Mr. President Madam Chairperson, High Commissioner, Excellencies, Distinguished Participants, It is a pleasure to welcome all of you to the second annual session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues. The aims and objectives of this annual Forum on Minority Issues are established in Human Rights Council resolution 6/15, which requires that the Independent Expert on Minority Issues shall guide the work of the Forum and prepare its annual meetings. The Forum is established to: 1. provide a platform for dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities; 2. provide thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the Independent Expert on minority issues; 3. identify and analyse best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Minorities; 4. produce thematic recommendations to be reported to the Human Rights Council ; and 5. contribute to efforts to improve cooperation among UN mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies, funds and programmes on activities related to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities, including at the regional level.