The purpose of this multi-disciplinary conference is to bring together activists, scholars, practitioners, and thought leaders, to engage in deeper discussions around Indigenous and Minority rights on the national, regional, or international levels. What protections are in place for Indigenous and Minority rights and are these protections effective? Has the ability to raise awareness about the plight of Peoples from around the world, through different channels, created, increased, or caused fewer protections for Peoples? What are the shared interests of indigenous nations and sovereign states and how can these goals be accomplished? This conference aims to focus on these particular questions focusing on case studies or discussions from national, regional, and the international spheres.

The conference will be co-hosted by the Congress of Nations and States (CNS) and Queen’s University Belfast (QUB). This conference is scheduled to take place on 14 October, 2022 in Riddel Hall at Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland (remote participation is available). The conference will be held concurrently with the Congress of Nations and States’ inaugural Assembly, also in Belfast, but as a separate event.

The conference will follow the Annual Senator George J. Mitchell Peace Lecture with Nader Nadery (Asser Institute, The Hague). The lecture will take place on Thursday 13 October at 4.00pm in the Council Chamber, QUB.  The Conference Chairs are Mr. Jordan Lesser (CNS) and Ms. Beatrice Hamilton (CNS) and the conference is co-organised by Professor Fiona Magowan, Fellow, The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice/School of HAPP and Dr. Peter Doran, Fellow, The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice/School of Law, QUB.

Riddell Hall Delegate Information - Parking and Transport