rapporteur and Vice-Chairperson respectively. Thereafter, the outgoing Chairperson-Rapporteur declared the two experts as elected by acclamation. 13. In her statement, the newly elected Chairperson-Rapporteur, Ms. Lasimbang, thanked the outgoing Chairperson for his leadership and called for his continued guidance. She expressed the view that the Expert Mechanism provides a unique space for focused multilateral discussions that can contribute towards a better understanding of the scope and contents of the rights affirmed to indigenous peoples, and how the implementation of these rights can be advanced. She recalled the preamble to Human Rights Council resolution 6/36, which refers to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and highlighted the role of this instrument as an important framework to guide the work of the Expert Mechanism. In addition,