FORUM ON MINORITY ISSUES FIFTH SESSION 27 and 28 November 2012 Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva SUMMARY BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE FORUM Ms. Soyata Maiga Member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 19/23 of 23 March 2012, the Forum on Minority Issues was renewed to continue to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as well as thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the Independent Expert on minority issues. The Forum identifies and analyzes best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (hereinafter referred to as “the Declaration”). The Forum meets annually for two working days allocated to thematic discussions. The Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms. Rita Izsák, is responsible for guiding the work of the Forum, preparing its annual meetings and reporting on its thematic recommendations to the Human Rights Council. The fifth session of the Forum took place on 27 and 28 November 2012 in Room XX of the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Ms. Soyata Maiga was appointed as Chair of the fifth session of the Forum that focussed on "Implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities: Identifying positive practices and opportunities". Over 400 participants took part in this fifth session of the Forum, including United Nations Member States and specialized agencies, intergovernmental and regional organizations, human rights treaty bodies, national human rights institutions, academics and experts as well as civil society actors working on minority issues1. In addition to this wide range of stakeholders, this session brought together persons belonging to minorities who are actively engaged in minority rights advocacy and diverse areas of work related to the protection and promotion of minority rights as well as those working for or experienced in using national institutions with responsibility for minority issues. A note by the Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms Rita Izsák, on “implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities: identifying positive practices and opportunities” and a set of draft 1 The list of the organizations and delegations that participated in the Forum is available on the website of the Forum on Minority Issues: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Minority/Pages/Session5.aspx 1