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

12.10 For our part, we solemnly pledge, in conformity with our centuries-old customary laws, to adhere to the
culture of peace. We commend the United Nations General Assembly's proclamation of the year 2000 as United
Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations. We hope these two programme activities will convince the world
of the destructiveness of war. The United Nations resolution should provide a happy link with the International
Year for the Culture of Peace.
12.11 In matters of the development of the cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, we believe we have
reached a defining point at which giant steps could be envisioned. The time has come for a comprehensive
stocktaking exercise. Resources are being mobilized towards this end. The preparations for a national pilot
inventory survey of cultural resources throughout the country are just under way and we hope that the
Organization will play its role in areas such as folklore, archaeology, oral history, traditional architecture and
crafts, to name only a few areas.
12.12 We sincerely appreciate UNESCO's special efforts to promote Africa's educational, cultural and
scientific requirements. The Priority Africa Programme has been useful in bringing into focus the crucial
problems and needs facing the countries of this continent. This Programme has been going on for nearly a dozen
years. We need to know the imprints and impacts it has made. It is also about time we posed the same questions
in respect of the MINEDAF encounters, the first of which took place four decades ago.
12.13 In his introduction to the Draft Programme and Budget for 2000-2001, the Director-General states that
decentralization is a means of promoting the linkages between Headquarters and the field and that it could be an
effective instrument for the implementation of UNESCO's programmes. It is also a device, if well used by
Member States to secure effective participation in the programme of the Organization. If this is the case, and we
believe it is, the concentration of UNESCO's presence in a few countries or selected subregions should be
avoided to the extent possible. Regional and subregional offices of UNESCO should make their presence felt and
ensure that no country feels ignored while others are excessively favoured on account of their geographical
location. They should aim at balancing the presence of UNESCO and of its services.
12.14 In the six years of our presence here as a Member State of UNESCO, we would have liked to proudly
enumerate the visits or contacts by UNESCO. This is regrettably not the case. We are, of course, grateful for the
Director-General's visit to the country in 1997. We are also grateful for his generous pledges. We await the full
implementation of those activities, which are mostly still in the pipeline.
12.15 As I approach the end of my statement I would like to make special mention of two programmes. Both
the women and girls and youth programmes are very special to us. One of the positive outcomes of the struggle
for independence is gender equality. As a result of their significant participation in the struggle, women no longer
have to prove their worth. They acquired respect and admiration by dint of their involvement and sacrifice in our
pursuit for freedom. They have equal access to all positions. Their eligibility to elected office is assured,
notwithstanding some lingering cultural values which, we are convinced, will fall apart when confronted with the
thinking in post-independent Eritrea. We thank UNESCO for its contribution towards girls' education in Eritrea.
The Organization's support for a survey involving 49 schools is not only acknowledged but also highly
appreciated.
12.16 It is our view that the second area devoted to a priority group of interest to our country, the youth
programme, seeks to put youth in its rightful place. The young are now recognized as one of the contributing
sectors of the nation. We will, therefore, follow with keen interest the progress of this programme. We find many
of its provisions of relevance to the Youth Forum. We are organizing a Festival on Culture and Sports for the
year 2000. Thousands of children will convene for sports competitions and cultural shows representing all the
regions of Eritrea. UNESCO's presence, in one form or another, will be needed.
12.17 We are particularly grateful to the General Conference for its generous consideration of our needs by the
two successive resolutions it passed on the emergency situation in Eritrea as a result of a 30-year war that left the
country in a devastated situation. We ask the Secretariat to inform the General Conference about the
implementation of the resolutions.
12.18 I would like to conclude my remarks by wishing the Director-General success. May this General
Conference reach the hearts and minds of the people of the world through its wisdom and vision for the future.
Thank you.
13. The PRESIDENT:
May I now call on Her Excellency Ms Evelyn Kandakai, Minister for Education of Liberia. Your
Excellency, you have the floor.
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