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

(19.1) Mr IBRAHIM (Kuwait) (Translation from the Arabic):
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Mr President, Mr Chairperson of the Executive
Board, Mr Director-General, distinguished heads and members of delegations, ladies and gentlemen, I greet you
and bid you welcome. On behalf of Kuwait, I should like to congratulate the President of the General Conference
on her election to this high function. I should also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Federico Mayor, the
Director-General, and his colleagues in various posts within UNESCO, for their admirable efforts on behalf of the
Organization and the outstanding accomplishments that have resulted from their judgement and leadership.
(19.2) UNESCO enjoys the world’s confidence and respect, and the world hopes that it will lead the march of
progress along the road of human development in pursuit of cultural, social and economic evolution until security
and prosperity are ultimately reached. UNESCO is the appropriate organization to bring those hopes to fruition
because it is a forum of thought and culture, where the finest thinkers and the flower of experience are to be found;
its conferences represent the results of unceasing efforts to promote human development in all parts of the world.
Its efforts to achieve cultural mixing and cultural transfer between peoples, to reach agreement on shared and
related values, and to promote what have come to be recognized as human rights, including the right to peace, the
right of development and the right to freedom of expression and opinion, all these efforts have led us to anticipate
even greater accomplishments on the part of our Organization at the dawn of the new century, which will, we hope,
usher in security and prosperity for humanity.
(19.3) Ladies and gentlemen, the State of Kuwait believes in UNESCO’s mission, and is playing its role in
fulfilling that mission through educational establishments and institutions of culture and reflection whose mutually
complementary efforts are helping to achieve higher standards of living with greater meaning and dignity. It is
sparing no effort to improve and develop its education system, and to that end it has adopted a strategy which
provides a framework extending through the first 25 years of the third millennium, a strategy worked out in
cooperation with UNESCO. That cooperative effort has resulted in the strengthening of Kuwait’s faith in the
principle of human rights, the free circulation of ideas, and the importance of taking advantage of the revolution in
information and communication technology, the effects of which are being reflected in every aspect of life. It is
also essential for human resource training to prepare individuals to acquire the necessary skills and to be capable of
moving from one field of work to another.
(19.4) One aspect of Kuwait’s approach to educational improvement has been the establishment of teacher
training centres as independent institutions affording opportunities and facilities for the upgrading of teachers to a
level that makes them effective as a means of attaining the major objectives of the country’s education strategy. In
addition, those centres strengthen the role of the private sector in the educational process, oriented as they are
towards the opening of private universities to provide top-flight education and the idea that institutions and
individuals in a position to do so have a duty to encourage excellence, foster talent, and establish private training
facilities.
(19.5) Kuwait is interested in the Arabia Plan programme, and is eager to proceed with and implement all three
parts of it. To that end, it proposes to cooperate to the utmost of its ability. It is noteworthy that Kuwait may be
among the States that have gone the furthest in giving effect to the right of reading for all, with cultural field
service, knowledge chains, books, both original and translated, a scientific encyclopaedia for children, and other
publications that are sold at less than cost. Furthermore, foreign scholars are invited to visit Kuwait, and generous
grants are available for that purpose. Kuwait intends to expand and enlarge on all these initiatives, which are
consistent with the Arabia Plan programme and will be useful in its implementation.
(19.6) Ladies and gentlemen, Kuwait has not forgotten and continues gratefully to acknowledge UNESCO’s
efforts in support of its righteous cause in its hour of trial. Once again, I salute you all, and I hope that our
Conference will be highly successful. Thank you, Mr President. Peace and the Mercy and Blessing of God be upon
you.
(20) The PRESIDENT (Translation from the Arabic):
I thank the head of the delegation of Kuwait for his thoughtful remarks. I now give the floor to Ms Aslaug
Haga, Minister of Cultural Affairs of Norway.
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