Open for signature by the member States
of the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg, on 1 February
1995. Entry into force: 1 February 1998.
The Convention is the first legally binding multilateral
instrument concerned with the protection of national
minorities in general. Its aim is to protect the
existence of national minorities within the respective
territories of the Parties. The Convention seeks
to promote the full and effective equality of national
minorities by creating appropriate conditions enabling
them to preserve and develop their culture and to
retain their identity.
The Convention sets out principles relating to
persons belonging to national minorities in the
sphere of public life, such as:
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- Non-discrimination
- Promotion of effective equality
- Promotion and preservation of culture, religion,
language and traditions
- Freedom of peaceful assembly
- Freedom of association
- Freedom of expression
- Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
- The right to access to and use of the media,
- Freedoms relating to language and education
- Transfrontier contacts and co-operation
- Participation in economic, cultural and social
life
- Prohibition of forced assimilation.
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