Associazione Made in Trieste
Thank you, Madame Chair. This year’s topic of building trust and social cohesion is very
important to us. As an independent researcher, at last year’s Forum, I was kindly given the
opportunity to run a side-event on this topic. That side-event confirmed how difficult it is for
many minorities to access to UN support, particularly in relation to communication. Many
experience challenges in receiving responses or feedback on specific concerns, and in
understanding UN procedures and follow-up processes from the outside. Guidance can
appear unclear, especially when communities lack trusted expertise to help them navigate
the system. High costs, limited IT access, and language barriers only deepen the frustration.
These obstacles create feelings of abandonment and a perceived lack of interest from the
international community, which over time, weaken trust in the UN and, in some cases, lead
to tensions, even when the initial aim was entirely peaceful, or simply to verify whether their
concerns were valid. Last year, I presented the case of the Free Territory of Trieste as an
example of a minority, which has struggled for decades to engage meaningfully with the UN
system. The Free Territory is recognized by UN Security Council Resolution 16 and under the
1947 peace treaty with Italy, which remains in force to this day. These instruments also
establish the UN’s responsibility to guarantee the independence and integrity of the territory
currently occupied based on the findings of recent academic research. We have seen recent
attention to other situations, like Security Council Resolution 2803, and we respectfully
encourage the UN to ensure that older Security Council resolutions, including the one
concerning Trieste, receive consistent consideration. This is essential for credibility and for
ensuring equal treatment of all communities. In conclusion, it cannot be denied that
mistakes have been made in the past, but today there is the opportunity to correct them and
to prevent them from recurring. This especially applies to Trieste. It would not only be legally
appropriate, but also essential for rebuilding trust, strengthening social cohesion [cut off by
Chair].