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

12.2 Mr President, Mr Director-General, distinguished delegates and guests, in the course of the past seven
years since the emergence of the independent Slovak Republic, a country of 5 million people in the heart of
Europe, our homeland has been in a process of constant transitional changes in the economic, social, cultural and
educational spheres. The goal of this transitional process is to make every citizen of our country understand the
new hierarchy of values, which in a democratic society is based on respecting human rights – including, of
course, those of ethnic minorities – as well as freedom of speech, tolerance and the right to participate in
decision-making processes. In reality, it means establishing and accepting the common culture of peace and
partnership among countries, as it is declared by this Organization.
12.3 The Government of the Slovak Republic places special emphasis on some of UNESCO’s programme
goals, particularly on its notion of lifelong education or lifelong learning. In the Slovak Republic, the education
process at all levels is currently undergoing substantial changes in both structure and content, as well as in the
system of teaching and learning. In the field of education, Slovakia has been participating actively in UNESCO’s
international projects. For instance, a total of 19 Slovak schools are in UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project,
and there are UNESCO Clubs and a UNESCO information centre operating successfully in the country, as well
as several UNESCO Chairs at Slovak universities, of which the most recent – a UNESCO Chair in translation
studies at the Comenius University in Bratislava – was established in June 1998 thanks to financial support from
UNESCO.
12.4 In June 1998, also with financial support from UNESCO, our capital Bratislava successfully hosted the
second UNESCO Conference on Social Sciences in Europe.
12.5 Slovakia seized the opportunity to participate in the World Conference on Higher Education, which was
held under the auspices of UNESCO in October 1998 in Paris. The results of this Conference, summed up in the
resulting World Declaration, will be reflected in a conceptual plan of higher education development that is
currently being prepared in the Slovak Republic, as well as in the preparation of a new Higher Education Act that
is expected to enter into force in Slovakia in 2000.
12.6 The recommendations of the fifth International Conference on Adult Education, which was organized
under the auspices of UNESCO, were incorporated into the preparatory work for the Act on further, or rather,
continuing education, which entered into force in Slovakia on 1 January 1998. This Act broadens possibilities for
the further or continuing education of Slovak citizens in both State and non-State institutions. Within the
framework of cooperation between Slovakia and UNESCO, and with financial support from UNESCO, the
Slovak Republic held in Bratislava in May 1999 an international workshop entitled “Monitoring Learning
Achievement”.
12.7 Since the Government of the Slovak Republic places great emphasis on the role of natural, technical and
social sciences in economic and social processes, our country, in cooperation with UNESCO, takes part in the
five international and intergovernmental UNESCO programmes on informatics, hydrology, geology, man and the
biosphere, and management of social transformations. In all of those programmes, Slovak scientists are making
significant progress. The scientific community of Slovakia very much appreciates the role of UNESCO in the
above-mentioned programmes, which have enabled them to participate in the solution of the global problems of
humanity, especially in past decades.
12.8 Slovakia occupies the significant post of President of the Intergovernmental Informatics Programme and
a post in CIGEPS, the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport, and it hereby declares its
preparedness to assume in full the tasks arising from these important posts.
12.9 In the field of culture, respecting the 1989 Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture
and Folklore, Slovakia endeavours to support, develop and revive traditional folk customs, folk production and
folk arts and crafts.
12.10 In the field of cultural heritage protection, a new law on libraries is being prepared, which will
incorporate, in accordance with UNESCO principles, a manifesto on public libraries and a provision on the
administration, protection, processing and provision of access to historical library holdings.
12.11 Through the Slovak Committee for UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme, Slovakia is actively
participating in implementing this project on its territory. Slovakia has made a contribution of two projects in the
Memory of the World register of the world’s cultural heritage, and is very proud of having received such an
honour. There are several Slovak sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, while another, the
historical monument preservation of the city of Bardejov, is currently being assessed by UNESCO. The
94