A/RES/57/212 Convinced that human rights education contributes to a holistic concept of development consistent with the dignity of women and men of all ages, which takes into account particularly vulnerable segments of society, such as children, young persons, older persons, indigenous people, minorities, the rural and urban poor, migrant workers, refugees, persons with the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and disabled persons, Affirming that human rights education is a key to changing attitudes and behaviour based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to promoting tolerance and respect for diversity in societies and that such education is a determining factor in the promotion, dissemination and protection of the democratic values of justice and equity, which are essential to prevent and combat the spread of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, as was recognized at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 8 September 2001, 2 Welcoming the holding of the International Consultative Conference on School Education in Relation to Freedom of Religion and Belief, Tolerance and Non-discrimination in Madrid from 23 to 25 November 2001, Welcoming also the efforts to promote human rights education made by educators and non-governmental organizations in all parts of the world, as well as by intergovernmental organizations, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Development Programme, Recognizing the outcomes of the regional conferences on human rights education organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, held in Turku, Finland, in 1997, in Dakar, Senegal, in 1998, in Pune, India, in 1999, in Rabat, Morocco, in 1999, and in Mexico City, Mexico, in 2001, Recognizing also the invaluable and creative role that non-governmental and community-based organizations play in the promotion and protection of human rights by disseminating public information and engaging in human rights education, especially at the grass-roots level and in remote and rural communities, Aware of the potential role of the private sector in implementing at all levels of society the Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995–2004, 3 and the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights through financial support for governmental and non-governmental activities as well as their own creative initiatives, Convinced that the effectiveness of existing human rights education and public information activities would be enhanced by better coordination and cooperation at the national, regional and international levels, Recalling that it is within the responsibility of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to coordinate relevant United Nations education and public information programmes in the field of human rights, Noting with appreciation the efforts undertaken thus far by the Office of the High Commissioner to increase information-sharing in the area of human rights _______________ 2 3 2 A/CONF.189/12 and Corr 1. A/51/506/Add.1, appendix.