representatives of civil society, the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other international and regional organizations that use this venue to share experiences and promote good practices with regard to the protection of minority rights, including through promoting implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. This Forum marked the 20th anniversary of this crucial document last year and I would like to remind us all of our reaffirmed pledge to uphold the principles enshrined therein. Key issues relevant to the situation of minorities worldwide have been addressed during previous sessions. Indeed, the Forum has so far focused on the challenges that minorities face in the fields of education, effective political participation and participation in economic life, proposing concrete recommendations to address remaining obstacles. The situation of women belonging to minorities and the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that they may face has also been the subject of the Forum at its fourth session. Building on these, I am pleased that this sixth session will look more specifically at the situation of religious minorities in an attempt at identifying measures to guarantee their rights and security. I am above all pleased that a particular emphasis will be put on promoting interfaith dialogue, consultation and exchange in this endeavour. Ladies and Gentlemen, For this Forum and its recommendations to have an impact where it matters most—on the ground and in the lives of persons belonging to minorities—it is 3