A/HRC/34/50/Add.1 religious or non-religious convictions freely. Religious communities do not need any special legal status to exercise the collective aspects of their freedom of expression or to perform their community functions. Those communities that wish to obtain a status as a collective legal entity have various options. One possibility is to register as a private association. In order to celebrate marriages within their communities with immediate legal effect under the Danish marriage law, they need to be granted the status of an “acknowledged” religious community by the Ministry for Ecclesiastical Affairs. The Evangelical Lutheran Church enjoys a special rank as “the Established Church of Denmark” (usually called “Folkekirke”) and is supported by the State. 70. While freedom of religion or belief is an obvious reality in Denmark, society also faces a number of challenges, described below. Towards a more inclusive understanding of Danish identity 71. Until the late twentieth century, Denmark had been one of the most religiously homogenous societies in Europe. The Lutheran Evangelical Church had shaped an understanding of religion as being a highly intimate matter (“faith”), which at the same time functions as a source of ethical community values. This paradigm is still very much present in today’s society. Due to recent waves of immigration, however, society has now been confronted with new and “more visible” forms of faith expressions that are sometimes perceived as not fitting into the traditionally established patterns and even, by some, as clashing with Danish identity. This has caused tangible nervousness in parts of the society, in particular when it comes to Islam, which meanwhile has grown to become the second biggest religion in Denmark. While Danish society has de facto become multi-religious, this reality still seems not to be fully reflected in the common idea of “Danishness”. Even Muslims who have grown up in Denmark sometimes face strange demands that they should integrate more into society. Public discussions about Danish identity, if they do not acknowledge the increasing religious diversity, can easily lead to feelings of alienation among those whose “Danishness” is constantly questioned — often implicitly, but sometimes also quite explicitly. Fostering understanding between different societal groups 72. While social media can certainly contribute to new forms of communicative outreach, it can also strengthen tendencies of remaining within the circles of likeminded people, which can cause misunderstandings and polarization. The Special Rapporteur repeatedly heard assessments that the general tone of the societal debate in Denmark had become rougher and more intolerant. One example was the discussion on the religiously-motivated circumcision of male infants, as widely practised by Jews and Muslims. While circumcision is a complicated issue, those discussing it publicly should always be aware of how deeply it affects many Jews and Muslims living in Denmark. This was just one example illustrating the need to create greater mutual understanding. Moreover, Muslims often experience an atmosphere of unease and even suspicion in society. On the one hand, they supposedly do not fit into the traditional patterns of “Danishness” and “Christian values” and are often associated to terrorism and discrimination against women. On the other hand, they also confront partially aggressive manifestations of secularism that do not give much space to any visible religious expressions in general. At the same time, traditionalists in all religious communities often assume that people without religion would lack the necessary foundation for any moral values, which can breed suspicion against agnostics or atheists. 18