countries. The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies (Ljubljana Guidelines) are concerned with enhancing the integration and cohesion of diverse, multi-ethnic societies. The Graz Recommendations on Access to Justice and National Minorities focus on the conditions for ensuring equal and effective access to justice for all. Most recently, The Tallinn Guidelines on National Minorities and the Media in the Digital Age update and clarify minority rights in a specific area – freedom of expression and the media – and their relevance to conflict prevention in the digital age. The present Recommendations continue this line of thematic work by the HCNM1 in a very important policy area – the social and economic inclusion and participation of persons belonging to national minorities. This document offers recommendations to participating States in their efforts to introduce robust national legislative initiatives and practices that empower not only representatives of national minorities but also serve to strengthen communities and society as a whole. It is imperative to understand that when national minorities prosper and are able to contribute in a meaningful way to the social and economic life of their country, the entire society stands to gain. In essence, each Recommendation, while individually significant, collectively converges towards the overarching objective of building a society in which national minorities are not mere participants but are active contributors, stakeholders and beneficiaries in the broader social and economic framework. Through these Recommendations, the vision is to work towards a future in which every national minority group can thrive, have influence and be empowered, weaving a tapestry rich in diversity, equity and inclusion. Socio-economic rights are integral to the well-being and development of persons belonging to national minorities and are codified in an array of globally recognized legal instruments. Prominent among these are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, 1966). Moreover, other documents, such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD, 1965) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) contain relevant provisions. Particularly in the European context, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) is a seminal legal instrument, meticulously setting out these rights. The FCNM emphasizes not only the ethos of effective 1 2 “HCNM” in this document refers to the experience of the successive six High Commissioners over the past 30 years and represents the consolidated expertise of the institution. Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life