by conflict and displacement adding yet other dimensions of vulnerability to the lives of minority girls and women. Yet let me say that despite the challenges facing minority women in all regions, I have frequently encountered women who are an inspiration to all and are working tirelessly for their rights, the rights of their communities, and for equality and non-discrimination in wider society. Some of those women are here, at this forum, to share their experiences and to allow us to learn from their examples. We must fully consider the many challenges facing minority women but we must also celebrate the endeavour of minority women. Their resilience, their innovation, and their achievements and the minority women who have become successful role models in the footsteps of others may follow. This forum provides participants with just such as an opportunity to highlight positive initiatives and good practices for the protection and promotion of the rights of minority girls and women. This Forum offers a unique venue for the representatives of governments, NGOs, expert bodies and minority communities come together to share their views and experiences. I believe that this forum offers many opportunities for all participants. If you represent the government, I encourage you to share any policies and activities that have proved effective for minority women and equally to learn from existing good practices of others that have been successful elsewhere and could be introduced in you country. This might include initiatives to gather data and learn more about the situation of minority women. They maybe initiatives such as a new text book on minorities for schools, the organisation of a public hearing on ensuring women and minority participation in decision-making processes or the establishment of the financial incentives to support enterprises on and led by minority women. If you are a representative of an NGO I encourage you to use this opportunity for a dialogue with your national governments and other experts. To share problems that minority women experience, but also to tell the Forum about the good practices you have experienced. I encourage you to establish networks and do not forget that you have an important role to play in shaping your countries and regions’ strategies and policies. Minority experts and representatives of minority communities at the Forum should use this unique platform to make their voices heard and express their concerns and wishes about how to make their status and situation better. You also have the draft recommendations and this is your chance to influence and shape them, so that they can serve your community’s best interests. Let me add that you are especially welcome if you are a minority man since you also have an important role to play in bringing home the experience and wishes of minority women and in helping minority men to understand and appreciate the views and recommendations of women. Other expert representatives are encouraged to share their perspectives and reach the Forum’s discussions and help it to be as effective and successful as possible. I want to sincerely thank the chairperson of the Forum, Miss Graciela Dixon from Panama who is an attorney and chief justice of the Panama Supreme Court. She also a former participant of the Forum and I know that under her guidance we can be assured of a successful session. Let me inform you that in 2012 we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the UNDM and several special events and regional commemorations are planned worldwide. I would like to encourage you to share all your ideas with me and the Secretariat of the OHCHR about how to celebrate the adoption of the particularly important document on minorities. I also encourage you to find me page on Facebook where you can easily share your thoughts. I would like to extend my thanks to you for participating in this session of the Forum. And once again, my regrets that I cannot be with you in person. I will be following the proceedings with great interest and I wish you a fruitful and interesting conference. I am looking forward to delivering the Human rights Council a set of