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

múltiples voces de los pueblos”. Gracias, señor Vicepresidente Fernández Mirabal, por su visita a la UNESCO y
por traernos el mensaje alegre, vigoroso y esperanzador del noble pueblo dominicano. Muchas gracias.
(32.1) The DIRECTOR-GENERAL (Translation from the Spanish):
Your Excellency the Vice-President of the Dominican Republic, Mr Jaime David Fernández Mirabal,
Mrs Carmen Campos de Fernández, Your Excellency the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, distinguished
members of the entourage of the Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to add my voice
to those of the President of the General Conference and the Chairperson of the Executive Board in bidding you a
most cordial welcome to the 30th session of the General Conference, just as I did two years ago, when you
honoured us with your presence in this same forum.
(32.2) I salute in you the new generation of Latin American political leaders, who, with a keen social sense,
have set in motion new processes of governance and democratization in their respective countries, without losing
sight of the history, traditions, shortcomings and potential of their peoples; this is a generation which is carrying
out a far-reaching task of renovation, in which freedom and respect for human rights occupy pride of place.
(32.3) Shortly after your last visit, I had the opportunity of travelling to your country, the Dominican Republic,
a place where - in the words of the poet José Emilio Pacheco - “... the sea has no beginning. It starts where you first
find it and comes to meet you from all sides”. That was not my first encounter with your country, which is so close
to mine in language and culture; but it was most certainly an eye-opener to see for myself, rather than to gather
from statistics, the determined efforts your government is making to bring education to the most remote corners of
the Republic. This expansion of the education system is creating a dynamic of social and economic changes which
are helping to build peace and promote sustainable development. UNESCO, Mr Vice-President, has had the
privilege of contributing, discretely but enthusiastically, to the efforts that the government and President Leonel
Fernández Reyna have been making in these fields.
(32.4) I should like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to the Dominican Republic for its extremely
generous gesture in placing at UNESCO’s disposal a perfectly restored and fully equipped building which is part of
the colonial heritage of Santo Domingo, to serve as the UNESCO Office in that city. Once again, my deepest
gratitude to President Fernández Reyna and the Dominican people as a whole for this offer, which has such special
significance for UNESCO.
(32.5) Very shortly, your country will be hosting the Second Summit of Heads of State or Government of the
Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States. The imminence of this meeting brings to mind the words of one of
the most brilliant intellectuals of Latin America, Pedro Henríquez Ureña, a Dominican whom I quote for the
second time in addressing myself to Your Excellency. He said: “In a Utopian world, the differences of character
rooted in climate, language and traditions must not disappear. Instead, rather than signifying division and discord,
all these differences must come together as the myriad nuances of human unity. ‘Never’ to uniformity, the ideal of
arid imperialism; but ‘yes’ to unity, the harmony of the many voices of the peoples”. Thank you, Mr Vice-President
Fernández Mirabal, for your visit to UNESCO, and for bringing us the joyful, vigorous and hopeful message of the
noble people of the Dominican Republic. Thank you very much.
33. The PRESIDENT:
Thank you, Sir. I now have the great pleasure and honour of inviting the Vice-President of the
Dominican Republic, His Excellency Mr Jaime David Fernández Mirabal to address the General Conference. Sir,
you have the floor.
34.1 Sr. Jaime David FERNÁNDEZ MIRABAL (Vicepresidente de la República Dominicana):
Señora Presidenta de la Conferencia General, señor Presidente del Consejo Ejecutivo, señor Director
General, distinguidos embajadores, distinguidas embajadoras, representantes de los Estados Miembros: En
primer lugar quisiera saludar a esta magna Conferencia General en nombre del Presidente Leonel Fernández, de
nuestro equipo de gobierno y del pueblo dominicano, y expresar nuestro especial reconocimiento a don Federico
Mayor Zaragoza por su gestión al frente de esta Organización durante los últimos doce años, a la vez que
deseamos éxitos al nuevo Director General recién electo al frente de esta, nuestra casa, y le manifestamos todo
nuestro apoyo y nuestro interés por impulsar cada acción que vaya en beneficio de la educación, la ciencia y la
cultura de nuestro pueblos.
34.2 Hace justamente dos años, como dijo el Director General, acudimos a esta Conferencia con ideas, con
proyectos, y con la misión de recibir, en nombre del Presidente Leonel Fernández, la Medalla Taíno de la Paz
que compartía con el Presidente de la República hermana de Haití, el Presidente René Preval, otorgada a ambos
por la UNESCO en reconocimiento de sus esfuerzos en favor de la paz, la solidaridad y el desarrollo de nuestros
pueblos. En aquella ocasión teníamos muchas ideas y habíamos iniciado acciones para reafirmar los principios en
los que, como nueva generación política, creemos para lograr el verdadero desarrollo humano de nuestros
pueblos.
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