The Council of Europe celebrated the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages with a conference organised under the chairmanship of the Republic of Croatia of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The conference brought together high-level government officials, experts and civil society to take stock of achievements, identify the challenges ahead and explore possible responses to these questions:

How do political, social, and technological developments affect the situation of persons belonging to minorities and minority languages today? Which innovative responses exist in Council of Europe member States to address these challenges, in particular in the area of language policies and education? Faced with many new challenges for national minorities, how can the Council of Europe consolidate its role in the protection of minority rights in Europe? How can the monitoring mechanisms of the two conventions adapt to the new environment?