49 2. THE COMMISSIONER FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND HIS DEPUTIES IN HUNGARY AND ABROAD In 2019, the Deputy Commissioner pursued activities mainly relating to the work of international organisations, typically within the framework of expert-level cooperation and negotiation processes related to the operation of the control mechanisms of the bodies and developing strategies. Based on her mandate, the rest of her networking activities was made up of providing information and presenting the values of the Hungarian system of institutions. This typically meant a series of personal meetings, as well as conference talks and university lectures. High-profile events and major tasks: • On 30 April 2019, the Head of Secretariat of the Deputy Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Ombudsman for the Rights of National Minorities attended the Session of the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – Geneva Geneva session of the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and delivered a 10-minute exposé on behalf of the Office. The Committee held its 98th session between 23 April and 10 May 2019 where one of the priority themes was the discussion of the periodical report submitted by Hungary. The Head of Secretariat called attention to several priority issues concerning the Roma integration process in which some progress has been made over the past years; however, longer-term actions are also necessary to ensure the complex handling of the situation. • Upon the personal invitation of the President of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) and Member of the European Parliament Mr. Lóránt Vincze, the Ombudsman for the Rights of National Minorities participated in the 70 Year Anniversary Congress of the organisation, which took place in Bratislava and Dunaszerdahely The 70 Year Anniversary Congress of the Federal Union of European Nationalities – Bratislava (Dunajská Streda). The 70 Year Anniversary Congress of the FUEN was an excellent opportunity for the Deputy Commissioner to conduct professional consultations with her international and Hungarian partners. • On 29 November 2019, the United Nations organised the twelfth session of its Forum on Minority Issues which brought together 600 national and international experts on minority issues from all over the world, who reviewed the situation of the minority education as well as the linguistic rights of minorities during the three-day event. The participants of the event pursued small-group regional professional discussions on the role of inclusive education, the promotion of civil society’s participation, the role of the media and communication, as well as the role and tasks of children in the promotion of peace and security. • Press conference after the annual meeting of the Ombudsmen of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries, Bratislava The 2019 annual meeting of the Ombudsmen of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries took place on 29–31 May scheme, homelessness and the right to housing, as well as in Bratislava upon the invitation of Mária Patakyová, the damage caused in administrative authority. After the the Public Defender of Rights of the Slovak Republic. The three-day intensive consultation, the participating Czech, key topics of this year were the trends of educational Polish and Slovak Ombudsmen and the Hungarian Deputy segregation and the possible ways to achieve desegrega- Commissioners issued a memorandum on the enforcement tion, the child protection systems and the foster parent of the rights of the child.