-2Excellencies, colleagues, friends, It is my pleasure to address this Forum and to kick off this first panel discussion. When approaching the topic of Preventing and Addressing Violence and Atrocity Crimes Targeted against Minorities, what came first to my mind is that we cannot talk about this topic without talking about power. Indeed, minority rights can be seen as a way to ensure checks and balances in the power dynamics of society. I would like to discuss power in two senses: power when misused and abused, and power when used wisely and shared. Because of the conflict prevention mandate of my Institution, I focus on situations when interethnic tensions have the potential to lead to conflict within or between States in the OSCE region. Rarely do conflicts flare up out of nowhere—there may be a spark, but usually they follow years or decades of exclusion, where some groups are gatekeepers to the corridors of power while others are left on the outside. Monopolization of power by one or a few groups leaves societies inherently unstable. Divisions can harden, eroding trust between groups and giving rise to mutual suspicion and the breakdown of dialogue. In such situations, disruptions caused by political upheaval or resource shortages can quickly transform into conflicts between different groups in the absence of healthy governance systems, channels of communication and a culture of respect for diversity. There can be a temptation for those in power, when faced with adversity, to take the easy way out – blaming those who are in a weaker power position. In extreme cases, power over vulnerable groups is wielded in its worst form, with human rights violations and atrocities. With the aim to prevent these situations from occurring, my Institution focuses on addressing long-term structural causes of conflict, working with OSCE participating States, civil society and other actors to help make diverse societies more resilient and responsive to the needs of all communities. This includes providing advice on legislation to make it consistent with minority rights obligations. It includes advice and assistance to States on ensuring that civil servants and law enforcement bodies are representative of the communities they serve and speak their languages. It includes work in the field of education, where ideas about “the other” can first take root if schools and education systems foster separation.