A/HRC/37/66 humanitarian crises, rising populism and hate speech, discrimination and rising ethnonationalism. It also underscored an increasing trend whereby some minorities continued to be targeted as scapegoats for political, economic and social problems. Under those circumstances, the protection of the rights of minorities was often perceived as a threat to national unity and/or security. Minorities face discrimination, abuse and violence that can lead to extreme forms of identity-based violence, including genocide. The event stressed that upholding the human rights of minorities was key to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, social stability and cohesion. Specific reference was made to statelessness and the denial of citizenship rights to members of minorities, particularly in the context of conflict and migration, and the need to address the root causes and conditions that were contributing factors to statelessness. The event also stressed the need for States to take all appropriate measures to ensure the effective participation of minorities in all aspects of life and to develop inclusive frameworks and spaces for civil society organizations working for and with minorities. The participants in the commemorative event highlighted the need for minority issues to be included in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to track the progress made by member States in that area so as to make sure that the central pledge, “leaving no one behind”, was fulfilled. 26. On 25 October 2017, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues addressed the General Assembly for the first time in that capacity. He reflected on the vulnerability and marginalization of many minority groups around the world and presented his overall vision and priorities for the mandate for the next three years, noting in particular the critical and, at times, overlooked dimension that the rights of minorities are the human rights of some of the world’s most vulnerable. A number of additional aspects were also explored, namely, the need to clarify the scope and meaning of the term “minority”, the urgency for States to effectively renew their commitment to the Declaration on the Rights of Minorities in the light of its twenty-fifth anniversary, and ways in which economic benefits can accrue from the protection of the rights of minorities. He stressed that those areas could advance thinking and deepen understanding that could help to overcome the difficulties and uncertainties that challenged the effective protection of the human rights of minorities. 27. On 3 November 2017, the Special Rapporteur participated as a guest speaker in a round table on ancestral languages, identity and revitalization during the international conference, “Lost and Found in Transcultural and Interlinguistic Translation” at Université de Moncton, Canada. He gave an overview of the rights of minorities emanating from human rights treaties and the application of international law in areas such as culture and language of indigenous peoples in countries where they constitute a minority. 28. On 1 December 2017, the Special Rapporteur met with the 2017 Minority Fellows in Geneva. Among the issues discussed was the possibility of establishing a minority fellows “alumni” group which would enable the mandate to have access to the knowledge and experience of former minority fellows through their various activities. 29. On 4 December 2017, the Special Rapporteur contributed to the final drafting of the Human Rights and Election Standards Plan of Action, a joint initiative on human rights and election standards of OHCHR and the Carter Centre in Atlanta, United States of America. The aim of the initiative is to reflect on the elements of a human rights-based approach to elections and to advance strategies for collaboration between human rights experts and electoral practitioners at the national, regional and international levels. The Special Rapporteur’s contribution related to areas in which issues could affect the effective participation of minorities in electoral processes. 30. On 9 December 2017, the Special Rapporteur attended a conference organized by the Latvian Human Rights Committee, in Riga, Latvia, to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Minorities. He gave a presentation on the mandate and possible ways forward for the protection and promotion of the rights of minorities. 7