MONITORING PLACES OF DETENTION : A PRACTICAL GUIDE 54 - Public awareness-raising activities; - Submitting proposals and observations concerning existing or draft legislation (in accordance with article 19 c). 3.3.3 Direct contact with the Sub-Committee As stated above, the OPCAT contains an innovative approach based on complementarity between international and national efforts to prevent torture. The OPCAT requires national preventive mechanisms to have contact with the Sub-Committee. Furthermore, States Parties have the obligation to encourage and facilitate these contacts. The national and international bodies can have substantial exchanges on methods and strategies to prevent torture. Therefore, the Sub-Committee and the national preventive mechanisms can meet and exchange information, if necessary on a confidential basis. The national preventive mechanisms can reciprocate and forward their reports and any other information to the international mechanism. The Sub-Committee will also be able to offer training and technical assistance with a view to enhancing the capacities of the national preventive mechanisms. The Sub-Committee can in addition advise and assist them in evaluating the means necessary to improve the protection of persons deprived of their liberty. 4. COORDINATION BETWEEN VARIOUS VISITING BODIES The multiplicity of visiting mechanisms at the national as well as at the international level implies that strong coordination will have to be established between all the bodies in order to avoid confusion and achieve the optimum impact.