The Catalan National Assembly participated in the 18th Session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues held on 28–29 November 2025 in Geneva, contributing to two key panels on Trust and Social Cohesion and on Amplifying Minority Voices in Peacebuilding and Accountability.
Assemblea board member Ariadna Heinz delivered two addresses representing the organisation, in which she denounced the ongoing denial of Catalonia’s right to self-determination, the criminalisation of peaceful political expression, and the persistence of hate speech and discriminatory practices.
Panel 1 – Building trust and social cohesion
In her first address, Ms Heinz stressed that Catalonia, a historic nation with its own language, culture, and institutions, continues to face structural barriers that “deny the Catalan people the ability to decide their future and fully express their national identity”.
She warned that Spain’s restrictions on the use of Catalan in education, justice, and public administration, along with the refusal to recognise the Catalan people’s right to self-determination, generate mistrust and tension—precisely the issues the Forum aims to address. She also highlighted the criminalisation of peaceful activism and the rise of hate speech against Catalans, concerns recently echoed by UN human-rights bodies.
Assemblea called on UN Member States to urge Spain to respect Catalonia’s collective rights, drop unfounded criminal charges against peaceful activists, combat hate speech, and guarantee the protection and promotion of the Catalan language and culture.
Panel 3 – Amplifying minority voices in peacebuilding and accountability
In a second intervention, Ms Heinz highlighted the urgent need for a binding international instrument on minority rights, echoing recommendations made in previous UN sessions. She underlined the importance of recognising self-identification, self-determination and effective self-governance as essential elements of conflict prevention and sustainable peace.
A call to the international community
Across both interventions, Assemblea urged UN Member States to:
- Promote the right of minority nations to self-determination.
- Support the creation of a binding international treaty on minority rights.
- Guarantee freedom of expression and political participation, ending the criminalisation of peaceful activism.
- Combat hate speech and discriminatory narratives, including digital disinformation.
- Ensure the protection and promotion of Catalan language and culture as pillars of trust and inclusion.
Assemblea also referenced findings by UN experts and international bodies that have repeatedly expressed concern over Spain’s failure to uphold minority rights and protect peaceful democratic participation.
The Catalan National Assembly reaffirms its commitment to defending the Catalan people’s collective rights and national identity. For this reason, the organisation continues to engage in international human-rights mechanisms and forums, ensuring that the Catalan case is heard and addressed at the global level.
Heinz also participated at a UNPO side event, where experts and stateless nations representatives discussed the topic “Centering the rights of peoples in peacebuilding and transitional. She denounced that in Spain, the “indissoluble unity” of the state is above all else, even above democratic principles and human rights.
Find the recorded addresses on our YouTube channel: