A/HRC/43/50/Add.2 exhibition at the National Art Gallery; the improvement of the conditions in which art may be displayed; and about better use of this space to celebrate and give visibility to artistic creativity. She hopes that this process will continue and will yield timely results. 49. To compensate for the absence of dedicated public spaces, some artists find exhibition venues in private businesses, such as cafés, restaurants and tourist resorts. This should be encouraged so as to increase opportunities for artistic expression and interaction with the arts. However, it is not a substitute for the necessary existence of adequate public spaces for such displays and can lead to limits on artistic expression due to control by private actors of the art that can be displayed.5 50. The Government must do more to respect, protect and realize the right of all to artistic expression and to access and enjoy the creativity of others by investing in the entire ecosystem of artistic expression. These efforts could include: fostering arts education and opportunities for artists to develop their creativity and interact with audiences, guaranteeing access by all sectors of the population to a diversity of expressions, such as dance, theatre and music, and by developing and maintaining public spaces. B. Fundamentalism as a threat to cultural rights 51. The Special Rapporteur has documented the harmful impact of diverse forms of fundamentalism and extremism on the enjoyment of cultural rights in many regions, and the grave consequences they have for human rights and cultural life (A/HRC/34/56). Drawing from leading experts, she defines fundamentalisms as political movements of the extreme right which, in a context of globalization, manipulate religion to achieve political aims, and she has emphasized their related aims to impose one restrictive version of religion on others as a matter of law or public policy so as to consolidate power in a hegemonic or coercive manner.6 This is entirely distinct from piety or ordinary religious observance, which are a part of enjoying cultural life. 52. Fundamentalism is one of the greatest threats to the rich culture of Maldives, including Maldivian practices of Islam. Many people rejected the imposition of a version of Islam that they saw as having been imported from other countries, such as Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, which was reportedly accelerated by the Internet, by streams of foreign funding and by Maldivians studying in madrasas in these countries and returning home. 53. The Special Rapporteur was greatly concerned by the extent of the reports of the rise of fundamentalism, which is reportedly leading to the discarding of Maldivian cultural and religious practices, including particular local Eid celebrations; the discouraging of the arts, and especially performing arts, in public spaces; the eradication of arts and music education in many schools; and the erosion of the rich cultural heritage of Maldives, including both Islamic and pre-Islamic heritage, which are parts of its complex, layered history. The rise of fundamentalism has also led to attacks on people and culture, including acts of vandalism in one of the country’s oldest and historically significant cemeteries on Meedhoo in the Addu atoll, which the Special Rapporteur visited. It has also led to increasing limitations on women’s cultural choices regarding dress, while promoting and imposing new forms of dress not reflective of Maldivian tradition or the specificities of climate. 54. The Special Rapporteur was alarmed by the number of those she met, including officials, artists, civil society and experts, who had reported experiencing threats, which seemed to be the product of fundamentalist ideology. While one report suggests that the insecurity experienced by such persons had decreased somewhat since the recent change in Government at the time of her visit, this remains an entirely unacceptable state of affairs, leading to self-censorship and sharply circumscribing cultural life. According to information received since the end of her visit, harassment and threats by extremist groups were still ongoing, and the lack of effective action by law enforcement agencies was a serious concern. The Special Rapporteur hopes that threats made to persons on social media will be carefully addressed, in accordance with international standards, in the new social media law that is to be drafted, and that those who threaten others will be brought to justice. 5 6 10 A/74/255, para. 63; and A/HRC/23/34, paras. 68, 76–78 and 89 (g). A/HRC/34/56, para. 4; A/72/155, para. 12.