Discussion The Chairperson opened the floor for discussion 14 . During the discussion under item VII, participants raised the following issues: ƒ The importance of promoting and protecting the use of minority languages as well as the knowledge of the majority language, including in schools ƒ Social and political inclusion cannot be a one-way process ƒ Importance of the recognition of a minority and its actual implications for a given State ƒ Importance of data collection ƒ Importance of confidence-building and to build the political will ƒ Support for youth outreach ƒ Use of new technologies ƒ Importance of the participation of minorities at the local level ƒ The situation of migrant workers and their incorporation in inclusion policies ƒ Impact of state-controlled and state-sponsored media ƒ Importance of ensuring proper follow-up to the Forum on Minority Issues and its recommendations Item VIII—Concluding remarks Chairperson of the Forum on Minority Issues Ms. Barbara Lee expressed her gratitude to all Forum participants as well as the organizers. She indicated that there would be follow-up on the recommendations issued by the Forum and that these recommendations should be seen as a living document to be used in a very practical way with a view to shatter the barriers of discrimination and move forward to ensure a more just and equitable world. Independent expert on minority issues Ms. McDougall underlined the uniqueness of this gathering which brought together more than 500 participants from every regions of the world, including members of national or provincial parliaments, members of local city or village councils or mayors, people who have run for office and those who have represented their communities through civil society activities and other established national institutions as well as experts on electoral processes or voter engagement. She thanked the participants for the rich and constructive discussion and inputs on the draft recommendations, underlining that the discussions had highlighted numerous best practices but also one important fact i.e. that not one country had fully solved or found the answer to the issues addressed during this Forum. 14 The list of speakers, and when available the full text of their presentations, can be found on the Forum’s website at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/minority/oral_statements_forum_minority_2009.htm 21