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

13.6 Mesdames et Messieurs, aux prises avec un processus objectif auquel l'UNESCO ne peut échapper - la
mondialisation - nous sommes amenés à concevoir de manière vigoureuse une coopération qui développe l'esprit
d'unité dans la multiplicité du divers. Les organisations ayant une vocation mondiale ne peuvent plus se contenter
à rendre possible le dialogue Est-Ouest ou Nord-Sud, comme c'était le cas dans les années passées. Le monde de
plus en plus interdépendant vers lequel on s'achemine commande à l'ensemble des instituts et réseaux de
l'UNESCO des tâches de plus en plus complexes, qu'il convient d'exécuter avec souplesse. Dans cette
perspective, nous soutenons vivement la politique de décentralisation, de renforcement des centres régionaux et
des instituts spécialisés de l'UNESCO. Pour héberger l'un de ces centres spécialisés, le Centre européen pour
l'enseignement supérieur (CEPES) qui fut, entre les deux Europes, une grande fenêtre ouverte au moment de sa
création, la Roumanie entend toujours leur accorder son appui.
13.7 Issus d'un pays qui s'est donné comme tâche d'être une île de stabilité dans un paysage marqué par des
haines et déchirements sanglants, nous nous sommes attachés, avant tout, au respect fidèle de ce qui permet à
l'Europe et au monde d'être dignes d'eux-mêmes. Entre des tentatives, combien nocives, d'anéantir les rapports et
la collaboration pacifiques, la Roumanie met en oeuvre un concept de noble ascendance, forgé par l'un de nos
plus éclatants devanciers. Ce fut N. Titulesco, président de la Société des Nations et infatigable champion de
l'entente internationale, qui, en réponse aux agressions cyniques, aux transgressions douloureuses, sut démontrer
qu'il faut "spiritualiser les frontières" : les soustraire à l'emprise brutale et à l'arbitrage par la force, les rendre
perméables à l'échange intensif des intérêts de la civilisation et au dynamisme de la culture. Ce généreux legs
moral est sans doute loin d'avoir épuisé son actualité. Je vous remercie de votre attention.
14. The PRESIDENT:
I should like to thank His Excellency the Minister for National Education of Romania. It is indeed
10 years since the great change started in your country and I wish you the very best. You are very right that once
democracy has been established it has to be nurtured. I now call the next speaker on my list, who is His
Excellency the Honourable John Waiko, Minister for Education of Papua New Guinea. Your Excellency, you
have the floor.
15.1 Mr WAIKO (Papua New Guinea):
Madam President, Mr Director-General, Ministers of State, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies
and gentlemen, on behalf of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea I should like to join other
speakers in conveying our congratulations on your election as President of the 30th session of the General
Conference of UNESCO. I also wish to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to your predecessor for his
outstanding contribution in facilitating the work of the 29th session.
15.2 Madam President, it is only fitting that we should pay a special tribute to Mr Federico Mayor for his
outstanding leadership of the Organization. His positive contributions to humanity during his term of office as
Director-General will be remembered as one of this century’s remarkable achievements. We are confident that he
will continue to serve with equal determination and enthusiasm in his future endeavours.
15.3 Through Mr Mayor, UNESCO has made a useful and substantial contribution to Papua New Guinea’s
development. For us, the most important event has been the historic signing of the Memorandum of
Understanding between my government and UNESCO in May this year. My government is keen to work with
UNESCO for the full implementation of the Memorandum, starting immediately with the establishment of the
UNESCO Office in Port Moresby to serve the Melanesian States and peoples and with the creation of two
professorships at our universities.
15.4 Madam President, this is the last General Conference of this century and its outcome, we believe, will
lay the foundations for appropriate policies and strategies to guide the Organization in meeting the challenges of
the new millennium. As we approach the next millennium we are reminded of the United Nation’s resolution
declaring the year 2000 the International Year for the Culture of Peace. We support and recognize UNESCO’s
efforts to fulfil this commitment through its Culture of Peace programme which the Director-General has been
advocating throughout the world.
15.5 The world we live in is faced with many problems and challenges but UNESCO has to a large extent
demonstrated its leadership and its ability to finding solutions to some of these shortcomings through its special
competence and its networks. In this regard, my delegation fully supports the Draft Programme and Budget for
2000-2001.
15.6 Madam President, we welcome our two new Pacific neighbours Palau and the Federated States of
Micronesia who have now joined the family of UNESCO. May I also welcome the Cayman Islands which was
admitted as an Associate Member this morning. This is a clear testimony to the universal character of the
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