A/HRC/10/60 page 6 Conference on Human Rights, namely to give equal treatment to every category of human rights, whilst bearing in mind their interdependence, indivisibility and universality. According to the submission, the establishment of an independent expert would help to overcome the existing protection gap regarding cultural rights. Cuba noted that the establishment of a new mandate in this field would not be in contradiction with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 on the rationalization of mandates, given that the resolution required the Council to pay equal attention to all human rights, and to the balance of thematic mandates between civil and political, economic, social and cultural rights. In the same vein, the resolution required the Council to identify and address thematic gaps in the promotion and protection of human rights. 11. While the contribution recognized the work of other United Nations institutions, such as UNESCO in the field of cultural rights, it noted that the establishment of an independent expert on cultural rights would help to address the issue from a human rights perspective, dealing with it in the framework of a specialized human rights body of the United Nations. The independent expert would follow-up the issue and on compliance with resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council in the field. 12. Cuba proposed that the independent expert could also undertake studies on the global state of the promotion and protection of cultural rights, and of the respect and preservation of cultural diversity, and make recommendations to counter the increasing trend of cultural homogenization and the preservation of peoples’ cultural patrimony. [Original: Spanish] [20 August 2008] Egypt 13. Egypt’s response offered a detailed account of issues and tasks that an independent expert should be mandated to do. Such a mandate should include the protection and promotion of cultural rights of all; respect for cultural diversity; guarantees of the exercise of these rights; the dissemination of a human rights culture in general and the consolidation of these values. The submission underscored the need to include in the mandate a framework for cooperation with UNESCO, other United Nations agencies and institutions, including the United Nations “Alliance of Civilizations” initiative; States, NGOs, international and regional cultural organizations and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in order to avoid overlap with their activities. 14. Egypt identified, inter alia, the following tasks to be undertaken by an independent expert in this field: submitting proposals and recommendations to the Human Rights Council on the implementation of the Council’s resolutions on the promotion of cultural rights; preparing, in conjunction with UNESCO, studies on the protection of cultural rights, including the protection of cultural property from destruction or damage, and on ways of including the cultural dimension in the educational system; commenting on studies, proposals or reports by the Human Rights Council on the protection of cultural rights and respect for cultural diversity; supporting the role of civil society institutions and civil organizations which develop cultural and educational concepts conducive to the advancement of understanding and dialogue between civilizations in