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

its own limited financial resources? In this regard the fund-raising campaign for extrabudgetary resources
launched by the Director-General in office warrants our full support.
14.8 A serious problem for UNESCO is the growing number of Member States with arrears. However, what
can a Member State do if its failure to pay is due to circumstances beyond its control and it has no reserve from
which it can draw the necessary resources at a given time?
14.9 I should also like to say that, whatever our obligations to UNESCO are, we must be clear that those who
have the ideas which enhance and advance the Organization and make it a centre of attraction of all humanity are
its key partners, namely the Member States.
14.10 To conclude my statement I should like to thank the Director-General in office for his long-standing and
fruitful work, for his devotion to the aims and ideals of UNESCO and for the efforts he has exerted to give the
Organization its proper place in the world. We hope the new Director-General will secure effective continuity
and do everything possible to ensure that UNESCO is equipped to enter the third millennium and respond to the
interests and aspirations of humanity. Thank you for your attention.
15. The PRESIDENT:
Thank you. Indeed, the ethics of the future are being shaped even at this very moment. I now call the
next speaker, His Excellency Mr Ouranios Ioannides, Minister for Education and Culture of Cyprus. Your
Excellency, you have the floor.
16.1 Mr IOANNIDES (Cyprus):
Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Mr Director-
General, distinguished delegates, let me begin by congratulating you, Madam President, on your election. My
delegation is confident that under your wise direction this Conference will be a successful one. My delegation
would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Mr Federico Mayor on the occasion of the completion of
his second term as Director-General of UNESCO. Throughout his tenure, Mr Mayor has demonstrated qualities
of great vision and steadfast commitment to the ideals of peace, justice, freedom and cooperation set forth in the
Constitution of UNESCO. We are greatly indebted to him. A new Director-General is taking over at the helm of
our Organization. He has our best wishes and the assurance of our firm support in his difficult task.
16.2 Madam President, on the threshold of the third millennium I would like to reassert the commitment of
my country to UNESCO and the principles it stands for. Cyprus has been a member of this Organization since
1961 and has participated actively in its programmes in the fields of education, science and culture. A significant
example of our collaboration with UNESCO was the appraisal of our education system in 1997 by a team of
experts from the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) within the framework of the UNESCO
Participation Programme. On the basis of the recommendations contained in the IIEP report, the Cyprus
Government has put forward a Plan of Action which is now in the process of implementation. I am happy to
report that the Plan is already producing noticeable quantitative and qualitative results.
16.3 Referring to the four major programmes in the Draft Programme and Budget 2000-2001, we would like
to make the following observations. Major Programme I, “Education for all throughout life”, emphasizes once
more UNESCO’s commitment to the principle of education for all as a key parameter in the promotion of peace
and prosperity. I am proud to report that in Cyprus we have eradicated illiteracy. Attendance in both primary and
lower secondary education is 100%, while approximately 60% of our school-leavers continue their studies
beyond the secondary level. Lifelong education for all is a fundamental element in our educational policy through
such institutions as evening schools, state institutes for further education, technical education evening courses
and adult education centres. We are also considering the adoption of further measures for enhancing adult
education such as the establishment of an open university as well as the extension of the existing programme of
technical and vocational education so as to make it accessible to adults.
16.4 Madam President, it is with deep regret that my delegation has to report once again in this forum that the
sacred right to education is being flagrantly violated in the occupied parts of Cyprus. The prohibition of the
functioning of secondary schools, and the censoring and withholding of educational material sent by the
Government to the two remaining elementary schools deprive the Greek Cypriot students in this area of the
inalienable right to education. As a matter of fact there are currently only twenty-five Greek Cypriot pupils in
schools as a result of the policy of ethnic cleansing applied in this area since 1974.
16.5 I wish to welcome the provisions in document 30 C/5 relating to higher education in line with the
recommendations of the World Conference on Higher Education. The University of Cyprus, which had
UNESCO’s support in its initial period, has entered its eighth academic year. It now has four faculties with
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