Human Rights Council Forum on Minority Issues Sixth Session Geneva, 26-27 November 2013 Statement by Dr. Istvan LAKATOS Human Rights Ambassador of Hungary 27 November 2013 Madam President, Hungary is fully committed to the protection of the fundamental human right to freedom of conscience and of religion for all, including religious minorities. The constitution of Hungary provides all religious communities with equal rights to express their religious identities freely both individually and collectively. While state and church are strictly separated, Hungary acknowledges the positive role of religious communities in the areas of social cohesion and integration as well as in education and in social services. Therefore, our government offers several forms of cooperation for various religious organizations in order to serve the common good. In the multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural context of Central Europe, religion has become a part of the heavy burden of historical traumas, including the practice of discrimination and persecution of religious minorities in the past. Religions have also got a strong potential for promoting peace and reconciliation and for facilitating the healing of memories. That is why Hungary is committed to promote all forms of genuine inter-religious dialogue. As a key event of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hungary organized an