A/HRC/58/60/Add.1 impact on one’s cultural rights does not end once the programmes or policies are established. It should continue in the monitoring and evaluation stages. 3. Use of public spaces 91. A good way to encourage participation is to increase the use of public spaces as spheres for deliberation, cultural exchange, social cohesion and diversity. Chilean authorities at all levels have the obligation to guarantee the collective and participatory character of public spaces and have real opportunities to strengthen the dynamics they create. 92. The Special Rapporteur was impressed by the vibrancy and diversity of local initiatives, led by communities and groups, that fill the gap left by the lack of involvement of public authorities. She was informed about numerous local festivals, lively intercultural carnivals in the north, neighbourhood associations in Valparaíso, the use of graffiti as a form of street art, and the thirst of many to participate in cultural life. She commends the creativity and engagement of civil society. The Trenzando nomad cultural centre, for example, uses former train tracks to access communities outside of the city centres, uniquely combining participative cultural works with the revitalization of the old train stations, which become community centres and spaces of heritage. 93. Most grass-roots cultural initiatives rely on side activities, such as the sale of food or sewing, to finance their cultural activities. Some collectives, created from groups of citizens to preserve the architecture and character of their neighbourhoods, have been criminalized for their use of public space. A popular jazz festival, organized in a Santiago market to offer a counter-narrative to the poverty and security threats in that public space, faced difficulties in securing private and public funding because it sought to keep activities free of charge for the audience and participants. 94. The authorities must recognize and support in all possible manners these dynamics and initiatives and seek to build partnerships with the local communities that are contributing importantly to cultural life. The talents, engagement and methods are there and strongly at play in the neighbourhoods. In Arica, the use of public areas by local authorities to organize different activities, fairs and gatherings has had a positive impact in reaching out to a large majority of the population and creating links between the various groups and sectors. A human rights framework should be applied to the design, development and maintenance of public spaces, and a participatory approach should guide their use for and by all. IV. Conclusions and recommendations A. Conclusions 95. Throughout the visit of the Special Rapporteur, the Government of Chile demonstrated its strong belief in the need to work together to improve the realization of cultural rights and effective participation, both within the country and on the multilateral stage. 96. The recent shift in narrative, from a focus on “access to culture” to democratizing culture and decentralizing decision-making, is very positive. The Special Rapporteur encourages Chile to develop more avenues and opportunities to truly harness the voices of all its inhabitants and ensure their participation in cultural life, including in the institutions, spaces and decision-making bodies that shape and have an impact on cultural life and the exercise of cultural rights. The creation of the Commission for Peace and Understanding is a positive step toward redressing past wrongs and creating a space for dialogue. Integrated and sustainable development of the country cannot be achieved if some parts of society are not involved in the debates that define the values that development aims to fulfil. 97. More importantly, the Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to move from plans to action in order to build trust so that Chileans all over the country can start to witness the change in the governmental approach and contribute, as partners, in improving the effective implementation of their cultural rights. GE.25-01340 17