A/73/227 international relationships with universal human rights obligations is consistent with the promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. V. Strengthening the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights by implementing cultural rights 56. The debate on cultural relativism is often framed as if to suggest that only some, usually non-“Western”, people have culture, that culture is monolithic, represented by the State or by particular (often male) religious or traditional leaders, and as something that is invariably in opposition to what are claimed to be “Western human rights norms”. This is a gross mischaracterization of the world we live in, in which, as the Special Rapporteur has noted in the past: (a) all people and all peoples have culture, not merely certain categories or geographies of people; (b) cultures are human constructs constantly subject to reinterpretation; and (c) while it is customary to do so, referring to culture in the singular has problematic methodological and epistemological consequences. It must be understood that culture is always plural. “Culture” means cultures (A/HRC/31/59, para. 8). Moreover, universal human rights norms are truly global. 57. Cultures have many positive implications for the enjoyment of univ ersal human rights. Understanding cultural rights as universal rights means respecting and protecting the rights of all persons to participate in the cultural life of their choice, and to manifest their own cultural references and practices, in accordance with international standards. The right to take part in cultural life without discrimination, including the right to participate in decisions to change or cease cultural practices, is a human right in and of itself. Moreover, as the Special Rapporteur expl ained in detail in her report to the Human Rights Council in 2018 on socially engaged artistic and cultural initiatives, cultural practices and the exercise of cultural rights may be key tools for advancing human rights goals (A/HRC/37/55). 58. Culture permeates all human activities and institutions ( A/67/287, para. 2). Acknowledging this fact implies that, in designing the conditions, measures, policies and programmes for the implementation of all human rights, States must pay attention to the internal diversity of their societies and recognize the multiple ways to achieve effective implementation. As when translating a text, the substance of the message — each universal human right — must remain the same, even if the language and expressions — the means of exercising effectively this right in a specific environment — are different. This process increases the accessibility of the substance of each right and improves its implementation. 59. Better integration of cultural rights in the universal, indivisible and interdependent framework of human rights allows for a new understanding of cultural diversity. The cultural rights mandate has demonstrated on many occasions that cultural diversity is both a necessary condition for and the result of the exercise of cultural rights by all. Access to the diversity of persons, knowledge, cultural heritage and creative expressions of others is necessary to develop capacities and expre ssions. In turn, the way each person participates in and contributes to cultural life adds to the cultural diversity of the environment. They are mutually reinforcing. Cultural diversity goes beyond ethnicity and religion to include all human diversity — resulting from gender, age, relationship with nature, social and economic background, political opinion, geographical origin, migration and other forms of social mix — as well as the diversity of cultural expressions and resources that are continuously created, developed, re-interpreted and transmitted. This diversity of diversities not only defines new cultural freedoms, it also breaks the myth of homogeneous cultural 18-12312 17/26