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

12.11 Culture: cultural heritage, both tangible and now also intangible, is being protected, and that I believe is
of great importance. What deserves our attention, as well, though, is the culture of today. Perhaps we should
make an effort to motivate creative work which uplifts, which enhances human dignity and which in a subtle way
teaches understanding, compassion and kindness. As much as the general public devours thrillers and horror
stories, I am sure that there is a hidden hunger for compassion and kindness. Why else would adults be such avid
consumers of fairytales?
12.12 It is also important that countries undergoing major changes should preserve documents of the
momentous events they are experiencing now; they should preserve today’s records so that these may serve as a
source of study for future generations. It often happens that today’s treasures are not appreciated and are thus lost
for tomorrow. We are only too well aware of this in my country, which has been through very radical changes.
The main actors of the process of change did not think, at the crucial moments, to keep records while history was
being written as democracy was re-established.
12.13 UNESCO strives for democracy, human rights and freedom of expression, as indeed it should. And
those who have lost their freedom, whose rights have been violated, know best the value of liberty, equality and
fraternity. Yet it is sad how often it happens that the oppressed become oppressors and the oppressors of the past
are oppressed, and that is also wrong.
12.14 The greater the freedom, the greater the power, the greater the responsibility should be. This is a fact,
which the media should accept, as the media are the most powerful tool for shaping the human mind, for better or
for worse.
12.15 What the new information will do to our culture is yet to be seen. Perhaps it should be foreseen … the
blessings are foreseen, but we ought to watch out for the possible dangers. One of the dangers, of course, is that
vast parts of the world and its population might become marginalized, far from the highway, far from sources of
information, far from literacy. The gap might widen. It should not.
(La Présidente poursuit en français)
12.16 Mesdames et Messieurs, notre Organisation doit montrer, encore et toujours, sa capacité d'anticiper et de
témoigner. Pour exercer cette fonction essentielle, impérative, elle dispose de l'immense potentiel intellectuel et
moral de ses multiples Etats membres, aujourd'hui présents à nouveau dans cette salle. Au-delà des clivages
politiques, historiques, idéologiques, la force ainsi rassemblée est immense : elle embrasse tout le champ de la
dignité humaine, elle illustre la volonté d'agir.
12.17 Cette force s'est constamment affirmée grâce à la foi et à la détermination de Federico Mayor. Monsieur
le Directeur général, l'UNESCO vous remercie de l'inspiration passionnée dont vous avez fait preuve et qui a
guidé cette Organisation au cours de ces 12 dernières années. Monsieur le Directeur général Federico Mayor, je
suis sûre que votre idéal nous accompagnera dans le prochain millénaire.
12.18 Je conclurai maintenant avec mon credo, que je ne cesserai jamais de répéter :
(The President continues in English)
Whoever violates the human dignity of another destroys his own.
Whoever elevates the human dignity of others enhances his own.
12.19 Ladies and gentlemen, we shall continue with item 1.5 of the agenda, that is, the election of the Vice-
Presidents of the General Conference. I call upon the Chairperson of the Nominations Committee, Mr Djenno-
Okoumba of Gabon, to present the list of 36 candidates for the posts of Vice-President.
13.1 M. DJENNO-OKOUMBA (Gabon), président du Comité des candidatures :
Madame la Présidente, avant de procéder à l'examen du point 1.5, permettez-moi de vous féliciter pour
votre brillante élection à la présidence de la Conférence générale. Je vous souhaite plein succès dans la conduite
de nos travaux, qui nous permettront, j'en suis convaincu, de contribuer aux idéaux de l'Organisation.
13.2 Madame la Présidente, le Comité des candidatures recommande l'élection aux postes de vice-présidents
de la Conférence générale des chefs de délégation des 36 Etats membres suivants appartenant aux différents
groupes électoraux : Groupe I : Allemagne, Canada, France, Norvège, Pays-Bas et Espagne. Groupe II : Bosnie-
Herzégovine, Bulgarie, Fédération de Russie, Lituanie, Roumanie et Ukraine. Groupe III : Argentine, Barbade,
Costa Rica, Mexique, Paraguay et République dominicaine. Groupe IV : Japon, République de Corée,
41
2