The Transcarpathian Hungarian delegation spoke at the 18th UN Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva

Researchers representing the Hungarian community of Transcarpathia once again took part and gave an intervention at the 18th UN Forum on Minority Issues, organised by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and held in Geneva on 27–28 November 2025. The two-day event is regarded as one of the most significant professional platforms for minority communities worldwide, offering participants the opportunity to draw international attention to the state of minority rights and the challenges surrounding their implementation.

The delegation was represented by Kornélia Hires-László and Adrienn Vig, researchers of the Hodinka Antal Research Centre for Linguistics at the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University. In their speech, they emphasised that the Hungarian population of Transcarpathia continues to live peacefully in its homeland, while the preservation of community identity depends on the free use of the mother tongue and access to mother-tongue education. They also highlighted that the practical implementation of these rights remains limited — even in regions where minorities traditionally live in compact communities.

Beyond the intervention itself, the professional significance of the Forum was strengthened by the participation of Hungarian representatives from several regions across borders. Among them was Zsolt Szilágyi, Vice-President of the Transylvanian Hungarian People’s Party and a member of the EFA Minority and Linguistic Rights committee, which made it possible to discuss shared advocacy goals and further deepen cooperation between Hungarian minority communities in different regions.

Following the conclusion of the Forum, the delegation had the opportunity to hold an informal personal conversation with Prof. Nicolas Levrat, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, during which the researchers briefly presented the situation of the Transcarpathian Hungarian community and expressed willingness for further cooperation.

A recording of the intervention is available online, enabling all those interested to review the ideas and arguments presented. Participation in the Forum and the development of international relations give confidence that the enforcement of minority rights for Hungarians in Transcarpathia will continue to strengthen, helping ensure the long-term conditions for peaceful coexistence in Ukraine.

 

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