Created in order to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992-2012), this publication aims to offer readers a comprehensive review, written by a variety of scholars in the field, of the value and impact of the standards formulated in the Declaration. In so doing, it hopes to stimulate attention for and debate around the Declaration and its principles. The regional perspectives and case studies included further enable the identification of positive initiatives and good practices as well as persistent gaps in the implementation of the standards enshrined in the Declaration.

Ugo Caruso, LL.M. (Torino) is Associate at the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) and former researcher at the European Centre for Minority Issues. He is also a member of the International Law Association, Italian Branch.
Rainer Hofmann, Dr. iur. (Heidelberg) is Professor of International and European Law and Public Law at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main and former President of the Advisory Committee on the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.