MAE says celebration of National Minorities Day proves respect and acceptance of others

Marking the National Minorities Day of Romania represents "a proof of accepting and respecting the other - defined through a distinct ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic identity" and "a proof of the maturity of the Romanian society that understood that dialogue and good coexistence are the pillars of a durable democracy," a release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday informs.

According to the MAE, this day is "an expression of the homage to the significant contribution of national minorities to the definition of the Romanian cultural and spiritual heritage."

"Defining a protection system of the identity rights of people belonging to national minorities and ensuring their participation in an active manner in all the areas of the political, cultural, social-economic life of Romania represented a reality and a constant of the political priorities for all Romania's Governments after 1990, and a solid foreign affairs benchmark," the MAE mentions.

This system, shows the MAE, "compatible with the highest international standards in the area and appreciated at international level as laying the basis of an inter-ethnic coexistence model was accomplished with the direct and fundamental involvement of people belonging to Romania's national minorities."

"In an era dominated at international level by social-economic convulsions and the recrudescence of intolerance and xenophobia, Romania managed to promote a social coexistence model based on integration, mutual respect, dialogue, that capitalises on the national minorities as a factor of enrichment at the Romanian society level, as well as a binder in inter-state relations," the MAE highlights.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry says that the celebration of the Greater Union Centennial in 2018 provides the opportunity to highlight the contribution of national minorities to the common cultural heritage and their contribution to the construction of the modern Romanian state and firmly notes the commitment of the Romanian state to protect democracy, individual rights and freedoms, including those belonging to national minorities, and the equality of all citizens, regardless of their ethnic origin.

On 18 December 1992, the General Assembly of the UN adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, as an international document defining the rights of persons belonging to minorities in general. Many states have recognised its importance by promoting 18 December as a day of national minorities. AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)