A/51/542 English Page 12 55. In order to help achieve greater respect for and knowledge of the rights linked to religious freedom, as well as the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination with regard to religion and belief, the Special Rapporteur reiterates his recommendations for the implementation of specific programmes of advisory services and technical assistance (see E/CN.4/1995/91). A note from the relevant services of the Centre for Human Rights on the implementation of such programmes is strongly recommended for the next session of the Commission on Human Rights. 56. Lastly, in the context of setting up a documentation centre in the Centre for Human Rights at Geneva, the Special Rapporteur recommends that a department on religious freedom and human rights should be set up, with the aim of increasing the amount of information received and collected on the religious situation throughout the international community and establishing the necessary databases for more in-depth analysis and study in the area of religious freedom. 57. The Special Rapporteur wishes to express his gratitude to States for their cooperation and for the opportunities that they have provided for fruitful dialogue. He particularly appreciated the efforts made by those Governments which tried to shed some light on the allegations, submitted to them and which initiated or responded positively to in situ visits. The replies supplied in this way by Governments and their cooperation with regard to visits are valuable tools which allow the Special Rapporteur to go on to form an authoritative opinion on the situation in a given country with respect to religious freedom. The Special Rapporteur is also grateful to those States which have cooperated more fully and closely in the recently initiated follow-up procedure to such visits. 58. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the non-governmental organizations for their excellent cooperation and to emphasize their dynamic role in relation to the mandate on religious intolerance. Their contribution is of paramount importance, not only for the day-to-day management of information but also for the preparation and conduct of in situ visits. The Special Rapporteur pays tribute to the professionalism and dedication to human rights shown by non-governmental, international and national organizations from North and South. He also wishes to encourage initiatives which fall entirely within the scope of the mandate on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or belief, such as the various activities of the Tandem Project, including its ROBIN (Religion or Belief Information Network) programme, 3/ and the European Magazine of Human Rights published by the non-governmental organization Human Rights Without Frontiers as part of the "Religious intolerance and discrimination" series financed by the PHARE and Tacis Democracy Programme. 4/ Lastly, the Special Rapporteur thanks the Non-Governmental Organization Committee on Human Rights for the interest it has shown, at the United Nations in Geneva and New York, in the mandate on religious intolerance. 59. As a result of the concerted actions of the international community, States and non-governmental organizations, a truly international public opinion is being formed in favour of containing and combating all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief. /...