The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) and the Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA) representing the Turkish community in Western Thrace attended the 14th session of the United Nations (UN) Forum on Minority Issues titled “Conflict Prevention and the Protection of the Human Rights of Minorities” organised in a hybrid format on 2-3 December 2021.
ABTTF International Affairs Director Melek Kırmacı Arık and Human Rights Expert Kerem Abdurahimoğlu from WTMUGA attended the Forum where approximately 200 participants were present online, and which was hosted by UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Prof. Fernand de Varennes.
The Forum began with the opening remarks of UN Human Rights Council President Nazhat Shameem Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Prof. Fernand de Varennes and Forum Chair Victoria Donda. In his speech, Special Rapporteur Varennes indicated that the conflicts around the world have tripled in recent years, underlining the importance of protecting the rights of minorities to prevent conflict in multicultural and multi-ethnic communities.
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Special Adviser to the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Nderitu and Nassima Baghli from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation were present at the high-level session of the Forum.
The role of states, international organisations, civil society and minorities in addressing the root causes of conflict at an early stage; the presence of different levels of mechanisms for early prevention of conflicts at the local, national, regional and international levels; practical solutions to the prevention of violent conflicts involving minorities and the role of UN bodies in the prevention of conflicts were discussed during the four thematic sessions of the two-day long Forum.
Speaking at the Forum, The Permanent Mission of Greece to the UN Office at Geneva indicated that Greece had fulfilled all its obligations under the international treaties towards the Muslim minority in (Western)Thrace.
