A/HRC/RES/40/9 ensuring that there is no discrimination in the administration of justice, and should therefore be respected in all circumstances, Reaffirming that democracy is based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives, Reaffirming also that, while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy and that democracy does not belong to any country or region, and reaffirming further the necessity of due respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to self-determination, Bearing in mind that challenges to democracy arise in all democratic societies, Acknowledging the fundamental importance of education and training for human rights in consolidating democracy and contributing to the promotion, protection and effective realization of all human rights, Underlining that, while States have the primary responsibility for safeguarding and strengthening democracy and the rule of law, the United Nations has a critical role in providing assistance and coordinating international efforts to support States, on their request, in their democratization processes, Urging States to acknowledge the important contribution of civil society, including human rights defenders, journalists and media workers, to the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and to ensure a safe and enabling environment for their work, both online and offline, Recognizing the value of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law for exchange, dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation on the interrelationship between human rights, democracy and the rule of law, in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter, and acknowledging the importance of existing regional formats in the field of human rights, Stressing that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and in this regard recalling the report of the Secretary-General on strengthening and coordinating United Nations rule of law activities, 1 in which the Secretary-General addressed the ways and means of developing further the linkages between the rule of law and the three main pillars of the United Nations, namely, peace and security, human rights and development, 1. Notes the completion, in November 2018, of the second session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, and commends the engaged participation of stakeholders, including representatives of Parliaments, who emphasized the role of Parliaments as key actors in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law; 2. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson on the work of the second session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law,2 and invites States and other stakeholders to consider and implement the relevant recommendations contained therein; 3. Decides that the theme of the third session of the Forum, to be held in 2020, will be “Equal access to justice for all: a necessary element of democracy, rule of law and human rights protection”; 4. Also decides that participation in the third session of the Forum will be in accordance with the modalities set out by the Human Rights Council in its resolutions 28/14 and 34/41; 1 2 2 A/72/268. A/HRC/40/65.