UN General Assembly
2012

be achieved only if all the countries concerned work together on the basis of mutual respect and a shared sense of purpose. A culture of dialogue must prevail over confrontation. Extremism and intolerance must be isolated and rejected. Rights, dignity and opportunities must be offered to every component and member of our societies, especially minorities and women. Italy is fully committed to implementing such a vision. For us, protecting and promoting human rights is a long-standing domestic commitment as well as a fundamental pillar of our foreign policy. In that vein, we shall continue to pursue the universal abolition of the death penalty, the protection of minorities, the advancement of the status of women and the free and safe expression of religion or belief. We need to cooperate wisely in firmly rejecting the misrepresentation of religions or beliefs as an instrument of disruption and destabilization. To achieve that goal, good laws are always necessary, but they are not always enough. Tolerance must be promoted through educational programmes and consistent grass-roots work, engaging the efforts