The drive for forward thinking and new ideas, experiences and proposals to address gaps and challenges, will be reinforced by this year’s theme of the Forum. According to UNHCR, three quarters of the world’s stateless populations belong to minorities. The Forum shall analyse practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives in addressing statelessness as a human rights issue, in line with the principles and rights enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and other relevant international instruments. The Forum will do so by, inter alia, exploring the interconnections between prevention of statelessness through the promotion and protection of the human rights of persons belonging to minorities. The Forum will also address the main challenges and possible solutions of statelessness resulting from conflicts, forced migration affecting minorities, the challenges of ensuring the right to a nationality, as well as the vulnerable situation of minority women and children who become stateless. The Forum invites us to constructively engage in the discussions that will take place in this room. The interactive, inclusive and universal character of this Forum is the foundation of its strength and importance. A potential that can be fully realized with the relentless commitment of all those actively engaged in the promotion and protection of the rights of minorities. I would like to conclude by reiterating the Human Rights Council’s deep appreciation for the tireless work of civil society organizations and human rights defenders around the world, often at risk of their own lives and their families. Additionally, I would like to reconfirm the Council’s commitment to protect all those individuals who cooperate with the United Nations and its mechanisms against any act of intimidation, harassment or reprisal. Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish you all a fruitful dialogue over the next two days and invite you to constructively share ideas and experiences with the view to effectively contributing to the formulation of concrete recommendations which will lead to the implementation of tangible legislative and policy initiatives. Thank you. 2