A/HRC/21/44 in Rio+20; in support of a global Financial Transaction Tax, and calling attention to the remaining gaps in the attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. 59. The Independent Expert was a speaker in various forums, notably in the following. Human Rights Council panel discussion on the theme: “The way forward in the realization of the right to development: between policy and practice” A. 60. The panel discussion was held in Geneva on 14 September 2011 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development (General Assembly resolution 41/128). The panel was moderated by the President of the Human Rights Council and opened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 61. The focus and objectives of the panel discussion were to enhance understanding of the contribution and potential of the Declaration on the Right to Development to thinking, policy and practice on development; to reflect on how the right to development could be implemented in the context of contemporary political, social, environmental and financial challenges; and to contribute to the shaping of future work on the effective implementation of the right to development. 62. The Independent Expert was one of the three panellists invited to present seminar papers on the theme and to participate in the interactive discussion following their presentations. Her paper dealt with how the achievement of the millennium development goals and the right to development call for a more enlightened approach based on a sense of community and international solidarity. Much could be learned from everyday people, who lived their lives in community, addressed their problems and eventually found solutions, coming together in solidarity, in the exercise of their right to development. 1 B. 2011 Social Forum 63. In accordance with resolution 16/26 of the Human Rights Council, the 2011 Social Forum was held in Geneva from 3 to 5 October 2011. The 2011 Social Forum focused on the right to development and heard expert presentations, each complemented by interactive exchange of views, leading to recommendations in relation to the promotion and effective realization of the right to development, including the role and contribution of civil society, and of international assistance and cooperation. 64. The Independent Expert participated in the thematic panel on ―The Declaration on the Right to Development at 25‖, in which she pointed out that international solidarity should be an indispensable component of efforts to realize the right to development, which would help to lessen the gap between developed and developing countries, by buttressing rhetoric and declarations with tangible actions. 2 People’s Summit 2012, Rio+20 C. 65. The Independent Expert was one of the five speakers in a panel held on 18 June 2012 at the People’s Summit in Rio de Janeiro, organized parallel to Rio+20 by civil society human rights and development organizations in the Latin American region. The 1 2 See A/HRC/19/39 for a summary of the panel discussion. See A/HRC/19/70 for the summary, conclusions and recommendations. 13