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

knowledge, on the restoration of a culture of new humanities, visited by a multiculturalism that promotes
diversity and blends the specific with the universal to form a mosaic of enriching world citizenship. Let the
supremacy of the individual, Madam President, be the corollary of a culture of peace in the coming millennium.
Thank you for your attention.
9. The PRESIDENT:
I should like to thank His Excellency the Minister of Education and Scientific Research of Mauritius for
sharing with us his experiences and his thoughts and facts about his country. I now give the floor to Mr Nazar
Abbas Siddiqui, on behalf of the Ministry of Education of Pakistan.
10.1 Mr SIDDIQUI (Pakistan):
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Madam President of the General Conference,
Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Mr Director-General of UNESCO, distinguished delegates,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let me avail myself of this opportunity, Madam President, on behalf of
myself, my delegation and the Government of Pakistan, to congratulate you on your election to this esteemed
office. We believe that with your wisdom and experience you will guide the deliberations and other affairs of the
General Conference towards its cherished goals. I also thank the outgoing President, Mr Eduardo Portella, for his
dedicated services and excellence in handling this responsible position. I would also like to take this opportunity
to extend my government’s heartiest felicitations to Mr Matsuura upon his nomination by the Executive Board to
the post of Director-General and would like to assure him of our full cooperation and support not only during his
election at this General Conference but throughout his term of office as he faces the tough challenges of the new
millennium. I also wish to express my government’s deep gratitude to Mr Federico Mayor for his endless efforts
in making this Organization what it is today and for prioritizing the needs and aspirations of the developing
world. As you leave this Organization, Mr Mayor, let me assure you on behalf of the Government of Pakistan that
you will always be remembered with regard and respect for your support and guidance.
10.2 Here I would like to say a few words about the present Government of Pakistan, as several delegates
have asked me questions in this regard. As you are aware, on 12 October 1999, circumstances were created in the
country which necessitated the intervention of the army to save the Federation and to safeguard the interests of
the people. Bad governance, corruption, increasing terrorist activities and continued economic deterioration had
become matters of extreme concern for the people of the country and the international community. That is why
the army intervention has been welcomed by the people, as reported by the international media. There is general
appreciation of the circumstances which led to the intervention; the Chief Executive of the new Government in
Pakistan has pledged to pursue a course of action to rectify the situation in the shortest possible time; however,
the mess accumulated over the years may take time to resolve; hence it is too early to give a time-frame at this
stage. The Chief Executive has assured the people of Pakistan and the world that every effort will be made to
accomplish the task in the shortest possible time, so that the return of fully democratic governance is not delayed
beyond the required time. Meanwhile, Madam President, freedom of the press is fully protected along with other
democratic institutions in Pakistan.
10.3 Madam President, as we approach the twenty-first century, the world looks towards UNESCO for
creating a society free from want, deprivation and ignorance. Unfortunately, the forces of violence, intolerance,
ethnic and religious differences unleashed in various parts of the world have become a serious threat to global
peace and stability. Without peace there can be no progress. UNESCO’s mission is to promote human dignity
and to bolster peace efforts. Its Constitution states that "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of
men that the defences of peace must be constructed". We must all renew our commitment to a human race free
from the burdens of violence, war, poverty and ignorance. All this can be achieved only through solidarity,
dialogue and sharing. UNESCO has a vital role to play in the establishment of a culture of peace.
10.4 We believe that the key to counter the forces of destruction and prevailing social evils is through
education, education and more education. As a result of our efforts, the literacy rate in our country has risen from
39% to 46%, and these efforts continue. Within the ambit of education, UNESCO should continue to make
education for all the focus of attention. We are waiting to see the results of the EFA 2000 Assessment to gain a
clear picture of the extent of the progress made in terms of achieving the goals set at the Jomtien Conference.
10.5 I would like to take the liberty of requesting the Director-General to send a UNESCO mission to
Pakistan to help develop an evaluation model for secondary education and to prepare an action plan for
implementation. Pakistan would also like to be considered as the host country for establishing a regional training
centre to train vocational and technical teachers in the implementation of the UNEVOC model which is being
developed by Pakistan with the active involvement of experts from the Asia and the Pacific region. Madam
President, within that region, South Asia deserves special attention by UNESCO in the field of combating
illiteracy since it covers two thirds of the world’s illiterates. It has been noted with concern that, whereas
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