A/RES/59/201 of law, the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary, transparency and accountability in public administration, and free, independent and pluralistic media; 2. Reaffirms that the promotion and protection of all human rights is a basic prerequisite for the existence of a democratic society, and recognizes the importance of the continuous development and strengthening of the United Nations human rights mechanisms for the consolidation of democracy; Recognizes the importance of all actions taken at the regional and 3. subregional levels that are aimed at facilitating the establishment, development and consolidation of democratic institutions, based on democratic values and principles and capable of responding to the specific needs of the countries in each region; Acknowledges the importance of better awareness of democratic values 4. and principles in all regions and for all people; 5. Reaffirms that democracy, development and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing, that democracy is based on the freely expressed will of the people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives and, in that context, that the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national, regional and international levels should be universal and conducted without conditions attached; the international community should support the strengthening and promoting of democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the entire world; Acknowledges that democracy contributes substantially to preventing 6. violent conflict, to accelerating reconciliation and reconstruction in post-conflict peacebuilding and, in peacetime, to resolving disputes that may impede economic and social progress; Recognizes the need for Member States to pay further special attention 7. and contribute to democratic institution-building by including relevant objectives to this effect in the mandates of peacemaking, peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding operations and by providing adequate resources in that regard; Invites intergovernmental regional, subregional and other organizations 8. and arrangements, as well as non-governmental organizations, to engage actively in work at the local, national, subregional and regional levels for the constant promotion and consolidation of democracy and to initiate exchanges with the United Nations system on their experiences, inter alia, by: (a) Identifying and disseminating best practices and experiences at the regional, subregional and cross-regional levels in promoting and protecting democratic processes; (b) Establishing and supporting regional, subregional and national civic education programmes that provide access to information on democratic governance and stimulate dialogue on the functioning of democracy; (c) Encouraging the study, in schools and universities, of democracy, human rights, good governance and the functioning of public administration, political institutions and civil society organizations; (d) Elaborating and widely distributing reports, assessments, training material, handbooks, case studies and documentation on alternative types of 2