1 16th session on the UN Forum on Minority Issues Opening Statement by Professor Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on minority issues Mesdames co-chairs, Excellencies, Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, Representatives of the civil society, Ladies and gentlemen," It is my privilege, honour and responsibility to address as Special Rapporteur the 16th Forum on minority issues. Let me first acknowledge that if we are here Today, debating and exchanging on the protection and enhancement of the rights of persons belonging to minorities, this is largely thanks to the hard work of my predecessors as Special Rapporteur. First Gay MCDOUGALL, who suggested and obtained the creation of the Forum. Then Rita IZSÁK, and until last Forum, Fernand DE VARENNES, who kept the initial momentum and the Forum as a significant and prominent event on the Human Rights agenda. As a newly appointed Special Rapporteur – I only started my mandate at the beginning of this Month – I yet have much to learn from all the participants. I shall therefore listen very carefully to interventions and exchanges, all the more since the HRC Resolution 6/15 which instituted this Forum on minority issues asks me to “include in my report thematic recommendations of the Forum and recommendations for future thematic subjects, for consideration by the Human Rights Council.” Having been for such a short time the mandate holder, these recommendations may well constitute a substantial part of my first Report to the Human Rights Council. The theme of this year Forum is: Minorities and Cohesive Societies: Equality, Social Inclusion, and Socio-economic Participation This deserves a few considerations I wish to share with you.