The Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Amb. Vincenzo Grassi, took the floor today in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, in the framework of the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council.
Italy reaffirmed its commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national, ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities, including Christian minorities who continue to suffer persecutions and attacks.
In this regard, Ambassador Grassi recalled that 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of the UN Declaration on rights of persons belonging to minorities, highlighting the importance of this issue, especially in armed conflicts and humanitarian crises which exacerbate the already precarious living conditions of these persons.
He also remembered that 2022 also commemorated the 30th anniversary of the closure of the dispute between Italy and Austria on Alto-Adige/South Tyrol, which represents a concrete model of dialogue and coexistence in the framework of the common EU membership.
While referring to the Special Rapporteur’s report, Italy underlined the need to build on the momentum generated by the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the UN Declaration, in order to promote synergies within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and with other United Nations entities to strengthen the discussion and protection of minority rights.
Italy therefore supported Mr. de Varennes’s call to mainstream the protection of the rights of minorities across the UN System, also considering the valuable expertise provided by centres such as the European Academy of Bolzano.
Read the full statement:
HRC52 Statement ITA ID SR Minority Issues.
