A/51/542
English
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to implement the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur in his reports
on his visits and reproduced in table form (see annex I). The Special
Rapporteur received a reply from the Chinese authorities (see annex II), for
which he expresses his gratitude. He also received the cooperation of the
Iranian authorities in the form of consultations in Geneva and is awaiting
comments and information from them in reply to his letter. Lastly, the Special
Rapporteur noted the cooperative attitude of the Pakistani authorities at the
latest session of the Commission on Human Rights and is hoping for a reply to
his follow-up letter.
20. The Special Rapporteur is thus counting on the cooperation of all States in
order to be able not only to make in situ visits but also and above all to
follow up the visits already made.
III.
DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURE OF TOLERANCE
21. The Special Rapporteur considers the development of a culture of tolerance
as a basic priority for the implementation of a bona fide policy of preventing
intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief.
22. As the Special Rapporteur explained in his previous reports to the General
Assembly and to the Commission on Human Rights, education can make a decisive
contribution to the internalization of values based on human rights and to the
emergence, at both the individual and group levels, of attitudes and behaviours
reflecting tolerance and non-discrimination, thus constituting an element in the
dissemination of a human rights culture. As an essential component of the
educational system, schools can provide fertile ground for achieving lasting
progress in the promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination with regard to
religion and belief. Accordingly, the Special Rapporteur conducted a survey, by
means of a questionnaire addressed to States, on problems relating to freedom of
religion and belief from the standpoint of the curricula and textbooks of
primary or elementary and secondary education institutions. The results of such
a survey could facilitate the formulation of an international educational
strategy to combat all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on
religion or belief, a strategy that could centre on the definition and
implementation of a common minimum programme to foster tolerance and
non-discrimination.
23. The Special Rapporteur has received replies from the following 78 States:
Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Colombia, Côte
d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, France,
Germany, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mali, Marshall
Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal,
Republic of Korea, Romania, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Senegal, Singapore,
Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia and Zambia.
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