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

its applications in the service of human development, recognition of the risks to human life of environmental
changes, and priority to education as a human right, a means of development and an instrument for the realization
of human potential. The draft programme also reaffirms the Organization’s desire to enhance its methods of
management and to assume its future-oriented roles. Ladies and gentlemen, UNESCO’s draft programme can be
implemented only with the support of the international family, the participation of human societies, and the
contribution of their creative abilities and innovative capacities. Only thus can the Organization safely make the
transition to a new century that will bring in its train challenges, aspirations and new issues, including the
population explosion, the disruption of the balance of nature, galloping change in information technology, the
growing problems of development and indebtedness, the widening gap between rich nations and poor nations, and
the dominance of globalization, with its concomitant cultural, political, social and economic implications. The task
of addressing these various issues will require the formulation of innovative national, regional and international
strategies. The world’s natural and human capital must be judiciously used if the dynamics, the changes and the
demands of the new era are to be appropriately met, and if a higher level of human development is to be achieved,
one that is characterized by qualitative improvement in social, economic, cultural and political terms.
(4.3) Jordan, with its historic leadership role, its Arab and international mission, its democratic tradition, the
horizons of which were dominated by His late Majesty, King Hussein, whose death was an irreparable loss to the
international family and the human community, and whose successor, His Majesty King Abdullah II, is working to
consolidate the roots of that tradition with confidence and ability, Jordan, I say, clearly understands the important
role played by education, culture and science in the advancement of human development. In Jordan’s national
development project – comprehensive in scope, forward-looking in orientation, scientific in conception, systematic
in design – the relationships among the nation’s educational, cultural and scientific strategies are deliberately
strengthened. Scientific research, the allocation of resources for research purposes, the utilization of research
results and data to develop the nation’s capabilities in applying those results and data, these are the main elements
of Jordan’s science and technology strategy. Cultural development, with its individual, social and institutional
dimensions, is aimed at strengthening both the country’s awareness of its roots and its position in the contemporary
world and making it aware of other cultures; it is oriented towards pride in our cultural identity while seeking to
channel our cultural capabilities in the direction of innovation, intellectual productivity and participation in world
culture. Jordan’s educational strategy, for its part, is designed to serve the vaulting hopes and aspirations of society
through the establishment of an education system that takes into account the importance of the development of a
spirit of creativity and rationality, the role of education in strengthening the concepts of social security, national
affiliation, democratic values and the assimilation of a culture of peace (understood in its just, humanistic sense), as
well as the dissemination of knowledge and information technology, including the educational use of computers.
The aim of this strategy is to enhance the role played by schools and teachers in shaping the individuals of the
future and honing their capabilities, intellectual and scientific, so as to ensure that education will prevail over
catastrophe. Human history may be summed up as the story of struggle between education and catastrophe, and
education will always win, provided peoples and nations are bound together by mutual respect, goodwill, respect
for human rights, and participation in the task of building a shared future for coming generations.
(4.4) This, then, is the array of educational, cultural and scientific strategies on which Jordan is relying in its
national development project, as it prepares to interact with the realities and challenges of the twenty-first century.
The aims of that project are consistent with the objectives of this Organization as set forth in its future-oriented
draft programme, and with its humanistic and ethical mandate. I take this opportunity to reaffirm Jordan’s desire to
support this Organization, strengthen its action, contribute to the success of its programmes and promote its
leadership role in the fields of education, science and culture throughout the world. Thank you for your attention.
Peace and the Blessing and Mercy of God be upon you.
5. La PRESIDENTA:
Muchísimas gracias al Excmo. Dr. Jaradat. Tiene la palabra el Excmo. Sr. Luis Ignacio Gómez
Gutiérrez, Ministro de Educación de Cuba.
(5) The PRESIDENT (Translation from the Spanish):
Thank you very much, Your Excellency. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr Luis Ignacio Gómez
Gutiérrez, the Minister of Education of Cuba.
6.1 Sr. GÓMEZ GUTIÉRREZ (Cuba):
Señora Presidenta de la Conferencia, representante del Sr. Director General, distinguidos delegados:
Resulta una dramática realidad que los nobles objetivos que la UNESCO ha perseguido desde su fundación y los
programas y metas aprobados a favor del progreso de la educación, la ciencia y la cultura, corran el peligro de no
cumplirse para la inmensa mayoría de la humanidad. No puede esperarse otra cosa de un orden económico en el
que las fortunas de las 225 personas más ricas de este planeta son iguales al ingreso anual de los 2.500 millones
de personas más pobres del mundo. Adicionalmente, se incumple el compromiso contraído por los países más
ricos de aportar el 0,7% de su PIB como ayuda internacional al desarrollo, pues apenas sobrepasa el 0,2%.
6.2 Se calcula que proporcionar acceso universal a la enseñanza básica para todos costaría 6.000 millones
de dólares anuales. Mientras tanto, inexplicablemente, continúa la carrera armamentista en la que se invierte
anualmente la astronómica cifra de 780.000 millones de dólares, es decir, más de diez veces más. Ese orden
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