The ODIHR also began developing contacts with part- During the course of 2004, the ODIHR’s Panel of Ex- ner NGOs to provide supplemental data and informa- perts on Freedom of Religion or Belief was reformed in tion on incidents and to assist in monitoring hate order to broaden its expertise, to extend its geograph- crimes and violent manifestations of racism, xenopho- ic range, and to ensure an effective working structure. bia, anti-Semitism, and other forms of intolerance. In The Panel now consists of more than 50 experts from March, a request was sent out to NGOs inviting them across the OSCE region and has a newly created Advi- to provide the ODIHR with supplementary information. sory Council comprising 15 of those experts to give focus and direction to the Panel’s work. Development of a data-management system The Panel continued to work in the field of legislative During 2004, the ODIHR commissioned an information- review throughout 2004. In September, the ODIHR management expert to conduct a needs assessment in published Guidelines for Review of Legislation Pertain- order to identify the technical, substantive, and finan- ing to Religion or Belief, which was drafted by mem- cial requirements of establishing a system that would bers of the Panel of Experts in association with the enable the ODIHR to: 1) store relevant information col- Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. These guide- lected from state and non-state actors within the OSCE lines will assist the Panel and others across the region region; 2) classify and index information in ways that in continuing work of this type. The Panel has contin- make it retrievable when and as needed; 3) analyse ued to monitor legislative developments and to be in- and present the information to make it understand- volved in the review process where requested. In De- able and useful; and 4) disseminate information in cember, Panel members co-organized, and participated ways that not only combat racism, anti-Semitism, dis- in, a conference in Georgia on possible reform to laws crimination, and intolerance but also promote good pertaining to religion. practices. Based on the findings and recommendations of the 3. Tolerance education and training needs-assessment report, the ODIHR has begun the process of developing two separate databases (a virtual online library containing reports relating to tolerance and non-discrimination and a database of practi- In order to build societies where ethnic, religious, and cal initiatives) to meet the information needs of the cultural diversity is valued and appreciated and regard- programme. ed as a strength rather than a threat, a priority area of the ODIHR's tolerance and non-discrimination activities has been the development of projects to support in- 2. Promoting freedom of religion or belief creased education and training in the area of toler- Since the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, freedom of thought, The ODIHR supports activities by members of its Panel conscience, religion, or belief has been one of the core of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief in the field commitments that each of the OSCE’s 55 participating of tolerance education. In 2004, for example, the Of- States has agreed to respect. Over the past 30 years, fice supported the publication of Polish and English these commitments have been considerably expanded versions of a compilation of essays by Polish experts en- ance. and were reiterated in 2004 in the Permanent Council’s titled Why Should We Teach About the Holocaust?, as Decision (No. 621) on Tolerance and the Fight against well as the development of a Website Guide to Toler- Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination. ance Education (http://tolerance.research.uj.edu.pl/en). 66