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

General Conference. They have been a very efficient working team giving me excellent assistance. All I have
achieved here is thanks to their assistance to me as a new Chairperson who had to learn things as I went along.
5.2 I am very pleased to see that the resolution that you drafted to pay tribute to me mentions the Board’s
task of interviewing candidates before nominating one of them for the post of Director-General. I am convinced
that we have made an excellent choice and I wish to extend once more to Mr Matsuura my best wishes for a
fruitful and successful mandate as the new Director-General of UNESCO. Once again, my sincere thanks to one
and all.
6. The PRESIDENT:
Allow me to thank Mr Chetsanga because, Christopher, you gave me great moral support during this
General Conference, and I do appreciate it very much. I think we were a pretty good team. I now give the floor to
the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, who would like to say a few words.
7.1 The DIRECTOR-GENERAL:
Madam President, honourable delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I have the distinct honour to continue the
most pleasant tradition of expressing in symbolic terms the appreciation and gratitude of the Organization to the
outgoing Chairperson of one of our two chief organs, the Executive Board. On this particular occasion, the
pleasure is twofold, since we have two persons to thank: Mr Pál Pataki, who presided over the proceedings of the
Board for all but the last of the biennium’s sessions, and Mr Christopher Chetsanga, who stewarded with
admirable dexterity the all-important 157th session just concluded.
(Le Directeur général poursuit en français)
7.2 Monsieur Pál Pataki, distingué représentant de la Hongrie, Monsieur le Président, j'ai déjà eu l'occasion
de dire à quel point les travaux du Conseil exécutif au cours de ces deux dernières années - travaux que j'ai suivis
à distance avec un grand intérêt - avaient été décisifs pour la préparation de cette session de la Conférence
générale, autant que pour certaines de ses initiatives propres. Je n'en citerai qu'une : la création de l'Equipe
spéciale sur l'UNESCO au XXIe siècle.
7.3 Je sais, Monsieur Pataki, quel est votre attachement à cette Organisation et je vous félicite, en notre nom
à tous et à toutes, pour les efforts incessants que vous avez déployés afin que le Conseil s'acquitte pleinement de
sa mission essentielle. La Hongrie compte, en votre personne, un ami fidèle de l'UNESCO dont elle peut
s'enorgueillir. Je souhaite aussi vous dire personnellement combien j'apprécie votre "fair-play" et vos paroles de
soutien, qui me sont précieuses au moment où je prends mes fonctions. Acceptez, M. Pataki, la médaille d'or de
l'UNESCO en reconnaissance des grands services que vous avez rendus à cette Organisation.
(Le Directeur général remet la médaille d'or de l'Organisation à M. Pataki)
(The Director-General continues in English)
7.4 Mr Christopher Chetsanga, distinguished scientist, honourable representative of Zimbabwe,
Mr Chairperson, yours was no easy task, Sir, to take up the reins of the Board in mid-flight, so to say, and to
ensure that its work came to a conclusion for the smooth preparation of this Conference. I wish to thank you for
placing your wisdom in the service of the Organization and place on record the deep gratitude of the community
represented in its entirety in this room for having shown such attachment to the goals and objectives we all share.
Thank you, Sir, and as a token of our great appreciation, I have the honour to present you with the UNESCO
Gold Medal.
(The Director-General presents Mr Chetsanga with the UNESCO Gold Medal)
8. The PRESIDENT:
Well, friends, that was nice. It is always nice when an award is given to someone who actually deserves
it, as we saw here, in both cases.
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