A/HRC/25/58 communities. Communication channels should be a two-way process. On the one hand, it is important for Government agencies to be able to reach out to communities, in particular during crisis situations when public manifestations of collective hatred increase the risks of escalation into intergroup or other forms of violence. On the other hand, it is equally important for religious communities to have easy access to persons acting as focal points within the administration so they can alert them to emerging hostilities before a crisis situation fully unfolds its destructive dynamics. 48. During the first conference held in the context of the Istanbul Process for Combating Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief in December 2011 in Washington D.C.,13 the Special Rapporteur had the chance to witness how civil servants operating as focal points within the administration worked together with members of various religious communities. They simulated a fictitious crisis situation in order to demonstrate how to communicate quickly and efficiently and how to decide on practical measures if the need were to arise. The Special Rapporteur was impressed by the degree of professionalism with which participants interacted. Obviously, they had known one another for quite some time and had established trustful working relations. For outreach activities to be successful it seems imperative that communication channels do not only exist in theory; they must also be regularly used in practice. During an informal visit to Sweden, the Special Rapporteur heard some positive examples of how Government agencies and municipalities maintain regular contact with faith-based communities in Sweden on issues relating to crisis preparedness and security, and of how they cooperate together to help forge greater societal trust and prevent incidents of religious violence.14 49. Manifestations of collective hatred do not usually occur without prior warning signals, and they are quite often even publicly announced by those orchestrating them. However, even if all the early warning signs are visible, this does not often lead to appropriate early action, perhaps due to a lack of experience or to a lack of imagination about how to react appropriately and in due time. In order to close the gap between early warning and early action, regular outreach meetings are recommended between focal points in the administration and influential members of religious communities. Such meetings can include practical exercises, similar to the manoeuvres conducted by fire brigades or other crisis response agencies. It is important for States to be proactively prepared for crises resulting from manifestations of collective hatred and to keep the necessary communication channels open by using them on a regular basis. Practical training manoeuvres could be conducted at national and municipal levels, and it might also be useful to exchange both negative and positive experiences in this area within appropriate United Nations forums such as the Alliance of Civilizations. 50. Early warning signs identified by the different human rights mechanisms need to reach the political and conflict-prevention bodies of the United Nations. Effective channels 13 14 Linked to Human Rights Council resolution 16/18 on combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief, agreed by consensus, the Istanbul Process started a number of activities to explore appropriate policies and measures in this area. Sweden has created a national-level advisory group for faith communities, where the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and the Swedish Commission for Government Support to Faith Communities are responsible for maintaining contacts with faith communities in Sweden on crisis-related issues. This advisory group meets several times per year, and it played a key role in facilitating interreligious dialogue following the attacks on immigrants in Malmo in 2010. At the local level, crisis preparedness is organized by the Swedish municipalities, which are responsible for building networks involving governmental agencies, business, volunteer and community organizations and religious communities, to ensure functioning cooperation between all relevant parties whenever a crisis occurs. 13