GENEVA (23 April 2021) – The Americas Regional Forum on conflict prevention and the protection of the human rights of minorities in the region, convened by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues Fernand de Varennes, will take place on 27 and 28 April. Hosted by the Government of Mexico, the Regional Forum will bring together minority participants and state representatives from some 15 countries, as well as UN representatives and civil society groups. The Americas Regional Forum is the first among four regional fora which the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues will convene in 2021 on maintaining peace through justice and human rights to address grievances often at the root of most of the world’s conflicts today. Discussions will inform the work and recommendations of the 14th session of the global UN Forum on Minority Issues taking place in Geneva in December 2021 on the theme of “Conflict Prevention and the Protection of the Human Rights of Minorities”. The Americas Forum will take place on-line this year because of the pandemic and is open to the media. The event will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ligBnibmG5w Learn more about the Americas Regional Forum on Minority Issues ENDS