A/HRC/4/111 page 17 B. Conclusions of the Conference 28. At the fifth plenary meeting, held on 28 July 2006, the Chairperson of the Regional Conference presented the following conclusions: “1. The Regional Conference was an opportunity for States and members of civil society of the hemisphere, six years after the Santiago Preparatory Conference (held in 2000), to evaluate progress and challenges in implementing the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. We must recognize that the present moment is characterized by the adoption of specific decisions for introducing effective public policies in the fight against all forms of discrimination on grounds of race, colour, ethnicity, sex, age, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or any other opinions, national or social origin, economic situation, migrant, refugee or displaced person status, birth, status as a carrier of a stigmatized communicable disease, genetic characteristic, deficiency, incapacitating psychological suffering or any other social condition; 2. During the Regional Conference, we recognize that this is a good time to compile and share good practices in the region. The peoples of the Americas unanimously view their multi-ethnic, multicultural composition as positive and as contributing to human coexistence, the promotion of human rights, the building of cultures of peace and mutual respect, and the consolidation of democratic political systems; 3. In the Regional Conference, we reaffirm the premise that the international system for the protection of human rights was created and operates according to the principles of equality and non-discrimination. We recall that the latter are one of the guiding principles of the United Nations and that article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. In addition, we reaffirm the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; 4. We observe that in recent years, faced with the alarming problems of racism and discrimination, we have been able to raise awareness of these problems and have achieved significant results at the global level. Many international human rights instruments have been promulgated and adopted to fight discrimination. In addition, we recognize the legislative and constitutional progress made at national level in the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples, people of African descent and migrants in the region; 5. We welcome the fact that the principal international forums and organizations are paying greater attention to this issue. In 2001, the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action promoted new United Nations mechanisms for evaluating progress and challenges in combating racism and racial discrimination. We welcome the establishment of the following mechanisms: the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action; the Independent Eminent Experts Group to follow up the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action; and the Permanent