A/HRC/43/64/Add.1 Mandate Description of events organized by mandate holders On 20 and 21 September 2019, the Special Rapporteur held the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Education, Language and the Human Rights of Minorities, at the Mahidol University, in Bangkok, Thailand. There were some 70 registered participants, including representatives from 8 states, who met to develop a recommendation aimed at reflecting the conditions and challenges involving the teaching of and education in minority languages. The Africa-Middle East Regional Forum on Minority Issues was held on 28 and 29 October, 2019 in Tunis, Tunisia, to provide regional insights and recommendations from Africa and the Middle East regarding the strengthening of the implementation of international human rights in the area of education in, and the teaching of, minority languages, About 40 participants, including civil society, minorities and other stakeholders participated in the Africa—Middle East Regional Forum. On 28 and 29 November 2019, the UN Forum on Minority Issues held its 12 th session with the participation of more than 500 representatives from States, international and regional organizations, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders, under the theme “Education, Language and the Human Rights of Minorities”. The session was cochaired by Anastasia Crickley (former Chairperson of the CERD) and Astrid Thors (former OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities) and opened with statements by the President of the Human Rights Council, H.E. Mr. Coly Seck, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, the OSCE High Commissioner on Human Rights, H.E. Mr. Lamberto Zannier, and the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes. Invited expert panellists representing all 5 world regions shared their expertise and experience with regard to the recognition of minority languages, the promotion of education in and teaching of minority languages, and specific legislative and policy initiatives, with particular focus on minority women and girls. Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons On 13 September 2019, the Independent Expert convened a participatory panel discussion in Geneva at the Palais des Nations on “Context Gaps and the Human Rights Imperative for Older Persons – in & beyond humanitarian emergencies” a key issue in addressing existing protection gaps and in which she focused on concrete rights-based solutions. This opportunity served also to look back and acknowledge the achievements made by the mandate as well as to identify common challenges and to reaffirm the cross-regional commitment towards overcoming existing divergences in strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons. Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights On 17 October 2019, the Special Rapporteur organized a panel event on human rights in the digital age, in collaboration with the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University School of Law and Amnesty International, and the Guardian as a media partner. The event discussed the relevance of the international human rights law framework in a world increasingly dominated by digital technologies, bringing together high-level panellists from diverse fields, including the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Special Rapporteur on the right On 12 June 2019, the Special Rapporteur held a consultation on health data and the to privacy right to privacy at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance On 29 May 2019, the Special Rapporteur held an expert group meeting on reparations, racial justice and equality to inform her thematic report to the General Assembly. The expert group meeting took place at New York University. Sixteen experts including members of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent participated in the meeting. The meeting centred on challenges and opportunities for achieving racial equality through reparations mechanisms, barriers to advancing reparations mechanisms and lessons learned from past reparations schemes. On 3 July 2019, the Special Rapporteur organised a joint CSO consultation at the margin of 41st session of Human Rights Council. The discussion focused on the global surge of racism and national populism. 77