A/RES/55/254
Recalling also the appeal of the United Nations Millennium Declaration of
8 September 2000 7 to respect the diversity of belief, culture and language, to cherish
differences within and between societies as a precious asset of humanity and to
promote a culture of peace and dialogue among all civilizations,
1.
Condemns all acts or threats of violence, destruction, damage or
endangerment, directed against religious sites as such, that continue to occur in the
world;
2.
Calls upon all States to exert their utmost efforts to ensure that religious
sites are fully respected and protected in conformity with international standards and
in accordance with their national legislation and to adopt adequate measures aimed
at preventing such acts or threats of violence, and invites relevant intergovernmental
and non-governmental organizations to contribute to those efforts by developing
appropriate initiatives in this field;
3.
Encourages all States, relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations and the media to promote, inter alia, through education, a culture of
tolerance and respect for the diversity of religions and for religious sites, which
represent an important aspect of the collective heritage of humankind;
4.
Requests the Secretary-General to devote, in consultation with the
relevant bodies of the United Nations system, attention to the issue of protection of
religious sites in his forthcoming reports related to the United Nations Year of
Dialogue among Civilizations;
5.
Decides to continue consideration of the question of the protection of
religious sites under the item entitled “United Nations Year of Dialogue among
Civilizations”.
101st plenary meeting
31 May 2001
7
2
See resolution 55/2.