Renowned experts and representatives of international and national organisations gathered in Sarajevo on 15 October 2015 to address the important challenges that persons belonging to national minorities in the Western Balkans still face today due to prejudice and societal divisions, and to discuss possible ways of overcoming them.
The Conference was organised by the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and took place in the framework of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairmanship of the Council of Europe. The State Minister for Refugees and Human Rights, Semiha Borovac, opened the day, jointly with the Head of the Council of Europe in Sarajevo, Mary-Ann Hennessy. The keynote address was delivered by Francesco Palermo, President of the Advisory Committee.
Discussions were structured around three panels. The first focused on international experiences related to the protection of minority rights in divided societies, bringing examples and lessons learned from Europe and other regions of the world and underlining that societal divisions along ethnic lines often simmer too long and are paid attention to only sporadically and too late - when actual conflict has already erupted.
The second panel discussed specific challenges to the enjoyment of minority rights in the Western Balkans, reviewing different models of statehood and how they impact on access to rights, emphasising the role of broader democratization processes, reconciliation and return following conflict, and assessing the role of the judiciary in promoting effective equality for persons belonging to national minorities.
The final panel debated what factors in societies can promote division or else inclusion. It was underlined that fear of becoming disempowered often plays an important role in cementing divisions and preventing compromises and solidarity between different groups in society. The use of languages in public and the system through which linguistic diversity is either encouraged or restricted further have a strong impact on the sense of societal inclusion or exclusion experienced by persons belonging to national minorities. Finally, the essentiality of dialogue and willingness to understand the other side and its individual and collective experiences and truths was underlined as precondition for sustainable societal cohesion.
Following animated discussions after each panels between panellists and participants, the President of the Advisory Committee concluded that the existing instruments to promote minority rights in divided societies can and must be adjusted to today’s challenges, applying flexibility in the management of evolving diversity. He further encouraged participants to be open-minded and experimental when responding to new situations, particularly in those countries that have long-standing democratic structures and traditions in place, as progress must not be prevented by fear of violating developed standards. Finally the role of civil society and individuals was underlined as it is often the political establishment that follows societal impulses rather than the other way round.
The Conference was followed by a reception given by Ms Semiha Borovac, State Minister for Refugees and Human Rights.