A/60/283 Forgetting, hiding or obliterating the history of genocide perpetrated against a people also contributes to weakening the universal struggle against genocide. 20. During the general discussion on multiculturalism, the Special Rapporteur stressed that large-scale discrimination stemmed from the rejection of multiculturalism and cultural diversity. Multiculturalism — which is never neutral and spontaneous, but is the result of complex historical interactions1 — is marked by the existence of antagonism between groups and communities in terms of identity which is reflected, depending on the ideological and political context, in intercommunity dialogue or inequality, discrimination and social stratification. De facto multiculturalism as manifested in most societies should therefore be transformed into the values of pluralism and mutual coexistence. The Special Rapporteur stressed in that regard the need for acknowledging the basic racial, ethnic, religious or cultural components of multiculturalism. Indeed, depending on the ideological or political context, the identity crisis revolves around these factors. Assuming that all States are multicultural, the Special Rapporteur believes that there are three main ways of protecting and promoting multiculturalism. First, the State must recognize the specific features of each of its component groups while advocating national unity. Second, the State should promote interaction among the different communities and ethnic groups in order to ensure that none are isolated. Third, the fight against racism should be linked to the promotion of multiculturalism, since combating racism should not lead to the isolation of any community; rather, it should protect all communities by fostering interaction among them. Accordingly, he explained that the denial of European Union membership to Turkey and the refusal to refer to Europe’s Christian heritage in the European Constitution in fact masked the rejection of the notion that Europe is already multicultural. He noted, in that regard, that it was urgent that the political and economic construction of Europe should be accompanied by a study and a major programme on the rebuilding of the plural identity of the new Europe. 21. The Special Rapporteur has also worked with the Anti-Discrimination Unit in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in particular by participating in a meeting entitled “Discrimination and hate crimes: combating the violence of intolerance”, organized by the Anti-Discrimination Unit on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March 2005. The Special Rapporteur welcomed the invitation to participate in this important meeting and the request by Mrs. Louise Arbour, High Commissioner for Human Rights, that he should moderate this meeting following her departure. 22. From 30 March to 3 April 2005, at the invitation of the Puerto Rican Human Rights Committee, the Special Rapporteur participated in a seminar in San Juan on the subject of racism and gender. During his stay, he was able to note the persistence of the legacy of racism and discrimination that has marked this country’s history at the political, economic and social levels. The importance of the Committee’s work, particularly in support of victims of discrimination, is such that it should not only be granted additional material, budgetary and human resources, but also — and above all — be allowed to work more autonomously and participate more fully in activities relating to the promotion and defence of human rights. __________________ 1 10 See CERD/C/SR1694. The Special Rapporteur stressed that the ascendancy of multiculturalism in all countries results from the historical need for peoples to feed themselves, conquer others, make war and trade, failing which there would have been neither interaction nor history.