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

5.6 Madam President, the importance of UNESCO’s assistance in promoting and consolidating democracy
and good governance, including the provision of support to national and regional research and policy action, was
noted by several countries. These countries, in particular Pakistan, Lebanon, Malawi and Israel, also stated that
inter-religious dialogue has a central role to play in the promotion of tolerance, non-violence and a culture of
peace.
5.7 The delegate of Italy, as well as a number of other delegates, encouraged UNESCO to make a
substantial contribution to the International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and to the preparation of the United Nations World Conference on this
subject, to be held in South Africa in 2001, and to mention it in the Approved Programme and Budget for 2000-
2001.
5.8 Strong emphasis was placed on the continued fight for gender equality, egalitarian partnerships and the
strengthening of women’s roles as promoters of a culture of peace. Many speakers voiced support and
commitment in favour of awareness-raising among women as to their own rights to participate in decisionmaking,
conflict resolution, social transformation, and the building of true democracies and a culture of peace. In
this context, many delegations from Africa, like Namibia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Sudan and Botswana,
called for a substantial follow-up and implementation of the Zanzibar Declaration of African Women’s
Contribution to a Culture of Peace. The fundamental and innovative contribution that youth could bring to the
promotion of a culture of peace was specially noted and there was an appeal for specific actions concerning
young people’s and children’s needs. The need to increase the preparation of didactic and other teaching
materials as well as youth mobilization in cooperation with the Associated Schools Project network, was strongly
supported, in particular by Norway.
5.9 Jamaica and others emphasized the necessity of enhancing UNESCO’s activities in the field of tolerance
and non-violence in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. Many delegations insisted on the need to reinforce
the regional networks for tolerance and non-violence in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. Some delegates
spoke about concrete projects in their countries as a contribution to the implementation of the Declaration of
Principles on Tolerance and in celebrating the International Day for Tolerance (16 November).
5.10 Finally, Madam President, many participants expressed their will to make a meaningful contribution to
the International Year for the Culture of Peace (2000), the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education
(1995-2004) and the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World
(2001-2010). In this context, they called for UNESCO’s support in these endeavours.
5.11 At the conclusion of this debate, Ms Fournier, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human
Sciences, expressed her gratitude for the general support of Commission III for the transdisciplinary project
“Towards a culture of peace” and specifically for the social and human sciences part of this project. She referred
to the recent adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a
Culture of Peace and indicated that this would provide a new impetus to concrete action to spread the ideals of a
culture of peace worldwide. I thank you, Madam President.
6. The PRESIDENT:
I thank you, Mr Lugujjo for the work done and for the presentation. I now invite the Chairperson of
Commission IV to take the floor.
7.1 M. VASSILIKOS (Grèce), Président de la Commission IV :
Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Directeur général, Mesdames et Messieurs les délégués, j'ai
l'honneur de vous présenter un bref aperçu des travaux menés cette semaine par la Commission IV sur le projet
transdisciplinaire "Vers une culture de la paix".
7.2 Tout d'abord, je voudrais vous informer que la Commission n'a pas traité ce projet transdisciplinaire
séparément. Les orateurs s'y sont référés dans le cadre d'un même débat qui portait à la fois sur le grand
programme III, "Développement culturel : patrimoine et création", et le projet transdisciplinaire "Vers une
culture de la paix". La Commission s'est prononcée sur deux points de son ordre du jour qui relèvent directement
de l'unité 3 du projet transdisciplinaire "Vers une culture de la paix" : le point 4.10, "Préparation par l'UNESCO
de l'Année des Nations Unies pour le dialogue entre les civilisations", et le point 4.11, "La traite négrière
transatlantique et l'esclavage : un crime contre l'humanité".
7.3 Il ressort de ces débats que le concept de culture de la paix est aujourd'hui profondément ancré dans le
programme relatif à la culture. C'est ainsi que certains orateurs s'y sont notamment référés au moment d'évoquer
les questions se rapportant au patrimoine matériel et immatériel et celles qui ont trait aux cultures vivantes. A ce
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