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

situation will lead to fundamental changes in the way we see education today. So far the trend has been to adjust
education systems continuously to the development of society. Any further adjustments would be difficult and,
instead, deep systemic changes will have to be made. It is necessary for UNESCO to be actively involved into the
current professional discussions.
9.5 Teachers represent the substance of each and every education system. We support UNESCO’s overall
efforts to improve the position of teachers and to create adequate conditions for their work.
9.6 Since its foundation, UNESCO has been playing an important role in the development of international
cooperation in the area of natural sciences. We strongly believe that once it is under way, cooperation within the
MOST social sciences programme will accelerate. Our specialists are ready to be actively involved in further new
projects.
9.7 The World Conference on Science organized by UNESCO in Budapest this year mapped out some of
the essential tasks faced by scientists in the acquisition of new scientific knowledge and its utilization for the
further development of humanity and for the solution of social problems. The Conference explicitly raised the
question of ethics in science. The relationship between society and science has currently been undergoing some
difficulties arising from fears about certain new scientific findings, especially in the field of genetics. In this
connection, we appreciate the efforts exerted by UNESCO in the field of bioethics and the adoption of the
Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights. We welcome the establishment of the
International Bioethics Committee.
9.8 With regard to Major Programme III “Cultural development: the heritage and creativity”, the Czech
Republic especially welcomes UNESCO’s efforts to continue to complement the system of international
conventions concerning the cultural heritage, even in areas not covered so far. However it will not be possible to
do so without the corresponding personnel base within UNESCO, especially if we also want UNESCO to
concern itself with the fate of the conventions already adopted.
9.9 Regarding the programme dealing with living cultures, the Czech Republic is especially appreciative of
the fact that UNESCO has begun to direct its attention to children and youth. We are convinced that we should
concern ourselves not only with young artists but, first and foremost, with young viewers and listeners. Without
them, the arts will be addressing an empty space – they will lose their raison d’être. Unless they understand
culture and the arts, they, too, will be vulnerable to the deluge of trivia to which they have been exposed by some
electronic media, and will find it hard to seek their own ways to protect themselves from the risk of idly spent
leisure time, drugs and soon.
9.10 As one of those described as decision-makers, I very much welcome the emergence of the new
UNESCO Institute for Statistics. We shall be pleased if it manages to expand its methodological assistance to
individual countries so that any collected data are mutually compatible. The point is that for us, too, statistical
data and international comparisons often represent important arguments and starting points.
9.11 To ensure that the broad strata of the population are well-informed, free and democratic media are of
course very important, not only as the watchdog of human rights but also as a source of information and feedback
both for life itself and for our decisions. This task, though, will require such media that are not only free but are
also aware of their responsibility in terms of tolerance, peace and the observance of democratic legislation, and
also for the development of culture, sciences and education. I believe that this constructive aspect in the activities
of both the traditional and the new media should also be upheld more strongly by UNESCO in the future, that it
is necessary to stress their responsibility, including the role they should play in the ethical development of each
and every human being. Let us submit for consideration whether in future the UNESCO programmes for
education, science and culture should have more matter-of-fact and explicit links to the UNESCO programme for
communication and information.
9.12 The Czech Republic considers the role of libraries, especially libraries in medium-sized and small
settlements and in schools to be a key factor in the field of broad-based education and the development of the
information society. The point is not only to equip such libraries with suitable information technologies. It is to
have their role and position enshrined in conceptual political documents and to ensure that their new functions
enjoy the support of mutually compatible national legislative norms. It needs to be understood that within the
information society, the global information network links even those small libraries that are most readily
accessible to every citizen. Their functions and position should therefore be harmonized, if possible, in order to
facilitate international cooperation. The Czech Republic is obviously very well aware that at the same time,
libraries and archives act as very important depositories of the priceless documentary and picture heritage, and
therefore hold in high regard the Memory of the World programme.
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