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

24.4 Mr President, peace in the world and democratic changes are closely linked to the further development
of science, education at all levels, culture of dialogue and tolerance. It is a continuous process and calls for new
commitments and efforts. At the threshold of the third millennium, UNESCO has a particularly important role in
promoting the above-mentioned values. After all, they are enshrined in its own Constitution and ably embodied in
the Culture of Peace projects to which we fully subscribe. At the same time, UNESCO should continue to be the
source of intellectual inspiration and the symbol of the highest ethical and moral standards.
24.5 For all these purposes, we certainly have to look inward and courageously assess the situation in the
Organization itself. UNESCO must respond to the challenges and requirements of the new times: we need a
modern, well-focused, efficient Organization, ready to react promptly to the needs of Member States. In the
period since the last General Conference a number of interesting and valuable ideas and projects have been
initiated; now the time has come to chose, in a selective manner, those that reflect our priorities. Well-focused
and clearly-outlined projects and programmes will certainly easily gather the interest of potential donors and
bring financial means to implement them, particularly from extrabudgetary sources.
24.6 Allow me to join a number of previous speakers in emphasizing the importance of the educational
segment of UNESCO activities. In particular, the quality and amount of knowledge that young generations get
will in our view reflect the possibility of dialogue and tolerance in the future. And the best testimony that we can
count on the coming generations occurred a few days ago in this very room: the fascinating presentation of the
Youth Manifesto for the twenty-first century, as a result of the joint project of UNESCO and the French National
Assembly.
24.7 Mr President, an extremely important part of the tasks ahead of our Organization should be carried out
by the new leadership of the house. We welcome the designation of Ambassador Matsuura as nominee for the
post of Director-General. We expect him to come with fresh ideas and a good sense of management and wish him
every success in discharging his responsible duties. An active, inspiring role played by the General Conference,
close cooperation between the Executive Board and the Director-General, constant communication between the
Executive Board, the Director-General and Member States which are not Members of the Executive Board are, in
our opinion, prerequisites for the efficient performance of the Organization in the future.
24.8 Mr President, the last decade of this century has been much more turbulent in the region of South-East
Europe than anyone could have predicted. The tragic events in my country have left deep scars and many
negative consequences are still being felt. That is why support and help from the international community is
preciously needed. Four years after the signature of the peace agreement in Dayton, the process of reconstruction
and consolidation is proving to be slower and more complicated than expected. However, we believe that Bosnia
and Herzegovina is irreversibly on the way to building stable peace and a viable democratic society.
24.9 UNESCO was among the first to stand by the war-torn country. We are grateful for its help and support.
Today, UNESCO's role within its fields of competencies, in the overall process of the democratization of Bosnia
and Herzegovina, is extremely important. At this point, I would like to comment and praise the work of
UNESCO's Sarajevo Office, for it is very active and involved in many programmes, particularly in the sensitive
areas of education and free media, which are critical for the creation of an environment of mutual respect,
dialogue and cooperation. Only by listening to each other with respect shall we be able to repair the badly
damaged social tissue of a multi-ethnic state. And for that, a number of schools and universities are to be repaired
or built anew. It is of crucial importance that help by and through UNESCO continue in that area.
24.10 Mr President, the UNESCO presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina is also visible through the work of the
Dayton Commission in charge of the preservation of national monuments. The outstanding example is the
rebuilding of the Old Bridge in Mostar, initiated by UNESCO and supported by the World Bank, European
Union and a number of particular countries. It represents not only a major undertaking in restoration but also
carries the important symbolism of the re-establishment of broken ties and dialogue within the different ethnic
groups. In the same context, we found that UNESCO's MOST programme has particular relevance for our
country. I would also like to commend the recent holding of the seminar in Visby, Sweden, under the auspices of
UNESCO and the Swedish Government, entitled "Disarming history". It brought together experts, historians, and
scholars from the region of South-Eastern Europe to discuss the content of history books, with a view to
eliminating negative rhetoric and exclusive and xenophobic content. This is the only way to overcome the tragic
historic heritage and to find ways for harmonious and respectful relationships in the region.
24.11 Mr President, the high ideals of UNESCO are the cornerstones for the future of my country. I would like
to use this opportunity to recall that those messages were tirelessly brought to the peoples of Bosnia and
Herzegovina by the outgoing Director-General, Federico Mayor. I would like to express to our friend Mr Mayor
our heartfelt gratitude for his compassion with the sufferings of the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina; he was
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