UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

10.3 The world as a global village is an accepted reality. Ideas and ideologies recognize no boundaries and
the emerging trend towards globalization has received almost universal agreement. However, following the Asian
financial and economic crisis, globalization has assumed more negative undertones and is now mentioned with
guarded apprehension. The global challenges which will confront us as we move into the next millennium will
have many implications and will take many forms. As this globalization process continues to expand and grow,
world trade will further increase and more global wealth will be generated. With globalization, however, the gap
between the rich and the poor has widened. Disparities have increased both within and between nations.
Globalization has also put increasing pressures on our natural ecosystems and has generated huge amounts of
pollution.
10.4 A key challenge for the international community in the new millennium is therefore to make a success of
globalization for the benefit of all. The challenge is essentially to develop mechanisms and international
structures that can provide safeguards against the recurrence of future crises as well as more effective
management of crises when they do occur. In this regard, fundamental reform is therefore necessary. And if
globalization is to bring about broad-based growth and development, a sine qua non for global security, then
global economic governance must encompass all stakeholders.
10.5 The pre-eminence of education in a globalized world cannot be overstated. Ever-increasing investment
in education must be the order of things for all countries to succeed in a globalized era. Such investments, as in
the case of Malaysia, are provided not only by the government but also by off-budget agencies and corporations,
the sum of which means that we have surpassed the UNESCO benchmark of 25% of the government budget for
education. Such investment must be channelled towards enhancing educational infrastructure at all levels,
ensuring computer literacy for the masses, emphasizing mathematics, science and technical education, increasing
competency in languages, encouraging thinking and creative skills and fortifying the moral and ethical fibre of
the society. Only if we are successful in these areas can we be a significant player in the globalized world.
10.6 Madam President, countries in UNESCO are at different stages of development. We in Malaysia have
been quite successful in transforming our economy from an agrarian to an industrialized one but even before
completing this phase of development, we are trying to lay the foundations for a knowledge-based economy
through our multimedia supercorridor initiative.
10.7 In this regard, whilst the euphoria and buzz seems to revolve around computers, the Internet and
software development, we should not neglect or denigrate the importance of culture and values. One must have a
strong passion for knowledge, its acquisition and application. In other words, we have to make learning a national
passion. In most countries, including Malaysia, politics and football – or something else – is the national passion.
Unless we make every organization a learning organization and society as a whole a learning society, we will be
unable to develop ourselves to become a knowledge economy and a knowledge-rich society. Data in its rawest
form has to be transformed into information, information into knowledge, and knowledge – when coupled with
the “X-factor” – into wisdom.
10.8 To make learning our national and global passion must be our battle cry as we march into the next
millennium. Malaysia reaffirms its unstinting support for the vision and mission of UNESCO. To underscore our
country’s commitment, we have participated in many UNESCO programmes and activities in many Member
States. The establishment of the Regional Humid Tropics Hydrology and Water Resources Centre for Southeast
Asia and the Pacific under the aegis of UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme is one of the many
ways in which Malaysia has and will continue to contribute towards the fulfilment of UNESCO’s mission.
Malaysia believes in the importance of UNESCO and we will play our part in ensuring the continued relevance
of UNESCO in the next century, in particular in the areas of sustainable development, the attainment of a culture
of peace and the eradication of global poverty. Thank you.
(M. Musitelli, France, prend la présidence)
11. Le PRESIDENT :
Je remercie S. Exc. M. Dato' Sri Najib, ministre de l'éducation de la Malaisie et je donne la parole à
S. Exc. M. Milan Ftáčnik, ministre de l'éducation de la Slovaquie. Vous avez la parole, Monsieur le ministre.
12.1 Mr FTÁČNIK (Slovakia):
Mr President, first of all allow me to extend my cordial congratulations to Ms Moserová on her election
as President of the 30th session of UNESCO’s General Conference. Slovakia is especially pleased by this
decision.
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