Excellencies, experts, ladies and gentlemen,

A warm welcome to the Council of Europe at this important event. Thank you all coming. The seminar today takes place in the framework of one of the three main priorities of the Irish Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. We have called it: “Fáilte: Fostering a Europe of welcome, inclusion, and diversity”.

We believe that diversity is beneficial to our societies and that protecting the human rights of minorities is an essential pillar of modern democracy. 

The fight against discrimination, of any kind, including on grounds of religion or belief, is a key mission of the Council of Europe and of the Secretary General’s Special Representative on antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes, Daniel Holtgen, who has organised this seminar.

Just last week, ECRI, the Council of Europe’s expert anti-discrimination body, published its annual report showing that various kinds of intolerance against minorities, including LGBTI people and Roma (or Travellers as we say), are unfortunately on the rise across in many parts of Europe.

ECRI highlighted the particular threat of antisemitism in a General Policy Recommendation last year which has been discussed in several fora, including during the Hungarian Presidency.

In March this year ECRI issued a specific General Policy Recommendation on preventing and combating anti-Muslim racism. 

We are therefore delighted that the leading expert behind this Recommendation - ECRI Board Member Domenica Ghidei Biidu - is joining us in Strasbourg today and will deliver the keynote presentation on the subject. 

I look forward to the outcome of the conference which I am sure will lead to a better understanding of how we can promote a Europe of diversity and inclusion and protect the human rights of Muslims as well as other minorities in our increasingly diverse societies.

Thank you.