(Vatican Radio) The Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the OSCE has given a speech during a meeting on the protection of national minorities. It is reproduced below.
STATEMENT BY MSGR. JANUSZ URBAŃCZYK,
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOLY SEE,
AT THE SUPPLEMENTARY HUMAN DIMENSION MEETING
ON THE OSCE CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROTECTION OF
NATIONAL MINORITIES
Vienna, 29 October 2015
Working Session 1:
25 years after the adoption of the Copenhagen Document
Mr. Chairman,
The Holy See follows with great interest the work of the High
Commissioner on National Minorities in her all-important mandate to “provide
‘early warning’ and, as appropriate, ‘early action’ at the earliest possible stage
in regard to tensions involving national minority issues which … have the
potential to develop into a conflict within the OSCE area”. In fact, the question
of national minorities continues to assume notable importance. Consequently, it
constitutes a matter for careful reflection on the part of political and religious
leaders and all men and women of good will.
As communities which take their origin from different ethnic, cultural,
linguistic and religious stock, national minorities exist in almost all societies
today. Some go back very far in time, others are of recent origin. The situations
in which they live are so diverse that it is almost impossible to draw up a
complete picture of them. On the one hand, there are groups, even very small
ones, which are able to preserve and affirm their own identity and are well
integrated within the societies to which they belong. In some cases, such
minority groups even succeed in exercising a great influence on the political,
economic, social and cultural life of their countries. On the other hand, one sees
national minorities which exert no influence and do not fully enjoy their rights
and freedoms, but rather find themselves in situations of suffering and distress.
This can lead them either to passive resignation or to unrest and even rebellion.
Neither marginalization nor violence, however, represents the proper path for
creating conditions of true peace, justice and stability.
In this context, my Delegation wishes to draw attention to two principles
that should always be kept in mind when dealing with national minorities. The
first one is the inherent dignity of every human person, irrespective of his or her
ethnic, cultural or national origin, or religious belief. Individuals do not exist for
themselves alone, but achieve their full identity in relation to others. They do
indeed have a right to a collective identity that must be safeguarded, in
accordance with the dignity of each member. The second one is the fundamental
unity of the human race by virtue of which national communities – whether or
not they are majority communities – enjoy that same inherent dignity.
The existence of national minorities, however, raises the question of
their specific rights and duties. The first and obvious right of minorities is the
one to exist. This can be ignored in many ways, even to being denied through
overt or indirect forms of extinction or marginalization. Secondly, national
minorities have the right to preserve and develop their own culture, including
their language. In this respect, education, through parental transmission of
language and cultural identity to their children, plays an essential role. Thirdly,
the right to religious freedom applies to all individuals, as well as to
communities. Consequently, national minorities should be free to profess and
practice their religion, including the freedom to worship as a community.
Finally, they should also be guaranteed a legitimate freedom of exchange and
contact with groups having a common heritage, even if they live in the territory
of another State.
As every right carries with it corresponding duties, members of national
minorities also have duties towards the society and the State in which they live.
In the first place, they have the duty to work, like all citizens, for the common
good of the State in which they live. Secondly, a minority group has the duty to
promote the freedom and dignity of each one of its members and to respect the
decisions of each one, even if someone were to decide to adopt the majority
culture.
The increased awareness which is found today at every level regarding
the situation of national minority groups constitutes for our own times a hopeful
sign for the coming generations and for the aspirations of national minority
groups themselves. Indeed, in a sense, the protection and promotion of the
rights of national minorities are essential factors for democracy, peace, justice
and stability within, and between, participating States. Moreover, in a truly
democratic society, to guarantee the participation of national minorities in
political, economic, social, cultural and religious life is a sign of a highly
developed civilization, and it brings honour upon those nations in which all
citizens are guaranteed a share in national life in a climate of true freedom.
There is no doubt that the participating States have already made
progress since Copenhagen 1990. What lays still before us, however, is securing
a better integration into the various structures of society of marginalized or
excluded national minorities groups like nomads, the people who are constantly
on the move and which exist under different names in all participating States.
The Catholic Church would like to assure those members of national
minorities who are suffering of her spiritual closeness. The Church shares their
moments of pain and their reasons for legitimate pride. The Holy See feels
particularly close to the Roma and Sinti people who have a long established
relationship with the Catholic Church. Last Monday, in the Vatican, Pope
Francis received a large delegation of Roma and Sinti people coming from more
than 30 states. This meeting also commemorated the historical meeting of Pope
Paul VI with Roma and Sinti in Pomezia in 1965: the then Pope assured them
that they are not in the margins, but in the centre and at the heart of the Church.
My Delegation is confident that, through the commitments of the OSCE
and the skills of its High Commissioner on National Minorities, participating
States will make progress in securing for national minorities the full enjoyment
of their rights.
Thank you, Mister Chairman.
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