on Human Rights.413 The World Conference emphasised that human rights education, training and public information are essential for the promotion and achievement of stable and harmonious relations among communities and for fostering mutual understanding, tolerance and peace. The World Conference called on all States and institutions to include human rights, humanitarian law, democracy and rule of law as subjects in the curricula of all learning institutions in formal and non-formal settings. It said that human rights education should include peace, democracy, development and social justice, as set forth in human rights instruments, in order to achieve common understanding and awareness with a view to strengthening universal commitment to human rights. In addition, the UN Plan of Action414 defines “human rights education” as training, dissemination and information aimed at the building of a universal culture of human rights through the imparting of knowledge and skills and the moulding of attitudes and directed to: • The strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; • The full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity; • The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender equality and friendship among all nations, indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups; • The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free society; • The furtherance of the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.415 In addition, human rights education should be directed at enabling all persons to protect themselves and others from human rights violations. NHRIs have a vital role to play in providing human rights education, encouraging others (including the State) to provide human rights education and implementing the three-year World Programme on Human Rights Education (2005 – 2008). 412 Article 15 of the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. 413 See Vienna Declaration, Part II at paras 78 - 82. See http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/1/initiatives. htm (last accessed 13 March 2007) for an outline of the UN Decade for Human Rights Education, including the Vienna Declaration. 414 See Human Rights Questions Including Alternative Approaches for Improving the Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, UN Plan of Action, A/51/506/Add.1, 51st session, 12 December 1996, A/51/506/Add.1 for an explanation of the UN Plan of Action. 415 UN Plan of Action at para 2. 132