ITEM 1: BUILDING TRUST AND SOCIAL COHESION: ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE The first panel of the 18th Session of the Forum on Minority Issues focused on the theme “Building Trust and Social Cohesion: Addressing Barriers to Peaceful Coexistence.” The session brought together panelists whose interventions highlighted the entrenched barriers to peaceful coexistence faced by minority communities worldwide, the structural drivers of mistrust and discrimination, and the concrete pathways through which States and international institutions can foster inclusive, resilient, and cohesive societies. The panel underscored that trust and social cohesion cannot be achieved without confronting the historical, social, and institutional factors that fuel discrimination, “othering,” and exclusion. Speakers emphasized that minority communities continue to face multifaceted restrictions - legal, social, political, and cultural - that undermine their dignity and inhibit their ability to fully participate in society. The discussions also highlighted numerous grassroots and national initiatives that demonstrate how inclusion, recognition, and community-led approaches can strengthen peaceful coexistence. Presentations on the topic under discussion were made by the following panellists: Mr. Christophe Kamp, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; Ms. Diane Ala’i, Independent human rights and international affairs expert and former Representative to the United Nations for the Baha'i International Community; and Mr. Rup Sunar, Chairperson of Dignity Initiative and former OHCHR Senior Minority Fellow. Mr. Christophe Kamp opened by emphasizing that trust cannot be imposed but must be built through deliberate, everyday choices, stressing that mistrust and exclusion stem from structural inequalities and deliberate political manipulation. In a context marked by nationalist rhetoric and the securitization of minority issues, he noted that trust-building is increasingly difficult yet vital to preventing tensions and conflict. He highlighted the role of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, established in 1992, as an early warning and early action mechanism that supports States in managing diversity, promoting inclusion and preventing conflict through diplomacy, policy advice and facilitated dialogue. Kamp observed that minorities frequently face structural exclusion and discrimination in education, employment, housing and political participation, alongside social stigmatization that fuels intergroup mistrust. At the same time, some Governments portray minorities as security threats, creating a paradox in which trust-building appears risky for both minorities and majorities. He warned that exclusion weakens societies, increasing risks of radicalization, disengagement and external manipulation, while inclusion strengthens resilience, innovation and security. He identified four key pillars for building trust: education, dialogue, visibility and accountability. Ms. Diane Ala’i opened her intervention by situating the conversation within decades of United Nations efforts to advance minority rights, recalling Professor Asbjørn Eide’s early warnings about “cynical but skilful political entrepreneurs” who manipulate prejudice and irrational fears for political gain. She noted that, over 30 years later, similar patterns of deliberate exclusion, discrimination, and hostility continue to shape minority experiences across the world. 4