A/HRC/25/58/Add.1 E. Isolating the few radical voices 26. Religious communities in Sierra Leone have largely managed to prevent radical voices from gaining influence in society; during the civil war they even succeeded in keeping religion out of the hostilities. However, some interlocutors mentioned the case of a Christian woman who claimed to have had a dream in which she had seen Muammar Gaddafi suffering in hell. From this alleged vision, the woman inferred that a particular mosque in Sierra Leone, which had been sponsored by Gaddafi, should be destroyed and replaced with a church. This strange incident, which attracted some publicity in the country, was generally recounted as a success story because the Christian churches in Sierra Leone had reacted rapidly in rejecting the woman’s antagonistic message, thereby defending their good relations with Muslims and the country’s religious harmony. The United Council of Imams explicitly praised the Christian churches for their quick and clear response. 27. The Special Rapporteur also heard about a few incidents in which tensions between local Christian and Muslim communities had arisen over practical issues, such as property conflicts or loud church bells or prayer calls. Reportedly, the issues were all settled and the tensions did not spill over into the larger communities. During the meeting of the InterReligious Council, one participant said: “Our religious tolerance is not without challenges, but we share the willingness to overcome them.” At the same time, some discussants expressed concerns that religious extremism, which unfortunately exists in some neighbouring countries, might in the long run become more influential in Sierra Leone. F. The role of different institutions 28. The high degree of religious tolerance which Sierra Leoneans enjoy should not be taken for granted. In the face of religious mistrust, hostility and hatred in many parts of the world, it is obvious that the atmosphere of cross-religious and cross-denominational openheartedness in Sierra Leone requires broad commitment and active investments. It is a precious accomplishment that deserves to be cherished and further developed. Obviously, societal and State institutions play an indispensable role in this ongoing endeavour. 29. The first institution in life that facilitates the experience of religious diversity is the family. Interreligious marriages do not only occur in urban areas, but are a widespread phenomenon across the country, albeit with regional differences. By experiencing religious diversity as a perfectly natural feature of families and neighbourhoods, children can develop an attitude of interreligious openness from early on. They typically grow up in an atmosphere in which people have different religious names, perform different prayers and celebrate different holidays while living together closely in families and neighbourhoods. As one minister remarked, religious tolerance is a “deep-seated practice in Sierra Leone”, starting with the family. Another person said: “Religious tolerance starts when we are born. Whether Muslims or Christians, we are always together, we study, work and live together.” 30. Unsurprisingly, many interlocutors emphasized the significant role of school education. In the earlier history of the country, schools run by Christian missionaries had a strong impact on the development of the society. By admitting Muslim students, religious diversity became a general feature of school life. Later on, the increasing number of Muslim schools run by Ahmadis, Sunnis or Shias likewise included Christian children among their students. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur had the opportunity to see several schools in which both students and teachers came from different religious backgrounds. Irrespective of their various religious orientations, schools nowadays generally follow the curriculum provided by the Ministry of Education. The curriculum for elementary schools also covers Religious and Moral Education (RME), a subject that is based on the tenets of Islamic and Christian teachings taken in conjunction. 9