E/CN.4/1999/58 page 7 Norway; Diakonjemmet College Research Center; Institute for Human Rights, University of Oslo) and the Tandem Project NGO, and financed by the Norwegian Government - was to build an international coalition and to develop a plan of action to strengthen the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance and, therefore, the implementation of article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. 15. The Conference, which was attended by representatives of Governments, religious communities (Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.) academic institutions and NGOs, adopted the Oslo Declaration on Freedom of Religion or Belief, the main principles of which are as follows: (a) Change in the Special Rapporteur’s title, to “Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief”; study and application of articles 18 of the Covenant and the 1981 Declaration as a way of solving problems of intolerance and discrimination; creation of educational programmes using the 1981 Declaration as a universal standard to build a culture of tolerance, understanding and respect; use by United Nations Member States of the 1981 Declaration and other instruments to promote mediation and negotiation and resolve intolerance, discrimination, injustice and violence in conflicts where religion or belief plays a role; research and development of other informational resources and methodologies for collecting information, initiating comparative studies, etc.; (b) The last paragraph of the Oslo Declaration reads as follows: “[The participants] urge the organizers and sponsors of the Oslo Conference, in consultation with Conference participants: [i] [ii] to review the discussions and recommendations of the Conference, with the purpose of creating an 'Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief', inviting support and participation by Governments, religious or belief communities, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations, and to develop a strategic plan of action and seek funding to carry out programmes and projects based on its recommendations, in cooperation with the United Nations.” In his closing statement, the Minister for International Development and Human Rights said that “The Special Rapporteur should be given the necessary means and resources to actively promote the cause of victims of intolerance based on religion or belief all over the world. The Norwegian Government has this year contributed an additional US$ 1.5 million to the High Commissioner for Human Rights to this end.” The Special Rapporteur thanks the Norwegian Government and the organizers of the Oslo Conference for their commitment to strengthening his mandate. 16. The Special Rapporteur also welcomes the initiatives of Spain, which organized a seminar on dialogue among the major monotheistic religions at Toledo on 9 and 10 November 1998, and the Office of the United Nations High