A/67/303 11. At the four regional workshops, the Special Rapporteur presented joint submissions together with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. 4 The Special Rapporteurs analysed a strategic response to hate speech, which should include efforts to educate people about cultural differences; promote diversity; and empower and give a voice to minorities, for example, through the support of community media and their representation in mainstream media. In this context, the Special Rapporteur refers to the Camden Principles on Freedom of Expression and Equality, 5 which recommend the adoption of a public policy framework for the media that promotes pluralism and equality, by, for example, making an equitable allocation of resources, including broadcasting frequencies, among public service, commercial and community media, so that together they represent the full range of cultures, communities and opinions in society. 12. On 7 December 2011, the Special Rapporteur held a discussion in Strasbourg, France, with the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance on the question of racial and religious hate speech. On 12 and 13 December, he attended a two-day meeting in Washington, D.C., entitled the “Istanbul Process for Combating Intolerance, Discrimination and Violence on the Basis of Religion or Belief”. The meeting focused on concrete and positive measures that States can take to eliminate religious intolerance in the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 16/18 on combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief. 13. On 22 and 23 May 2012, the Special Rapporteur attended an expert seminar in Vienna on enhancing the effectiveness of international, regional and national human rights mechanisms in protecting and promoting the rights of religious minorities, together with the Independent Expert on minority issues and other relevant experts. He spoke about the protection of religious minorities under international human rights standards, including the 1981 Declaration and articles 18, 26 and 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 14. The Special Rapporteur held many meetings with Government representatives, religious or belief communities, civil society organizations and academic experts working in the area of freedom of religion or belief. In this context, he participated in national and international conferences, including in Baku, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Geneva, Lucerne, Switzerland, and Salzburg, Austria. III. Right to conversion as part of freedom of religion or belief A. Introduction 15. Countless reports of grave violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief relate to converts and those who try to convert others by means of non-coercive persuasion. This has become a human rights problem of great concern __________________ 4 5 6 See www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Articles19-20/Pages/ExpertsPapers.aspx. See www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/1214/en/camden-principles-on-freedom-ofexpression-and-equality. 12-46130