E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.3 page 17 central role of this inter-ethnic dynamic in the building of the country’s plural identity and prosperity; and acknowledging the threat of a division along ethnic lines posed by the dynamic of xenophobia set in motion by the current political crisis. Such a message should also convey the authorities’ determination to combat this dynamic in all its forms, beginning with the systematic punishment of all acts of proven xenophobic violence and the urgent rebuilding of inter-ethnic relations. A joint declaration along these lines should be made by the leaders of the main political parties and forces in the governing coalition. 56. Any lasting political solution to the crisis facing Côte d’Ivoire should be accompanied by a democratically-prepared programme to repair the inter-ethnic weave of society. This programme should be a long-term project, prepared in consultation with all the actors of Ivorian society, and should be the linchpin of the process of rebuilding an egalitarian, democratic and interactive multiculturalism. It should take stock of and recognize the experience gained through tradition, in particular the cultural values, practices and mechanisms developed by Côte d’Ivoire’s various communities as they have learned to live together. In this context, it is essential to encourage the various communities, through education and information, to learn about each other and about the depths of their interaction both in terms of history, traditions and values and in terms of the role it has played in building the Ivorian nation. The inter-ethnic dimension should above all be made the cornerstone of a radical education reform. School curricula should be revised in the light of the challenges thrown up by the crisis, with an emphasis on intercultural and human rights education. Civil servants and law-enforcement officials should receive human rights training with an emphasis on intercultural values, respect for diversity and pluralism, and respect for and protection of minorities. 57. A democratically and ethnically balanced independent commission should be set up to promote and strengthen inter-community relations, with the power and means to promote and strengthen inter-community relations. It should be established by Parliament and have the legal authority and the budgetary resources to enable it to intervene in the operation of the principal State administrations. It should report to Parliament, submitting recommendations, on an annual basis. 58. Given the media’s ability to profoundly influence perceptions, images and behaviours in inter-ethnic and inter-community relations, and thus to strengthen or undermine those relations, as the Ivorian crisis has shown, it is recommended that the media should establish its own body to promote inter-ethnic dialogue. 59. A strategy for inter-community dialogue should be worked out on the basis of a close analysis of the lines and characteristics of the inter-ethnic split, and through an inter-community process at all levels of society. A permanent national mechanism for interreligious dialogue should also be set up, with local branches, politically independent and with adequate resources provided by Parliament. 60. An effort of memory is also an essential component of the national catharsis, partly in order to establish the historical truth concerning acts of xenophobic violence and partly to ensure that the record is not written by outsiders. It will be for the main political actors