A/HRC/40/22 take all necessary steps to find a suitable solution for the Muslim community during Ramadan, in direct cooperation and consultation with the community. 24 44. Access to sites for holding religious services and other commemorative activities in the northern part of the island is facilitated by UNFICYP, on request. The Turkish Cypriot authorities have maintained the six criteria outlined in the document entitled “The criteria for granting permits to conduct religious services in the TRNC”. The criteria continue to raise serious concerns regarding the accessibility of religious sites and the enjoyment of freedom of religion and cultural rights (A/HRC/37/22, para. 43). In practice, UNFICYP observed an increase in the number and rate of authorizations granted in respect of requests submitted for its facilitation. During the reporting period, a total of 119 requests for religious services and events in the northern part of the island were submitted to UNFICYP for facilitation, of which 84 were approved. 45. The bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage pursued its work for the preservation, physical protection and restoration of cultural heritage sites. With the support of the European Union and UNDP, the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage has conserved, structurally supported, physically protected or restored 31 heritage sites across the island to date. They have included Orthodox, Maronite and Armenian churches, mosques and minarets, fortifications, hammams, aqueducts and watermills. Additionally, 23 sites island-wide have benefited from simple, non-structural, small-scale works. Conservation designs for future projects for an additional 40 sites are ready. F. Freedom of opinion and expression 46. According to article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, which includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. 25 47. Cyprus has an active civil society, which has been increasingly vocal and visible in the public debate. Some of them have received support from UNFICYP and the international community, such as the gatherings of political parties facilitated by the Embassy of Slovakia. UNFICYP is seeking to expand its activities outside Nicosia, particularly to more remote areas. The Secretary-General has welcomed the greater involvement by civil society, and has urged the leaders of the two communities to enhance the involvement and contribution of civil society actors to ensure that their voices are heard in the political process (S/2018/676, para. 32; S/2018/610, paras. 17 and 28). 48. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media maintained his engagement on the Cyprus Dialogue project, which involves work with journalists from both communities to promote quality journalism in Cyprus. Within the framework of the project, a trilingual glossary of sensitive words and phrases entitled “Words That Matter” was published on 10 July 2018, for voluntary consideration by journalists from both communities. Its aim was to encourage new approaches and new thinking on difficult issues, to encourage dialogue throughout and between media communities, while respecting journalistic independence and journalists’ freedom to report without restrictions. 26 Following the publication of the glossary, the Representative on Freedom of the Media expressed concern regarding a series of threats 24 25 26 See report of the Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights on securing a site of religious worship in Paphos for the needs of Muslims during the Ramadan festival, case no. A/P 692/2018, 11 May 2018. Available (in Greek) at www.ombudsman.gov.cy/ombudsman/ ombudsman.nsf/All/DFF1AF7617B803E9C225828A0033A477/$file/%CE%91%CE%A0%20692_2 018_11052018.pdf?OpenElement. See also the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, art. 19. See www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/cyprus-dialogue. 9