GENEVA - Peaceful coexistence and cohesion between dominant groups and minorities are essential for conflict prevention, sustainable development and building stable and resilient societies, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Nicolas Levrat, said today, convening the 18th Forum on Minority Issues.
Meeting under the theme "Contribution of Minorities to Diverse, Resilient, and Peaceful Societies" the Forum will take place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on 27 and 28 November 2025.
Established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2007, the Forum on Minority Issues provides 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. The two-day annual event is chaired by Caroline Ziadeh, Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations Office at Geneva, while its work is guided by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues. More than 900 participants have registered to engage in this year's Forum - the largest number of registrations yet.
"The overwhelming number of registered participants from all over the world to this year's Forum signals that persons belonging to minority groups are eager to showcase, through this global platform, their positive contribution to just and cohesive societies," the Special Rapporteur said. "I urge Member States to recognise the valuable impact by persons belonging to minority groups in shaping the economic, social, cultural, political, and institutional foundations of our societies."
The Forum on Minority Issues is open to the participation of States, the United Nations, intergovernmental organisations, regional human rights organisations and mechanisms, national human rights institutions, academics, and civil society actors and non-governmental organisations working on minority issues. This year's sessions focus on addressing barriers to peaceful coexistence, recognising minorities' full contribution to society, and amplifying minority voices in peacebuilding, accountability and transitional justice processes.
"Through the Forum, I hope we can highlight State- and community-led initiatives that successfully defuse tensions, achieve equality, address marginalisation and promote peaceful coexistence and cohesion in diverse societies," the Special Rapporteur said.
"We will also identify the structural drivers of mistrust, exclusion and conflict between minority and dominant populations or among minority groups themselves, including inequality, discrimination and invisibility."
Despite the UN's ongoing liquidity crisis and renovation works at the Palais des Nations, the Forum remains committed to providing a vital platform for dialogue and cooperation on minority rights.
"I look forward to engaging in a constructive dialogue with all stakeholders in this dynamic setting," Levrat said.
The Special Rapporteur will report on the thematic recommendations emanating from the 18th Forum to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2026.
The programme is available online. Follow the discussions of the Forum on Minority Issues on UN WebTV.
