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

10.2 The 30th session of the General Conference is being held at a time of special prominence. In a matter of
two months, we will enter a new millennium. Such coincidence is of immense significance for thinkers, planners
and policy-makers in the fields of culture, science and education. It makes us mindful of that great event in
history, that is, the miraculous birth of a Prophet, which opened a new chapter in the spiritual evolution of
humankind, and its wonderful impact and blessings touch our lives to this day. We Muslims, who consider the
mission of our Prophet as being in continuity with the coming of Christ, hope that in the new millennium, relying
on divine teachings, humankind will be able to return to its true spiritual roots and destiny.
10.3 If at this juncture, at the threshold of the third millennium, we look back to the beginning of the second
millennium, we face quite a different civilizational contour and perspective. During that era, the Islamic
civilization, which came into being with the calling of the Prophet, was at the height of its splendour. In those
days, the great centres and institutions of science and education were situated in countries that today belong to
the so-called developing world. The harbingers and pioneers in the fields of science, thought and culture then
lived in those regions, and knowledge, techniques and scientific know-how were exported from those areas to the
rest of the world.
10.4 Comparing the world at the dawn of the third millennium with the world at the beginning of the second
millennium indicates that culture and education are not privileges enjoyed solely by certain nations or
civilizations. They are not privileges that others are barred from on account of an intrinsic shortcoming and
inaptitude. Knowledge and culture are the common heritage of humankind and all peoples of the world have a
share in their development and evolution. Today we are entrusted with a legacy accumulated through the efforts
of all nations and peoples. Accordingly, we are duty-bound to render its benefits accessible to all the peoples of
the world in an equal and equitable manner.
10.5 To achieve this end, it is high time we took stock of the history of scientific and cultural transformation
in previous centuries. We ought critically to scrutinize this history, for although in many fields it has brought
about progress, this progress has at times been attained at a great and exorbitant price. Technological and
industrial progress has led to terrible environmental crises and the destruction of many forms of life. The
advancement of Western culture has in many instances been purchased at the cost of colonizing other countries
and annihilating indigenous cultures. The growth of interest in modern empirical science has endangered many
other forms and structures of knowledge which had deep roots in other civilizations. Today the expansion of new
world communication networks threatens the national and traditional values and norms which underpin national
and local identities.
10.6 Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, on the eve of the new millennium, the fact that the world is not
divided into first- and second-class citizens ought to be universally understood. The gap that exists between
nations with respect to knowledge, medical care, stability and industrial growth arises from injustice and
oppression. Entering the third millennium, we should firmly commit ourselves to the eradication of injustice and
human abasement.
10.7 As the representative of a country with an old culture, which is keen to participate in international
scientific and cultural cooperation, I have the great honour to offer my appreciation to UNESCO for its valuable
endeavours in these areas, especially in recent years. Between the 29th and the 30th sessions of the General
Conference, on the initiative of UNESCO, three world conferences have been held in the fields of culture,
education, and science. The organization of these conferences denotes far-sightedness and vigour on the part of
UNESCO in examining these sensitive and important fields. Viewpoints exchanged at these conferences indicate
that the roles and responsibilities of knowledge and culture in the perspective of the contemporary world are
unequal and remain undefined. The distribution of knowledge, its benefits, its institutions and educational and
research facilities in our world are far from satisfactory.
10.8 We consequently support the outcome of the Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for
Development, the World Conference on Higher Education and the World Conference on Science. We welcome
and fully endorse the recommendations of these conferences which take into account a culture-based
development, promote further investment of countries in education, call for a stronger connection between
education and research, emphasize the need for participation in the production of information and scientific
knowledge, encourage the expansion of cooperation at the national, regional and international levels, propose
new and diverse roles for universities vis-à-vis society, promote the safeguarding of indigenous knowledge and
the cultural heritage and highlight the importance of eliminating all kinds of discrimination in the field of
education. We hope that the necessary mechanisms for implementing these recommendations will be provided, so
that culture, science and technology will be in service of the sustainable development advocated by UNESCO
and the international community. What gives the decisions and recommendations of these three conferences
special importance is the ever-increasing fusion of science and technology with economic and political power in
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