E/CN.4/2005/18 page 2 Summary This report is submitted pursuant to resolution 2004/88 adopted by the Commission on Human Rights at its sixtieth session. It should be read in conjunction with the interim report (A/59/329) and the study on the question of political platforms which incite or promote racial discrimination (A/59/330) submitted by the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session. Since the Commission’s last session, the Special Rapporteur has endeavoured to pursue his dual strategy against racism, discrimination and xenophobia: on the one hand a legal strategy aimed at extending and strengthening the legal and political responses to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and on the other an intellectual and ethical strategy aimed at achieving a better understanding of the deep cultural roots of racism and its ideological, cultural and mental bases, processes and mechanisms. In this context, he considers it urgent to promote equal treatment of all forms of discrimination. The Special Rapporteur focused his attention on fieldwork, i.e. country visits, and on strengthening cooperation with institutional partners. In 2004, he undertook two country visits: a visit to Côte d’Ivoire, from 9 to 21 February 2004, and a regional visit to Central America, which took in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, from 26 June to 13 July 2004. He presents his findings to the Commission in his mission reports (E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.2, Add.3, Add.5 and Add.6 respectively). The Special Rapporteur also took steps to strengthen his collaboration with regional organizations and other institutional partners. In Vienna, he had a very fruitful meeting with the European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), exchanging information about respective methods of work and identifying areas where the Monitoring Centre and the Special Rapporteur could fruitfully cooperate in the future. He also intensified his cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Cooperation with these bodies focuses both on racism in general and specific forms of racism such as anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or racism against particular populations like the Roma. With regard to racism in sport, the Special Rapporteur stepped up his consultations and cooperation with relevant bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). On the basis of the information which he has gathered, the Special Rapporteur considers that the present situation as regards racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance reflects the following predominant tendencies: the growing importance of the factor of identity in recent manifestations of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia; the tendency to hierarchize different forms of racial discrimination; an ever more pronounced tendency to provide an intellectual justification for racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; the rise and growing influence of parties and movements with racist and xenophobic platforms; and the exacerbation of the phenomenon of racism in sport. In the conclusion to the report, the Special Rapporteur presents his recommendations to the Commission.