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

to the work already launched in the Task Force on UNESCO in the Twenty-First Century which has been
appointed by the Executive Board.
21.3 The European Union Member States would like to express their gratitude to you, Mr Mayor, for your
tireless efforts to regain the universality of the Organization. We also pay tribute to your defence of democracy
and human rights as well as to your work for freedom of expression and for free media, for respect for cultural
diversity as an important element of development, for the fight against poverty and for increased cooperation
with civil society.
21.4 During the last few years there have been positive developments in many fields which should be
recognized by all of us. I should, in particular, like to mention the following fields: the ethics of science, lifelong
education and education for all, as well as the promotion of peace in the minds of men through education, with
specific emphasis on human rights education.
21.5 The European Union believes that UNESCO has a specific role to play in working towards solving
problems which have a global dimension. The Organization can do so by playing a major role in its core areas of
competence – education, science, culture and communication – and by concentrating on the most important and
urgent priorities in each of these fields.
21.6 In order to achieve this objective, the management and structure of UNESCO should be streamlined and
geared to the major programme priorities, and the use of the funds available to the Organization should be
focused on these programmes and be used in a more efficient way. It is only in this way that UNESCO can
strengthen its credibility and efficiency.
21.7 At the same time there should be a clear understanding concerning the tasks of UNESCO in relation to
those of the other organizations of the United Nations system. The tasks of UNESCO should be based on its
constitutional mandate.
21.8 UNESCO should also take advantage of and improve its cooperation in the field with other United
Nations organizations. This is one of the ways in which it is possible to achieve a significant reduction in the
number of field offices and other structures in the field.
21.9 In the course of the process which I have just outlined, the form, purpose and usefulness of the Medium-
Term Strategy should be reviewed.
21.10 The reform of UNESCO requires also that we continue to improve and develop the working methods of
the General Conference and the Executive Board. We should also look into the mandate and working methods of
consultative bodies – the intergovernmental committees and councils which have been set up for various
purposes.
21.11 UNESCO’s work should continue to be based on cooperation with civil society, for which the National
Commissions for UNESCO constitute a prime channel.
21.12 We look forward to working closely with the incoming Director-General. We support an ambitious
agenda to reform the Organization. We believe that UNESCO must give top priority to helping to achieve the
international development targets agreed at global conferences over the last decade, most particularly the
commitment to ensure that all children will have quality basic education and the elimination of gender inequality
in access to education. We want UNESCO to step up its action in these areas and we would like in particular to
work closely with the incoming Director-General on these issues.
21.13 It will be important to set out specific milestones against which we can measure progress in making
UNESCO more efficient and better focused on the key issues. It will be important to make some early gains.
21.14 Madam President, on behalf of Finland, we shall be happy to present more detailed comments in the
programme commissions and look forward to the debate on UNESCO in the twenty-first century under item 4.1.
Thank you, Madam President
22.1 The PRESIDENT:
I should like to thank Her Excellency, the Minister of Culture for Finland. Finland has always been a
very active member of our Organization, with many good ideas. I now have the pleasure and honour of calling on
the next speaker, from a country which is not far geographically from the previous speaker’s, and that is Her
Excellency Ms Margrethe Vestager, the Minister for Education of Denmark.
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