FORUM ON MINORITY ISSUES SEVENTH SESSION "Preventing and addressing violence and atrocity crimes targeted against minorities" 25 and 26 November 2014 Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva SUMMARY BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE FORUM Mr Patrick Thornberry Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 19/23 of 23 March 2012, the Forum on Minority Issues continues 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 Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Ms. Rita Izsák. 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 dedicated to thematic discussions. The Special Rapporteur on minority issues 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 seventh session of the Forum took place on 25 and 26 November 2014 in Room XX of the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr Patrick Thornberry was appointed as Chair of the seventh session of the Forum that focused on “Preventing and addressing violence and atrocity crimes targeted against minorities”. Some 570 participants attended this seventh session of the Forum, including United Nations Member States, intergovernmental and regional organizations, human rights treaty body members, national human rights institutions, United Nations specialized agencies, academics and experts, as well as civil society actors working on minority issues 1 . In addition to this wide range of stakeholders, this session brought together persons belonging to minority groups who are actively engaged in minority rights advocacy and in the protection and promotion of minority rights. A note by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues on preventing and addressing violence and atrocity crimes targeted against minorities as well as 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/Session7.aspx 1