E/CN.4/1995/91
page 149
violence, including those motivated by religious extremism" and to
"encouraging understanding, tolerance and respect in matters relating to
freedom of religion or belief".
The Special Rapporteur also recommends that 1995, which has been declared
"United Nations Year for Tolerance", should provide an opportunity better to
publicize the values of tolerance and non-discrimination. He believes that
the Year should of course be marked by the appropriate initiatives and
actions, but also by the organization, at a high State level, of an
international congress on tolerance and non-discrimination in the sphere of
religion and belief.
The Special Rapporteur again stresses the importance of establishing a
continuing interfaith dialogue to combat all forms of religious extremism by
any religion whatsoever so as to guarantee religious tolerance both
internationally and within States. Furthermore, the establishment of firm
foundations for religious tolerance will require, as well as specific action
in the sphere of education, the establishment of and respect for the rule of
law and the proper functioning of democratic institutions, entailing in
particular the execution of specific projects within the framework of the
programme of advisory services. This edifice also requires respect for
economic, social and cultural rights through the implementation of
socio-economic measures designed to diminish inequalities and eradicate, in so
far as possible, sources of friction and tension between religions.
The Special Rapporteur has taken note of resolution 1994/18 of the
Commission on Human Rights, which encourages him to examine the contribution
that education can make to more effective promotion of religious tolerance,
and has undertaken a number of consultations and studies (see chap. II) which
have made it possible to confirm his initial conclusions regarding the role of
education as an essential and primary means of combating intolerance and
discrimination. As he pointed out in the previous report, education could
contribute decisively to instilling the values that focus on human rights and
on the emergence, among both individuals and groups, of attitudes and
behaviour exhibiting tolerance and non-discrimination and thus participate in
disseminating the culture of human rights. School, which is an essential
component of the basic educational system, can provide a fertile and vital
ground for achieving lasting progress with regard to tolerance and
non-discrimination in the matter of religion or belief. The Special
Rapporteur has therefore decided to carry out a study, by means of a
questionnaire addressed to States, of issues relating to freedom of religion
and belief from the angle of the curricula and manuals of primary or basic and
secondary teaching establishments (see annex). The results of the study could
make it possible to draw up an international school strategy to combat all
forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief, which
could centre on the elaboration and realization of a minimum joint programme
of tolerance and non-discrimination.
The Special Rapporteur has also made a number of recommendations
regarding education for the Centre for Human Rights’ programme of advisory
services.