3
process of dialogue. That is most likely the main reason why
we managed to allow everyone who asked for the floor to
express its view, at least once during the two days.
As regard content, I can only be struck and amazed by the vast
diversity of issues and situations that were expressed in so few
hours. As the UNGA said on 10 December 1948 about the fate of
minorities, “it is difficult to adopt a uniform solution of this
complex and delicate questions, which has special aspects in each
State in which it arises”. Actually, this is the whole dialectic
challenge of raising minority issues as Human Rights. We
naturally all support and promote the universality of Human
Rights, as we are all “born free and equal in dignity and rights”.
But at the same time, we should all accept to acknowledge the
diversity and specificity of the aspirations and claims of persons
belonging to minorities.
This dialectic between universality and specificity is the whole
challenge of minority issues as Human Rights. The key to work
towards positive outcome to this apparent tension is to
understand that universal doesn’t mean uniform. There is room
for diversity in universality. And, according to my knowledge,
acquired as a scholar and supported by much scholarly research
by colleagues from various scientific fields, pluralism and
diversity will not weaken universality. Quite on the contrary, it
shall make it more robust; stronger; grounded not only in political