to all Forum participants in advance of the Forum, and formed the basis for the discussion2. Format of the Forum The Forum followed the procedure developed over its previous sessions. To help focus the discussions, ensure they would be highly interactive, and focussed on agreeing concrete recommendations, each agenda item was introduced by several pre-selected presentations, followed by interventions from other participants, based on a sign-up sheet. This year, the panellists were given the opportunity to answer or comment on the participants’ questions and interventions, and to relate these to the recommendations. Outcome documents The present document is prepared in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 19/23, which requests the Chair to prepare “a summary of the discussion of the Forum, to be made available to all participants of the Forum”. This summary is to be complemented by the outcome document containing the recommendations of the Forum that will be presented by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues to the Human Rights Council at its 31st regular session in March 2016. This summary does not provide the full details of all presentations that were made during the Forum’s proceedings. The consolidated list of speakers and, where available, the full text of their presentations can be found on the website of the Forum at the following address: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Minority/Pages/Session8.aspx Item I. Opening meeting The President of the Human Rights Council, H.E. Ambassador Mr Joachim Rücker, welcomed all participants. He recognized the notable achievements realized for the promotion and protection of the rights of minorities during the past two decades, while acknowledging that some challenges remained, including in the field of criminal justice. He noted that discrimination against minorities, though prohibited by law in many countries, continues to occur in practice. He commended the work of the Human Rights Council, and in particular the Special Procedure mandate-holders and the Universal Periodic Review, for addressing minority issues in their work. He welcomed this year’s session of the Forum as a way to identify practical means for ensuring inclusive, harmonious, multi-ethnic and multi-faith societies in which all may live in equality before the law. The Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Flavia Pansieri, welcomed all participants on behalf of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. She acknowledged the evidence of disturbing patterns of violations of the rights of minorities in the criminal justice process and in particular, the issue of institutionalised discrimination against specific groups. She highlighted efforts by the OHCHR to combat 2 See A/HRC/FMI/2015/1 and A/HRC/FMI/2015/2 available on the Forum’s website. 2