any other affiliation and identities, were to become a normal state of affairs. They would have expected these goals to be pursued by the authorities at all levels, by individuals and communities, and indeed achieved in all corners of the world. The same goes for possibilities for persons belonging to minorities to freely express, develop and promote their cultures, languages, religions; for possibilities to effectively participate in decision-making, including in the socioeconomic life, to be active and equal members of our societies. All these principles and norms should have been firmly embedded in our societies. Accordingly, access to minority rights should have paved the way for societal integration and cohesion. Sadly, observing the developments around the world, we seem to be very far from those goals. It is so disappointing to listen to so many horrible accounts of violence, abuse, instances of assimilation, discrimination, exclusion..., but let us bear in mind: history teaches us why respect of minority rights as human rights, with persons belonging to minorities having a say, an agency, is needed. It is beneficial – not only for persons belonging to minorities and minorities themselves, but for our diverse societies, for all of us, for individual states and hence also for the world. It is less, not more, minority rights that is a problem. It is not respect of minority rights that has a tendency to lead to open conflicts. On the contrary, it is violations of human and minority rights, and failure to prevent such violations, that can lead to frustration, disintegration, also to conflicts and instability. All this is a combined message of the 15 UN forums on minority issues that have taken place so far – no doubt, the 16th forum will echo this message. Civil society activists, human rights defenders and experts have been conveying that same message to governments over and over again – with the hope that they will not just listen to but also hear and act. That they will stop violence against persons belonging to minorities, discriminatory policies and practices... Once again: all such human rights violations will not lead to stability, societal cohesion and ultimately peace. As a human being, I wonder when will states globally, across the international community, understand that discrimination, exclusion, inequalities ... cause frustration, cause actions, including against governments, that they lead to backlash in which everyone loses? How much more human potential will remain unrealised just because individuals belong to minorities and are thus the unequal 'other'? The 'unwanted or even a threatening other'? When will states understand that human rights, including minority rights, are meant to ensure dignity of every human being. When will they accept that to enable the conditions for effective equality, equity, including in the socio-economic field, is