Assemblea Nacional Catalana Thank you Madame Chair, Excellencies and Distinguished Participants, My name is Ariadne Hines and speak on behalf of the Catalan National Assembly, a grassroots organization defending the Catalan people’s right to self-determination through peaceful and democratic means. Trust and social cohesion grown when diversity is respected and minorities are equal partners in shaping society. In Catalonia, these conditions are often weakened by practices that deny the Catalan people the ability to decide their future and fully express their national identity. Catalonia is a historic nation with its own language, culture, and institutions. Yet Spain continues to deny our right to selfdetermination, restricts the use of Catalan in justice and public administration, and threatens our linguistic immersion model in education. These limitations generate mistrust and tension, precisely the issues this Forum seeks to address. The criminalization of peaceful dissent and the rise of hate speech against the Catalan people, highlighted by UN experts in the latest ICCPR review, further undermine trust and deepen division. Genuine cohesion requires mutual respect, dialogue, and recognition of diversity. Democracy and collective rights are essential for peaceful coexistence. For these reasons, we urge the UN member states to call on Spain to: 1) guarantee the protection and promotion of the Catalan language and culture as key elements of trust and inclusion; 2) ensure respect for all rights of the Catalan people, including the right to self-determination, and 3) drop unfounded criminal charges against peaceful activists and address all cases of hate speech. We reaffirm that self-determination is the only democratic instrument capable of overcoming the structural and historic discrimination faced by the Catalan people. Thank you.