A/RES/63/181 traditional practices, and the misuse of religion or belief for ends inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations, as well as other relevant instruments of the United Nations, Underlining the importance of education in the promotion of tolerance, which involves the acceptance by the public of, and its respect for, diversity, including with regard to religious expression, and underlining also the fact that education, in particular at school, should contribute in a meaningful way to promoting tolerance and the elimination of discrimination based on religion or belief, Reaffirming, in this regard, that education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and racial or religious groups and further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace, Condemns all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on 1. religion or belief, as well as violations of freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief; Stresses that the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion 2. applies equally to all people, regardless of their religions or beliefs, and without any discrimination as to their equal protection by the law; Emphasizes that, as underlined by the Human Rights Committee, 3. restrictions on the freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief are permitted only if limitations are prescribed by law, are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others, are non-discriminatory and are applied in a manner that does not vitiate the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; Recognizes with deep concern the overall rise in instances of intolerance 4. and violence directed against members of many religious and other communities in various parts of the world, including cases motivated by Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Christianophobia; Expresses concern over the persistence of institutionalized social 5. intolerance and discrimination practised against many in the name of religion or belief; Recalls that legal procedures pertaining to religious or belief-based 6. groups and places of worship are not a prerequisite for the exercise of the right to manifest one’s religion or belief; Emphasizes that such procedures, as described in paragraph 6 above, at 7. the national or local level, as and when legally required, should be non-discriminatory in order to contribute to the effective protection of the right of all persons to practise their religion or belief either individually or in community with others and in public or private; Recognizes with concern the situation of persons in vulnerable situations, 8. including persons deprived of their liberty, refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced persons, children, persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and migrants, as regards their ability to freely exercise their right to freedom of religion or belief; 3