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

ANNEX
to the verbatim record of the ninth meeting
Statement by Dr Mate Granić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Head of the Delegation of the Republic of Croatia 2
Dr GRANIĆ (Croatia):
Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Mr Director-
General, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to decide on the activities of
UNESCO in the next two-year period, in the biennium which will lead us into the twenty-first century. The
challenges of the immediate future are enormous, and we should think very carefully how to respond to them.
The impact of new developments in science and technology on our everyday life is likely to become greater then
ever. The pace of global changes is becoming ever faster, and it seems to me that this requires not only the
possibility of rapid reaction but also thinking and planning ahead. We cannot foresee the future, but perhaps we
can anticipate trends and devise strategies to deal with their consequences, to adjust to new needs and to offer
adequate services. We therefore need an organization that can respond to these challenges and must double our
efforts to reshape it according to the world of tomorrow.
Very much has been achieved so far and UNESCO has made significant contributions to world peace
through education, culture and science. I take this opportunity to thank the Director-General, Mr Federico Mayor,
for his devoted and fruitful work. We are particularly grateful for UNESCO’s assistance during the years of war
in Croatia. During this difficult period UNESCO did not fail to respond to our appeals and to help integrate
independent Croatia into the world community. To give you an idea of the importance which UNESCO’s
presence had in Croatia at that time, let me single out one instance: if it had not been for the Director-General’s
quick and decisive reaction, the world heritage city of Dubrovnik would probably have suffered much more
damage than it has. The United Nations flag hoisted on its walls was a sign that the world cared and that wanton
destruction of the identity of a people would not be tolerated. I certainly wish that no other country will ever find
itself in the position of Croatia in 1992; but if it happens elsewhere, I hope that UNESCO will again act in the
same way and that its Director-General will follow the example of Mr Mayor.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The turn of the century has more than a symbolic meaning for UNESCO. For this Organization, it is an
opportunity to re-examine past achievements and assess new tasks. In a way, we have the opportunity to make a
fresh start. To this end we would have to reshape UNESCO to a certain extent, and this could be made the
responsibility of the new Director-General. But before I proceed to outline the Organization which, to my mind.
would be fit for its mission in the next millennium, let me first briefly look back on the activities of the past
biennium from the Croatian perspective.
Education
Croatia congratulates UNESCO on the organization of major conferences during the last biennium and
would like to commend the host countries of the World Conference on Higher Education, the Conference on
Culture and Development, and the World Conference on Science. In all major programme areas it seems
indispensable to continue along the lines set by Member States during these conferences and thus strive to
achieve better synergy and visibility to the benefit of UNESCO.
In the framework of the Education for All 2000 Assessment, the Croatian Ministry of Education and
Sports has recently carried out an in-depth assessment of the progress made since the 1990 Jomtien World
Conference on Education for All. Croatia is fully aware of the importance of statistics for Member States in
UNESCO’s fields of competence and Croatian experts participated in revising the International Standard
Classification of Education (ISCED).
The message of peace and international cooperation underlying all UNESCO activities has assumed its
place within the concept of Culture of Peace, this being an important objective not only in the year 2000 - the
International Year for the Culture of Peace - but also in the forthcoming decade, the International Decade for the
Promotion of the Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World. In this respect, we should
like to give credit to France and UNESCO for having hosted the World Parliament of Children which has left an
immense impression on young people from all over the world.
2
See 30 C/VR.9, paragraph 21.
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