High-level meeting to mark the commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 

21 September 2022, Trusteeship Council Chamber, UN Headquarters New York

Overview

Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 76/168, the President of the General Assembly will convene a High-level meeting to mark the commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities on Wednesday, 21 September, at 10 a.m., in the Trusteeship Council Chamber at the UN Headquarters in New York. The High-level meeting will consist of an opening segment, a general debate, and a closing segment. The High-level meeting will be in-person and webcast live on UN WebTV in all six official languages of the United Nations. 

 

Programme

Background

Thirty years ago, on 18 December 1992, United Nations Member States came together and adopted by consensus the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. The Declaration remains the key instrument at a universal level to address the political and civil, economic, social and cultural rights of persons belonging to minorities.  

In its resolution 76/168, the UN General Assembly recognized that while progress has been made, the situation of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities is critical in many parts of the world and many challenges remain to ensure the full enjoyment of their rights.  

The General Assembly also acknowledged the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration as an occasion for States to reflect on implementation gaps and to take measures for the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities.  

 

Concept Note

Discussion

The Declaration remains the key instrument at a universal level to address the political and civil, economic, social, and cultural rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. This high-level meeting represents a remarkable opportunity to strengthen commitment towards ensuring these rights.  

In the spirit of this landmark thirtieth anniversary commemoration Member States are invited to share their experiences and reflect on best practices and persisting challenges faced by persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. 

Member States are also encouraged to incorporate voluntary pledges related to the implementation of the Declaration into their statements to be delivered during the meeting. Member States may consult the guiding questions in the concept note to reflect on potential voluntary pledges.   

The President’s summary of the discussions at the High-level meeting will further assist the international community to chart the way forward and recommit its engagement to actively and fully implement protection of the rights of minorities as expressed in the Declaration 30 years ago.  

Accreditation and participation 

Member States 

Member States and Observers are encouraged to participate in the high-level meeting at the highest possible level, preferably at the level of Heads of State and Government. 

The list of speakers for the general debate is established in accordance with the practice of the General Assembly. It has been open on the e-speakers module of the e-deleGATE portal on 27 July 2022at 10 a.m. until 6 September 5 p.m. The provisional list of speakers will be circulated on 7 September 2022.  

The time limit for statements will be three minutes for individual delegations and five minutes for statements made on behalf of a group of States. 

Seating for Member States of the General Assembly will follow the General Assembly seating protocol.  

Access for Member States, Observers, specialized agencies and related organizations 

In addition to the UN grounds pass needed to access the UN premises, secondary access cards will be needed to enter the opening, plenary and closing segments in the Trusteeship Council Chamber. 

For further information, please consult the Logistics Note here.  

Further information for delegations on the Arrangements for the high-level meetings and the general debate of the 77th session of the General Assembly can be found here. 

 Access for NGOs and other stakeholders: 

The registration process for representatives of non-governmental organizations with ECOSOC consultative status has been completed via the UN Indico platform. Once the applicant has received a confirmation email, they should expect a further email with details on time and location at which the special event ticket is to be collected.  

 

Media

Accredited media are welcome to cover the high-level meeting from the designated media booths. Escort to the booths will be available from the media liaison desk, on the third floor of the General Assembly building.  

Regarding accreditation, media accompanying Heads of State or Government or Heads of Delegation, including official photo and video, must request media passes in advance through the eRegistration system on the e-Delegate portal: https://delegate.un.int/. 

Information on press encounters can be found at the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU) website, under Media Alert (http://www.un.org/malu).  

Questions or concerns should be directed to MALU at malu@un.org or 212-963-6934.  

For any media inquiry other than accreditation, please contact the Office of the President of the General Assembly (opgahlm@un.org).  

Information on media arrangements during the high-level week can be found here. [ https://www.un.org/en/ga/pdf/GA77-NMD%20media%20resources_EN.pdf ] 

Key documents

 

Letters

 

Resolutions