39 C/VR.8 Unedited

Eighth plenary meeting of the 39th session of the General Conference

Thursday 2 November 2017 at 3.15 p.m. President: Ms Zohour Alaoui (Morocco)

General policy debate (continued)

1. La Présidente : Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs, je déclare ouverte la huitième séance plénière de la Conférence générale, qui, comme ce matin, sera consacrée aux déclarations nationales. Compte tenu de la liste des orateurs, je me permettrai de réitérer mon appel pour le respect du temps accordé pour chaque délégation. Et maintenant j’ai le grand plaisir de donner la parole à notre premier orateur, qui est S. E. M. Ismet Yilmaz, Ministre de l’éducation nationale de la Turquie. 2.1 Mr Yilmaz (Turkey): Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Madam Director-General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, allow me to express our congratulations to you, Madam President, on your election as President of the 39th session of the General Conference. Let me also thank His Excellency Stanley Mutumba Simataa for his excellent leadership that he has shown in the last two years and, in particular for his dedication to the governance process. 2.2 Ladies and gentlemen, Turkey strongly believes in the mission of this Organization to build peace in the minds of men and women. UNESCO has done a lot and I would like to acknowledge some of the major achievements of the Organization. UNESCO has not only spearheaded the formulation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education, but also has been promoting prioritization of girls’ education, quality education, education for all and global citizenship. UNESCO has asserted itself as the world authority in the field of culture through the adoption of international instruments and their implementation. It has also been a driving force in the protection and reconstruction of destroyed cultural heritage and has been fighting against the trafficking of cultural artifacts. Being party to all major international legal instruments, Turkey cooperates with all relevant actors for the protection and conservation of cultural heritage in Turkey and beyond its borders. 2.3 UNESCO’s achievements are broader than this. Unfortunately, we are still witnessing extremism and terrorism, phobias of all sorts, discrimination and racism, religious and ethnic intolerance, destruction of cultural heritage sites, limited access to basic education, gender inequality, low-quality education, climate change and limited access to drinking water. We need UNESCO more than ever. Though UNESCO has the mandate and the capacity to address these challenges, it is regretful that our Organization is going through a crucial phase with dwindling financial resources. The time has come to evaluate its core programmes and consider its priorities in order to focus on those areas where UNESCO has comparative advantage. While being more confident about UNESCO’s impact at the global, national and local levels, we must avoid the risk of marginalization, especially in the core areas of UNESCO’s competences. This is our expectation from the new Director-General: to look into this matter in consultation with the Member States, to reform the Organization and to reposition UNESCO to fulfill its core mandate to be able to better serve its Member States and to make it more relevant and focused. We appreciate the governance process launched two years ago. We seek a real change as we move towards more coherence, efficiency, and accountability. Turkey is committed to this process. 2.4 Ladies and gentlemen, as a founding member and a strong advocate of this Organization, we believe that UNESCO is best suited to address some of today’s challenges. To further support UNESCO’s efforts, we have decided to put forward our candidacy to its Executive Board for the period of 2017-2021. Although we have not been a member of the Executive Board since 2005, we have remained a very active Member through our work in the relevant intergovernmental programmes and important committees of UNESCO. We have also financially supported the Organization during a critical period and seconded experts. 2.5 In the education sector, we have been realizing a set of domestic reforms in this respect in order to cope better with modern challenges in the field of education. Let me share with you some of our achievements: In the course of just eight years, we have increased the enrollment of 7 to17 year-olds from 81% to 90%. We are making tremendous efforts, to provide good-quality schools for the lower-income segments of our population, while focusing especially on girls. We have developed a new curriculum that goes beyond traditional approaches and employs active learning methods to develop analytic and creative thinking skills with problem-solving approaches. We have also attracted the private sector to invest in the hardware and software infrastructure of our education sector. These are part of our efforts to increasingly connect our education system with the global community. We believe this experience sets a good example, an experience that we are prepared to share through UNESCO. 2.6 We have opened our doors to the victims of war, torn apart from their homeland since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis. We are currently hosting over 3 million displaced persons from the Syrian Arab Republic. Turkey has not only been providing shelter, security and healthcare from her own resources, but also education to those who are in need of schooling. Actually, there are 976,200 Syrians and Iraqis in Turkey who are of school age. We are proud to say that we have achieved in taking 619,000 children into the school system. We have done our fair share and we will continue to fulfil this humanitarian responsibility. Furthermore, I am glad to announce that we have completed the internal ratification process to be a party to the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. We are about to make the official notification to the UNESCO Secretariat. 2.7 Ladies and gentlemen, Turkey is ready to take responsibility as an Executive Board Member. For the challenges ahead, we are committed and are willing to work with all of you under the guidance of the new Director-General. Together, we want to build on the strengths of UNESCO. Taking the opportunity, I would like to express Turkey’s readiness to support Madam Azoulay in her future efforts to further strengthen UNESCO and wish her the best in this mission. Let me also take 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 2 this opportunity to thank Ms Irina Bokova for her excellent management of this Organization in these troubled and demanding times. She never lost hope and continued to work very hard to keep the Organization standing. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours. Thank you. 3.1 The President Thank you, Your Excellency.

(The President continues in Arabic) ٣-٢ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ: واﻵن أﻋﻄﻲ اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺔ إﱃ ﺳﻌﺎدة اﻟﻮزﻳﺮ اﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮر ﻫﺰوان اﻟﻮز، وزﻳﺮ اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ ﰲ اﳉﻤﻬﻮرﻳﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ اﻟﺴﻮرﻳﺔ. ٤-١ اﻟﺴﻴﺪ اﻟﻮز (اﳉﻤﻬﻮرﻳﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ اﻟﺴﻮرﻳﺔ): ﻣﻌﺎﱄ اﳌﺪﻳﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، اﻟﺴﻴﺪة رﺋﻴﺴﺔ اﳌﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم، اﻟﺴﻴﺪ رﺋﻴﺲ اﺠﻤﻟﻠﺲ اﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬي، اﻟﺴﻴﺪات واﻟﺴﺎدة، ﺗﺴﺮﱐ ووﻓﺪ ﺑﻼدي ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ، اﳌﺸﺎرﻛﺔ ﰲ أﻋﻤﺎل اﻟﺪورة اﻟﺘﺎﺳﻌﺔ واﻟﺜﻼﺛﲔ ﻟﻠﻤﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم ﻟﻠﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ. وﻧﻨﻘﻞ ﻟﻜﻢ ﲢﻴﺔ ﺷﻌﺒﻨﺎ اﻟﺼﺎﻣﺪ ﰲ وﺟﻪ اﻹرﻫﺎب دﻓﺎﻋﺎً ﻋﻦ أرﺿﻪ وﺳﻴﺎدﺗﻪ ﰲ ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ ﺻﺮح اﳊﻀﺎرة اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ. وﻧﺸﻜﺮ ﻣﻌﺎﱄ اﳌﺪﻳﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ إﻳﺮﻳﻨﺎ ﺑﻮﻛﻮﻓﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ إﳒﺎزا廬ﺎ. وﻧﺮﺣﺐ ﺑﻘﺮار اﺠﻤﻟﻠﺲ اﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬي ﺗﺮﺷﻴﺢ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة أودري أزوﻻي ﳌﻨﺼﺐ اﳌﺪﻳﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ. و�ﻨﺊ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة زﻫﻮر اﻟﻌﻠﻮي ﻋﻠﻰ وﻻﻳﺘﻬﺎ ﻛﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم. ٤-٢ وإن ﺑﻼدي، إذ ﺗﺪرك أﳘﻴﺔ اﻟﺪور اﶈﻮري ﳌﻨﻈﻤﺘﻨﺎ اﻟﻌﺘﻴﺪة، ﻓﺈ�ﺎ ﺗﻨﺎﺷﺪ اﻟﺪول اﻷﻋﻀﺎء ﺗﻌﺰﻳﺰ اﻟﺘﻌﺎون اﳌﺘﻌﺪد اﻷﻃﺮاف ﻛﺮﻛﻴﺰة ﻟﻠﺴﻠﻢ واﻟﺴﻼم ﰲ ﻋﺎﱂ ﻣﺘﺰاﻳﺪ اﻟﺘﺤﺪﻳﺎت، وﺗﺴﺎﻧﺪ ﻣﻦ ﻫﺬا اﳌﻨﻄﻠﻖ ﺗﻮاﺻﻞ ﺟﻬﻮد اﻹﺻﻼح واﳊﻮﻛﻤﺔ ﰲ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، وﺗﺆﻛﺪ ﺣﺘﻤﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﺰام اﺠﻤﻟﺘﻤﻊ اﻟﺪوﱄ واﻟﺪول اﻷﻋﻀﺎء دون اﺳﺘﺜﻨﺎء ﺑﺘﺄﻣﲔ اﳌﻮارد اﳌﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﰲ ﺳﺒﻴﻞ اﺳﺘﺪاﻣﺔ اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ ورﺳﺎﻟﺘﻬﺎ اﻟﻨﺒﻴﻠﺔ. وﺳﻮرﻳﺔ أوﻓﺖ ﺑﺎﺷﱰاﻛﺎ廬ﺎ اﳌﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻛﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﻟﻠﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﺧﻼل اﻟﺴﻨﻮات اﻟﺴﺒﻊ اﳌﺎﺿﻴﺔ رﻏﻢ وﻃﺄة اﳊﺮب واﳊﺼﺎر واﻟﻌﻘﻮﺑﺎت اﳉﺎﺋﺮة. وﺗﺮﺣﺐ ﺑﺘﺠﺪﻳﺪ اﻟﺘﺰام اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ ﲟﺸﺮوع اﻟﱪﻧﺎﻣﺞ واﳌﻴﺰاﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻔﱰة ٢٠١٨-ا ٢٠٢، وﻣﻼءﻣﺔ اﺳﱰاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ اﳌﺘﻮﺳﻄﺔ اﻷﺟﻞ ﻟﻠﻔﱰة ٤ ا ٢٠ - ا ٢٠٢ م. ٤-٣ اﻟﺴﻴﺪات، واﻟﺴﺎدة، ﺗﺆﻛﺪ ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ ﲤﺴﻜﻬﺎ ﺑﺎﳌﺴﺎرﻳﻦ اﳌﺘﻼزﻣﲔ: ﻣﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ اﻹرﻫﺎب واﳊﻞ اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻲ. وﻣﻊ اﳍﺰﳝﺔ اﳌﺘﻮاﺻﻠﺔ اﻟﱵ ﺗﻠﺤﻘﻬﺎ ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺼﺎﺑﺎت اﻹرﻫﺎﺑﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﻠﺤﺔ، ﻋﺎد ﻣﻊ ﺑﺪاﻳﺔ اﻟﻌﺎم اﻟﺪراﺳﻲ اﳊﺎﱄ ﻧﺼﻒ ﻣﻠﻴﻮن ﻃﺎﻟﺐ وﻃﺎﻟﺒﺔ إﱃ ﻣﻘﺎﻋﺪﻫﻢ وﻣﺪارﺳﻬﻢ. وإن اﳊﻜﻮﻣﺔ اﻟﺴﻮرﻳﺔ ﺗﻮاﻛﺐ اﳌﻨﻈﻮر اﻟﻌﺎﳌﻲ اﻟﺸﺎﻣﻞ ﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬ ﺧﻄﻂ اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﺘﺪاﻣﺔ ﻟﻌﺎم ٢٠٣٠، وﺗﺒﺬل ﺟﻬﻮدﻫﺎ ﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻖ أﻫﺪاﻓﻬﺎ وﲢﺪﻳﺪاً اﳍﺪف اﻟﺮاﺑﻊ وﻏﺎﻳﺎﺗﻪ، وﻣﺒﺎدرة اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ أوﻻً واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ ﻟﻠﺠﻤﻴﻊ، واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ ﻣﺪى اﳊﻴﺎة، وﺟﻮدة اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ، وﺗﺪرﻳﺐ اﳌﻌﻠﻤﲔ، وﺗﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﻟﻔﺘﻴﺎت واﻟﻄﻔﻮﻟﺔ اﳌﺒﻜﺮة، ﻓﻀﻼ ﻋﻦ اﻷوﻟﻮﻳﺎت اﻟﱵ ﺗﺮاﻋﻲ أوﻟﻮﻳﺎت أﻓﺮﻳﻘﻴﺎ وﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ اﳌﺴﺎواة ﺑﲔ اﳉﻨﺴﲔ واﻟﻌﻠﻮم واﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ واﳌﻴﺎﻩ واﻟﺘﻘﺎﻧﺔ واﻹﻋﻼم واﻟﻌﻠﻮم اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ واﻻﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ وﺑﺮاﻣﺞ اﻟﺸﺒﺎب واﻟﺮﻳﺎﺿﺔ وﺷﺒﻜﺔ اﳌﺪن اﳌﺒﺪﻋﺔ وﺳﺠﻞ ذاﻛﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﱂ. وﺗﻮﱄ ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ ﻗﻄﺎﻋﻲ اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﻟﻌﺎﱄ اﻻﻫﺘﻤﺎم اﻟﻼزم، وﺗﻜﺮس اﻹﻣﻜﺎﻧﺎت اﳌﺘﺎﺣﺔ ﳌﻮاﺻﻠﺔ اﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴﺔ اﻟﱰﺑﻮﻳﺔ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ وﺗﻄﻮﻳﺮﳘﺎ، ﲟﺎ ﻳﺘﻴﺢ ﺑﻨﺎء اﻹﻧﺴﺎن اﻟﺴﻮري ﰲ ﻣﻮاﺟﻬﺔ ﺗﺪاﻋﻴﺎت اﳊﺮب، وﺗﻌﺰﻳﺰ اﳌﻴﻮل واﻻﲡﺎﻫﺎت واﻟﻘﻴﻢ اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ اﻹﳚﺎﺑﻴﺔ ﻟﺪﻳﻪ، واﻟﺘﺼﺪي ﻟﻜﻞ أﺷﻜﺎل اﻹرﻫﺎب واﻟﻔﻜﺮ اﳌﺘﻄﺮف. ٤-٤ وﻧﺆﻛﺪ دﻋﻢ ﺣﻜﻮﻣﺘﻨﺎ وﺗﻘﺪﻳﺮﻫﺎ ﻻﺳﱰاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺎت اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ وﺟﻬﻮدﻫﺎ ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻻﺳﺘﺠﺎﺑﺔ واﻟﺘﺼﺪي ﳊﺎﻻت اﻷزﻣﺎت واﻟﻄﻮارئ، آﻣﻠﲔ اﻟﻮﺻﻮل إﱃ ﻗﻨﺎﻋﺔ ﻣﺸﱰﻛﺔ ﲞﻄﻮرة ﻣﺎ ﻧﻮاﺟﻬﻪ وﺿﺮورة ﺣﺸﺪ ﻃﺎﻗﺎت اﳉﻤﻴﻊ ﳌﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ اﻹرﻫﺎب واﻟﻔﻜﺮ اﳌﺘﻄﺮف وﻧﺒﺬ اﳌﻔﺎﻫﻴﻢ واﳌﻤﺎرﺳﺎت اﻟﻌﻨﺼﺮﻳﺔ واﻟﻨﺠﺎح ﺑﺰرع ﻣﻔﺎﻫﻴﻢ اﻟﺘﺴﺎﻣﺢ واﺣﱰام اﻻﺧﺘﻼف وﺑﻨﺎء ﻋﺎﱂ ﺗﺴﻮدﻩ ﻗﻴﻢ اﶈﺒﺔ واﻟﻌﺪاﻟﺔ واﻟﺴﻼم. وﻣﻦ ﻫﺬا اﳌﻨﻄﻠﻖ ﻧﺪﻋﻢ اﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ اﻟﻌﺎدﻟﺔ ﺠﻤﻟﻤﻮﻋﺔ اﻟﺴﺒﻌﺔ واﻟﺴﺒﻌﲔ واﻟﺼﲔ ودول اﻟﱪﻳﻜﺲ. ٤-٥ اﻟﺴﻴﺪات واﻟﺴﺎدة، ﳒﺤﺖ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﰲ ﺗﻜﺮﻳﺲ اﻟﺮؤﻳﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﳌﻴﺔ ﺣﻮل ﻣﻜﺎﻧﺔ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ ودورﻫﺎ ﰲ ﺗﻌﺰﻳﺰ اﻟﺴﻠﻢ واﻷﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﺎﳌﻴﲔ، ﻓﺄﺗﺖ ﻗﺮارات ﳎﻠﺲ اﻷﻣﻦ ذات اﻟﺼﻠﺔ ﻛﺎﻟﻘﺮار ٢١٩٩ ﻟﻌﺎم ٢٠١٥ واﻟﻘﺮار ٢٣٤٧ ﻟﻌﺎم ٢٠١٧ واﺳﱰاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ اﻟﺮاﻣﻴﺔ إﱃ ﲪﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ وﺗﺸﺠﻴﻊ اﻟﺘﻌﺪدﻳﺔ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ، ﰲ ﻣﻮاﺟﻬﺔ وﺣﺸﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻨﻈﻴﻤﺎت اﻹرﻫﺎﺑﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﻠﺤﺔ اﳌﺴﺆوﻟﺔ ﻋﻦ ﺗﺪﻣﲑ و�ﺐ ﺗﺮاث اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﰲ ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ واﻟﻌﺮاق. وﻧﺸﻴﺪ ﲟﻮاﻗﻒ اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ وﺟﻬﻮدﻫﺎ اﻟﺪاﻋﻤﺔ ﻟﻠﺨﱪات اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻟﺼﻮن اﻟﻌﺎﺟﻞ وﲪﺎﻳﺔ وﺣﻔﻆ اﻟﱰاث اﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ اﻹﻧﺴﺎﱐ اﳌﺎدي وﻏﲑ اﳌﺎدي ﰲ ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ وﻣﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ اﻻﲡﺎر ﻏﲑ اﳌﺸﺮوع ﺑﺎﳌﻤﺘﻠﻜﺎت اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ واﻟﻌﻤﻞ ﻋﻠﻰ اﺳﺘﻌﺎدة اﻟﻘﻄﻊ اﻷﺛﺮﻳﺔ اﳌﻨﻬﻮﺑﺔ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ. وﻧﺆﻛﺪ ﺷﺮﻋﻴﺔ ﻗﺮارات اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ اﳌﺘﻌﻠﻘﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺪس اﻟﺸﺮﻳﻒ واﻷراﺿﻲ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ اﶈﺘﻠﺔ ﲟﺎ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ اﳉﻮﻻن اﻟﺴﻮري اﶈﺘﻞ، وﻧﺮﻓﺾ اﻻﻧﺘﻬﺎﻛﺎت اﳌﻤﻨﻬﺠﺔ ﳌﻘﺪرات وﺗﺮاث ﺷﻌﺒﻨﺎ وﻣﺆﺳﺴﺎﺗﻪ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ واﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ ودورﻫﺎ ﰲ ﺣﻔﻆ اﳍﻮﻳﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ واﻟﺘﺎرﳜﻴﺔ. ٤-٦ اﻟﺴﻴﺪات واﻟﺴﺎدة، رﻏﻢ ﻛﻞ اﻟﻈﺮوف اﻟﱵ ﻣﺮت 䛬ﺎ ﺑﻼدي ﻣﻨﺬ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻘﺎرب ﺳﺒﻊ ﺳﻨﻮات ﻓﺈ�ﺎ ﺗﺘﺠﻪ اﻟﻴﻮم ﳓﻮ ﲢﻘﻴﻖ اﻻﻧﺘﺼﺎر ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻔﻜﺮ اﳌﺘﻄﺮف وﻛﺎﻓﺔ اﻟﻘﻮى اﻟﺪاﻋﻤﺔ واﻟﺮاﻋﻴﺔ ﻟﻺرﻫﺎب ﺑﻔﻀﻞ ﺻﻤﻮد ﺷﻌﺒﻬﺎ وﺗﻀﺤﻴﺎت ﺟﻴﺸﻬﺎ وﻣﻮاﻗﻒ ﻗﺎﺋﺪﻫﺎ اﻟﺴﻴﺪ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ ﺑﺸﺎر اﻷﺳﺪ اﻟﺬي أﻛﺪ أن ﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ واﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﻌﻠﻮم ﻫﻲ اﻟﻀﻤﺎن اﻷﻛﱪ ﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻖ اﻟﺮﺧﺎء ﰲ اﺠﻤﻟﺘﻤﻊ واﶈﺎﻓﻈﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻻﺳﺘﻘﺮار ﰲ اﳌﻨﻄﻘﺔ، وإﻧﻪ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻀﺮوري اﻟﻌﻤﻞ ﻋﻠﻰ إﺑﻘﺎء روح ﺗﺮاث ﺳﻮرﻳﺔ اﳌﺘﻨﻮع واﳌﻨﻔﺘﺢ ﺣﻴﺎً ﰲ ﺣﻴﺎة اﻟﻨﺎس اﻟﻴﻮﻣﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل ﻣﺸﺎرﻳﻊ ﻧﻮﻋﻴﺔ، ﳝﻜﻦ اﻻﺳﺘﻔﺎدة ﻣﻦ ﺧﱪة اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﰲ اﳌﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ. وﻫﻨﺎ ﺗﺘﻜﺎﻣﻞ رؤﻳﺘﻨﺎ ﳓﻦ اﻟﺴﻮرﻳﲔ ﻣﻊ رؤﻳﺔ وﻣﺒﺎدئ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﰲ ﺑﻨﺎء ﺣﺼﻮن اﻟﺴﻼم ﰲ ﻋﻘﻮل اﻟﺒﺸﺮ، وﺗﻨﺸﺪان ﻣﺴﺘﻘﺒﻼ أﻓﻀﻞ ﻟﻨﺎ وﻟﻠﺒﺸﺮﻳﺔ ﲨﻌﺎء. وﺷﻜﺮاً ﳊﺴﻦ اﺳﺘﻤﺎﻋﻜﻢ. 5. La Présidente : Shukran. Je donne maintenant la parole à S.E. M. Lazarus Dokora, Ministre de l’enseignement primaire et secondaire du Zimbabwe. 6.1 Mr Dokora (Zimbabwe) : Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board; Director-General, Excellencies, and distinguished delegates. My delegation and I wish to congratulate you on your election as President of the 39th session of the General Conference. You can count on our full support as you execute your onerous responsibilities. I also wish to express my delegation’s appreciation for the sterling work done by your predecessor, His Excellency Stanley Simataa. We also recognize and appreciate the great work done by the outgoing Director-General, Madam Irina Bokova, despite the harsh financial challenges that prevailed. We convey our best wishes to you, Madam Director General, in your 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 3 future endeavours. We congratulate and welcome the nomination of Madam Audrey Azoulay as the next Director-General of our Organization and look forward to working with her. 6.2 Madam President, Zimbabwe is committed to the successful accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We consider their implementation as the only way to improve the lives of our people and contribute to global prosperity, stability and peace. We are undertaking this through concerted national efforts that include the Government working collaboratively with the private sector, civil society, knowledge institutions and youth and women’s organizations in the five sectors of UNESCO’s mandate. Zimbabwe has taken full cognizance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in crafting our 2018 macroeconomic framework that guides national development and budgeting processes that integrate social and economic development. 6.3 Madam President, education remains Zimbabwe’s highest priority. We have taken measures to transform the education system so that it can impact the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the development of a strong national economy. In January this year, we launched a new curriculum framework from early childhood to pre-university level. This curriculum, in addition to focusing on knowledge, also emphasises skills and values. The process of rolling out this curriculum and implementing it requires resources for teacher training, appropriate teaching and learning materials, and infrastructure development at all levels in rural, urban and farming communities. Our focus is on producing high-end skills that are grounded in science and technology for industrialization and modernization in order to meet the needs of the country. Our universities and tertiary institutions are working to reform their operations in order to produce skills that are relevant to a technologically driven economy. 6.4 Taking cognizance of the critical role played by heritage and culture in economic development, our institutions are now required to mainstream culture and heritage into their programmes. Madam President, we commend the work that has been done to date in building capacity especially with respect to teacher development over the past two years. It is our desire to see UNESCO move towards assisting Member States to develop and implement programmes that will ensure the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 4. Zimbabwe has a strong and diverse cultural base to provide for the development of competitive cultural industries. In order to promote the diversity of cultural resources, including our indigenous knowledge systems, we have ratified five out of the six cultural conventions for the protection and promotion of cultural heritage. We are also participants in the development and implementation of a sustainable tourism strategy for our five world heritage sites with support from UNESCO and the African World Heritage Fund. 6.5 Madam President, as host of the subregional UNESCO Office, my government will spare no effort in its support for the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) so that it can deliver on its mandate such as the International Hydrological Programme. We also appreciate the fact that, despite the financial challenges facing UNESCO, the regional office has a robust portfolio of programmes which facilitate regional integration. Let me express our gratitude to those member countries which provide extrabudgetary support to our regional office. 6.6 Madam President, for us in Africa, the field offices play a critical role in supporting our efforts on the ground. I therefore would like to stress that the necessary reforms and scaling down which may be on their way due to the Organization’s financial difficulties should take into account the important role that the field office network plays in delivering on UNESCO’s programmes and supporting the Member States. In conclusion, Madam President, let me commend the Secretariat for putting together the new Draft Programme and Budget 2018-2021 (39 C/5) which we support fully, particularly the maintenance of global priority Africa. Thank you. 7. La Présidente : Merci, Votre Excellence. Je donne maintenant la parole à S. E. Mme Martina Lubyová, Ministre de l’éducation, des sciences, de la recherche et des sports de Slovaquie. 8.1 Ms Lubyová (Slovakia) : Dear Madam President of the General Conference, Madam Director-General, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, distinguished delegates, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honour for me to address the General Conference of UNESCO, the supreme political and decision-making body of this unique global organization. At the outset, I take the liberty to congratulate Madam Director-General, Irina Bokova, for all her accomplishments and express the thanks on behalf of my country, Slovakia, for your transformative work and your commitment and dedication to the just cause of this Organization. 8.2 President Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world.” In my view, UNESCO has fully embraced this idea and has worked ceaselessly over the last decade to bring nations and people together through education, sciences, culture, and communication. In the current global context, its ambition to contribute to peace and development through cooperation in the domains of education and culture is more relevant than ever. As Minister of Education, I very much appreciate UNESCO’s emphasis on education as a crucial tool for sustainable development and progress in the pursuit of economic well-being or the prevention of radicalization and extremism. I support the adoption of education for sustainable development and global citizenship education programmes into school curricula as a means of bringing comprehension between diverse cultures as well as combatting extremism. 8.3 Ladies and gentlemen, let us remind ourselves that the coming year, 2018, has been designated as the European Year of Cultural Heritage. In Slovakia, we look forward to developing our collaboration further in this respect, especially within the framework of the World Heritage Routes in the European Union. This unique project has been launched by the European Commission and the World Heritage Centre in order promote cultural and human interactions. In May 2017 Slovakia launched the World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and we appreciate UNESCO’s assistance in projects aimed at increasing UNESCO’s brand name and the visibility of Slovak world heritage sites. 8.4 Coming to a more global scene, we do rely on UNESCO’s programmes in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Programmes such as the International Hydrological Programme (IHP), Man and Biosphere (MAB) or the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) programme, to name just a few, are already an integral part 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 4 of our approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda in an external environment, and we aim at strengthening these programmes at the domestic level as well. However, as we work on this global agenda, it is evident that the new global challenges reflected in the 2030 Agenda will not be solved by old-fashioned methods. They require adequate reforms and strengthened coherence at all relevant levels across the international system. Slovakia, within its capacities and possibilities, has and will contribute to, the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 8.5 Before concluding, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to revisit once more the question of UNESCO’s future role and development. UNESCO, in my view, needs to become a platform with the main role of building peaceful, sustainable, democratic, and inclusive knowledge societies. To achieve this vision, we do not necessarily need to take grand, heroic actions. Small acts, when multiplied by the efforts of millions of people, can lead the process of change. Slovakia is ready to add its share and to use all windows of opportunity to advocate for a sustainable future for all nations across the planet. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attention. 9. La Présidente : Thank you, Minister. Je donne maintenant la parole à S. E. M. Dato’ Seri Mahdzir bin Khalid, Ministre de l’éducation de Malaisie. Monsieur le Ministre. 10.1 Mr Khalid (Malaysia): Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Madam Director-General, Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegations, distinguished delegates. On behalf of the Government of Malaysia, I am deeply honoured to appear before you and I am also happy to convey best wishes in the spirit of unity of both the Government and the people of Malaysia for the success of this session of the General Conference. Madam President, I would firstly like to congratulate Her Excellency, Madam Audrey Azoulay of France, who has been nominated by the 202nd session of the Executive Board of UNESCO to the post of Director-General. I also wish to pay a special tribute to the outgoing Director-General of UNESCO, Her Excellency Madam Irina Bokova. She has ably guided this Organization during a period of financial turbulence, and was able to optimize the limited resources in order to implement the programmes during her term. Congratulations and thank you very much Madam Bokova. 10.2 With the establishment of the Malaysia-UNESCO Cooperation Programme (MUCP) in 2011, and the signing of the Malaysia Funds-In-Trust (MFIT) Agreement in 2013, the Government of Malaysia has provided financial support to 26 projects and programmes. In ensuring the sustainability of these projects, Malaysia has positively agreed for this cooperation to be further continued until June 2019, under a new supplementary agreement on cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information. It is with pleasure that I announce, under the MUCP-MFIT Programme, that the Government of Malaysia, in partnership with UNESCO and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat, will be hosting ASEAN’s first symposium and consultation on the implementation of the 2015 Recommendation concerning the preservation of, and access to, documentary heritage including in digital form. The symposium, which will be held in May 2018, is expected to produce the action plans for its implementation by the UNESCO-ASEAN Member States. 10.3 Madam President, Malaysia is currently the Chair of the ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting, the theme of which is “Fostering ASEAN Community of Learners: Empowering Lives through Education”. Under the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2016-2020, we strongly support the joint commitment between UNESCO and ASEAN countries to address, among others, the issue of out-of-school children through the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Education for Out-of-School Children and Youth (OOSCY). Malaysia is also assisting the provision of education for Rohingya’s displaced persons as well as other marginalized groups. 10.4 Madam President, as reported in previous sessions, Malaysia’s Education Blueprint 2013-2025 continues to produce commendable results in our efforts to transform our education system. We also continue to emphasize higher education quality and training and vocational education and training (TVET) as the game changer of Malaysia’s economy. With our 11th Malaysia Plan, spearheaded by the Economy Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia has mapped the 17 Sustainable Development Goals within the scope of the Plan. The economic plan is people- centred, with the ultimate aim to create a high-income society and an inclusive nation by 2020. 10.5 Madam President, in 2015 and 2016 Malaysia and UNESCO actively partnered and hosted the Asia-Pacific Conferences on TVET and Early Childhood Care and Education. In 2017, Malaysia achieved another milestone by hosting the first Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Regional Forum of Ministers of Social Development for the Asia- Pacific Countries in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The forum was chaired by Her Excellency Dato’ Sri Rohani Abdul Karim, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia, serving as President of the Intergovernmental Council (IGC) of the MOST Programme. Malaysia also simultaneously hosted the thirteenth ordinary session of the MOST Intergovernmental Council. These are solid testimonies of our serious commitment to the cause of UNESCO, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Actively underscoring our commitment, Malaysia and the city of Kuala Lumpur intend to bid for the title of UNESCO World Book Capital in 2020. Kuala Lumpur is currently working with the Ministry of Education to boost the reading culture among the local communities and nationwide. Malaysia would also like to commend the working group on governance for having proposed a draft for the deliberations of the General Conferences. We hope that the debates at the General Conference will result in meaningful discussions and that the results will help in making UNESCO more inclusive and transparent. Madam President, I wish to conclude by noting that despite efforts made to secure all dues from Member States that the financial position of UNESCO is critical. Therefore, our Organization needs to seek ways to encourage Member States to pay their membership dues in time, as well as to find a better way of getting Member States to participate in contributing to the extrabudgetary programme. Thank you, Madam President. ١١ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ: واﻵن أﻋﻄﻲ اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺔ إﱃ ﺳﻌﺎدة اﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮر ﳏﻤﺪ ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﻮاﺣﺪ اﳊﻤﺎدي، وزﻳﺮ اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﻟﻌﺎﱄ ﻟﺪوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ. 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 5

١٢-١ اﻟﺴﻴﺪ اﻟﺤﻤﺎدي (ﻗﻄﺮ): ﺳﻌﺎدة رﺋـﻴـﺲ اﻟـﻤـﺆﺗـﻤـﺮ اﻟـﻌـﺎم، ﺳﻌﺎدة اﳌﺪﻳﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، أﺻﺤﺎب اﻟﺴﻌﺎدة، اﻟﺴﻴﺪات واﻟﺴﺎدة، ﻳﺴﺮﱐ ﰲ ﺑﺪاﻳﺔ ﺣﺪﻳﺜﻲ إﻟﻴﻜﻢ أن أﺿﻢ ﺻﻮﰐ إﱃ ﺻﻮت ﻣﻦ ﺳﺒﻘﲏ ﻣﻦ اﳌﺘﺤﺪﺛﲔ ﻓﺄﻫﻨﺊ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة زﻫﻮر ﻋﻠﻮي ﻋﻠﻰ اﻧﺘﺨﺎ䛬ﺎ رﺋﻴﺴﺔ ﻟﻠﺪورة اﻟﺘﺎﺳﻌﺔ واﻟﺜﻼﺛﲔ ﻟﻠﻤﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم ﻟﻠﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، وأﻫﻨﺊ ﻛﺬﻟﻚ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة أودري أزوﻻي ﻋﻠﻰ اﻧﺘﺨﺎ䛬ﺎ ﻣﺪﻳﺮة ﻋﺎﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، راﺟﻴﺎً ﳍﺎ اﻟﺘﻮﻓﻴﻖ ﰲ ﻣﻬﺎﻣﻬﺎ. ١٢-٢ واﲰﺤﻮا ﱄ أن أﺑﺪأ ﻛﻠﻤﱵ ﺑﺈﻟﻘﺎء اﻟﻀﻮء ﻋﻠﻰ أﻫﻢ ﻣﺎ ﳝﺮ ﺑﻪ ﺑﻠﺪي ﻗﻄﺮ ﻣﻦ ﺣﺼﺎر ﻇﺎﱂ ﻣﻨﺬ اﳋﺎﻣﺲ ﻣﻦ ﺣﺰﻳﺮان/ﻳﻮﻧﻴﻮ اﳌﺎﺿﻲ، ذﻟﻚ اﳊﺼﺎر اﻟﺬي أﺣﺪث ﺷﺮﺧﺎً ﻧﻔﺴﻴﺎً واﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺎً ﰲﺧﻄﲑاً ﺑﻨﻴﺔ اﺠﻤﻟﺘﻤﻊ اﳋﻠﻴﺠﻲ، وأﳊﻖ ﺧﺴﺎﺋﺮ ﺗﻌﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ وﻧﻔﺴﻴﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻄﻠﺒﺔ اﻟﻘﻄﺮﻳﲔ اﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﻳﺪرﺳﻮن ﰲ ﻣﺪارس وﺟﺎﻣﻌﺎت دول اﳊﺼﺎر، ﺣﻴﺚ اﻧﺘﻬﻜﺖ اﻟﺪول ﺑﺈﺟﺮاءا廬ﺎ ﻏﲑ اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ وﻗﺮارا廬ﺎ اﻟﺘﻌﺴﻔﻴﺔ ﺿﺪ دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﻛﺎﻓﺔ أﻋﺮاف وﻣﺒﺎدئ وﻣﻮاﺛﻴﻖ ﺣﻘﻮق اﻹﻧﺴﺎن، وﻣﻦ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﺎ اﳊﻖ ﰲ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ، إذ ﴰﻠﺖ ﺗﻠﻚ اﻻﻧﺘﻬﺎﻛﺎت ﻋﺪم اﻟﺴﻤﺎح ﻟﻠﻤﺌﺎت ﻣﻦ اﻟﻄﻠﺒﺔ اﻟﻘﻄﺮﻳﲔ ﺑﺎﺳﺘﻜﻤﺎل اﻣﺘﺤﺎﻧﺎت �ﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﺴﻨﺔ اﻟﺪراﺳﻴﺔ ورﻓﺾ ﺗﺴﻠﻴﻤﻬﻢ ﺷﻬﺎدات ﺗﻔﻴﺪ ﲣﺮﺟﻬﻢ أو ﻣﻨﺤﻬﻢ أﻳﺔ أوراق أو ﻣﺴﺘﻨﺪات ﺛﺒﻮﺗﻴﺔ ﺑﺴﻨﻮات دراﺳﺘﻬﻢ وإﻏﻼق ﺣﺴﺎﺑﺎ廬ﻢ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ . وﻟﻘﺪ ﻛﺎﻧﺖ اﻻﻧﺘﻬﺎﻛﺎت اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ اﻟﱵ ﻧﺘﺠﺖ ﻋﻦ ﺣﺼﺎر دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ، ﲝﺠﺞ واﻫﻴﺔ وادﻋﺎءات ﻣﺮﺳﻠﺔ ودون أي ﻣﱪرات ﺣﻘﻴﻘﻴﺔ، أﻛﺜﺮ اﻷﻣﻮر ﺗﺄﺛﲑاً وإﻳﻼﻣﺎً ﰲ ﻧﻔﻮس اﳌﻮاﻃﻨﲔ واﳌﻘﻴﻤﲔ ﻋﻠﻰ أرض ﻗﻄﺮ، إذ ﺗﻌﺮﺿﺖ ﺣﻴﺎ廬ﻢ ﻟﻼﺿﻄﺮاب واﻟﺘﻐﻴﲑ اﻟﺸﺎﻣﻞ ﰲ ﲨﻴﻊ ﻧﻮاﺣﻲ ﻣﻌﻴﺸﺘﻬﻢ. ﻛﻤﺎ ﺗﺴﺒﺐ اﳊﺼﺎر ﰲ ﺗﺸﺘﻴﺖ ﴰﻞ آﻻف اﻟﻌﺎﺋﻼت واﻷُﺳﺮ، واﻧﺘﻬﺎك ﺣﻘﻮق ﺣﺮﻳﺔ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻢ واﻟﺘﻨﻘﻞ واﻟﻌﻤﻞ واﻹﻗﺎﻣﺔ واﻟﺘﻤﻠﻚ وﺣﺮﻳﺔ اﻟﺮأي، وﻛﺬﻟﻚ اﳊﺮﻣﺎن ﻣﻦ ﳑﺎرﺳﺔ اﻟﺸﻌﺎﺋﺮ اﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴﺔ اﳌﺘﻤﺜﻠﺔ ﰲ أداء ﻓﺮﻳﻀﺔ اﳊﺞ واﻟﻌﻤﺮة. ورﻏﻢ ﻛﻞ ﻣﺎ ﺗﻌﺮﺿﺖ ﻟﻪ دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﻣﻦ إﻣﻼءات واﻧﺘﻬﺎﻛﺎت و廬ﺪﻳﺪ ﻟﺼﻤﻴﻢ ﺳﻴﺎد廬ﺎ اﻟﺪاﺧﻠﻴﺔ، ﻓﺈ�ﺎ واﺟﻬﺖ إﺟﺮاءات اﻟﺘﺼﻌﻴﺪ ﻣﻦ دول اﳊﺼﺎر ﺑﺎﻟﺘﻬﺪﺋﺔ واﳌﻄﺎﻟﺒﺔ ﺑﺎﳊﻮار، اﺣﱰاﻣﺎ ً ﻣﻨﻬﺎ ﻟﺘﻌﻬﺪا廬ﺎ وﻣﻮاﺛﻴﻘﻬﺎ اﻹﻗﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ واﻟﺪوﻟﻴﺔ.

١٢-٣ اﻟـﺤـﻀـﻮر اﻟـﻜــﺮام، إن ﻫﺬا اﳊﺼﺎر اﳉﺎﺋﺮ ﻳﻔﺮض ّﻋﻠﻲ ﰲ ﻫﺬا اﳌﻘﺎم أن أﺗﻮﻗﻒ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻋﺪد ﻣﻦ اﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ اﳌﻬﻤﺔ اﻟﱵ ﺗﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﺑﺪور وأﻫﺪاف اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﰲ ﺻﻮن اﻟﺴﻼم اﻟﻌﺎﳌﻲ، وأﺟﺪ أن ﻣﺎ ﻃﺮﺣﻪ ﺻﺎﺣﺐ اﻟﺴﻤﻮ اﻟﺸﻴﺦ ﲤﻴﻢ ﺑﻦ ﲪﺪ آل ﺛﺎﱐ أﻣﲑ دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﰲ ﻛﻠﻤﺘﻪ أﻣﺎم اﻟﺪورة اﻟﺜﺎﻧﻴﺔ واﻟﺴﺒﻌﲔ ﻟﻠﺠﻤﻌﻴﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ ﻟﻸﻣﻢ اﳌﺘﺤﺪة ﰲ أﻳﻠﻮل/ﺳﺒﺘﻤﱪ اﳌﺎﺿﻲ ﻳﺮﺗﺒﻂ ارﺗﺒﺎﻃﺎً ﻣﺒﺎﺷﺮاً ﺑﺎﺧﺘﺼﺎﺻﺎت وﻣﻬﺎم ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﻣﺎ ﻳﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ ﺑﺎﻻﺣﱰام اﳌﺘﺒﺎدل ﺑﲔ اﻟﺪول وﻋﺪم اﻟﺘﺪﺧﻞ ﰲ اﻟﺸﺆون اﻟﺪاﺧﻠﻴﺔ واﺗﺒﺎع اﻟﻮﺳﺎﺋﻞ اﻟﺴﻠﻤﻴﺔ ﻟﺘﺴﻮﻳﺔ اﻟﻨﺰاﻋﺎت، وﻫﻮ ﻣﺎ ﲢﺮص ﻋﻠﻴﻪ دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ وﺗﻨﺎدي ﺑﻪ ﻣﻨﺬ ﺑﺪء ﳏﺎﺻﺮ廬ﺎ ﻣﻦ دول اﳉﻮار وﺣﱴ اﻵن. ١٢-٤ ﺣـﻀـﺮات اﻟﺴـﻴـﺪات واﻟـﺴـﺎدة، ﻟﻘﺪ اﻃﻠﻌﻨﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﱪاﻣﺞ واﳌﺸﺮوﻋﺎت اﳌﻘﱰﺣﺔ ﳌﻴﺰاﻧﻴﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﻟﻠﻌﺎﻣﲔ اﻟﻘﺎدﻣﲔ ٢٠١٨ـــ٢٠١٩، وﻧﺆﻛﺪ أﳘﻴﺘﻬﺎ وﺗﻮاﻓﻘﻬﺎ ﻣﻊ ﻣﺎ ﺗﻘﻮم ﺑﻪ دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﰲ ﳎﺎﻻت اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﻌﻠﻮم واﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ واﻻﺗﺼﺎل، وﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﺑﺮاﻣﺞ إﻋﺪاد اﳌﻌﻠﻤﲔ، ودﻋﻢ ﻓﺮص اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻢ ﻟﻸﻃﻔﺎل ﰲ ﻣﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻷزﻣﺎت واﻟﺼﺮاﻋﺎت، وﲪﺎﻳﺔ ﲨﻴﻊ أﺷﻜﺎل اﻟﺘﻌﺒﲑ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ، وإﻧﺘﺎج ﻣﻮاد اﻟﻌﻠﻮم واﻟﺘﻜﻨﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺎ وﺗﻮزﻳﻌﻬﺎ ﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻖ اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﻟﺸﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﻟﻠﺠﻤﻴﻊ. وإﻧﻨﺎ ﰲ دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ، ﻗﺪ ﻗﻄﻌﻨﺎ ﺷﻮﻃﺎً ﻛﺒﲑاً ﰲ ﳎﺎل ﲢﻘﻴﻖ اﳍﺪف اﻟﺮاﺑﻊ ﻣﻦ أﻫﺪاف اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﺘﺪاﻣﺔ. ﻓﻤﻨﺬ أن واﻓﻖ ﻗﺎدة اﻟﻌﺎﱂ ﰲ اﻷﻣﻢ اﳌﺘﺤﺪة ﻋﻠﻰ ﺧﻄﺔ اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﺘﺪاﻣﺔ ﻟﻌﺎم ٢٠٣٠، ﺑﺎدرﻧﺎ ﺑﺘﺸﻜﻴﻞ اﻟﻠﺠﻨﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ ﻟﻠﺠﻤﻴﻊ ﳌﺘﺎﺑﻌﺔ ﺗﻨﻔﻴﺬ اﳍﺪف اﻟﺮاﺑﻊ ﻣﻦ أﻫﺪاف ﻫﺬﻩ اﳋﻄﺔ ﻟﺘﺘﻮاءم ﻣﻊ اﻷﻫﺪاف اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻮﻳﺔ ﻟﻠﺪوﻟﺔ. وﻳﺒﺪو ذﻟﻚ واﺿﺤﺎً ﰲ ﺣﺮص اﻟﺪوﻟﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﺼﻮل ﲨﻴﻊ اﻟﻄﻠﺒﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻌﻠﻴﻢ ﻧﻮﻋﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻛﺎﻓﺔ اﳌﺴﺘﻮﻳﺎت. ١٢-٥ ﺣـﻀـﺮات اﻟﺴـﻴـﺪات واﻟـﺴـﺎدة، إن دوﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ رﻏﻢ اﻧﺸﻐﺎﳍﺎ ﺑﺒﻨﺎء ﻧﻈﺎﻣﻬﺎ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻤﻲ و�ﻀﺘﻬﺎ اﻟﱰﺑﻮﻳﺔ ﱂ ﺗﻨﺲ ﻣﺪ ﻳﺪ اﻟﻌﻮن واﳌﺴﺎﻧﺪة ﻟﻜﺎﻓﺔ اﳉﻬﻮد اﻟﺪوﻟﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺴﺎﻋﺪة ﰲ ﺗﻨﻔﻴﺬ اﻟﱪاﻣﺞ واﳌﺸﺮوﻋﺎت اﻟﱰﺑﻮﻳﺔ واﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﰲ اﻟﺪول اﻟﺸﻘﻴﻘﺔ واﻟﺼﺪﻳﻘﺔ، ﺧﺎﺻﺔ اﻟﱵ ﺗﻌﺎﱐ ﻣﻦ آﺛﺎر اﳊﺮوب واﻟﻨﺰاﻋﺎت واﻟﻜﻮارث اﻟﻄﺒﻴﻌﻴﺔ. وﻣﺒﺎدرا廬ﺎ ﰲ ﻫﺬا اﺠﻤﻟﺎل ﻛﺜﲑة وﻣﺘﻌﺪدة. ﻫﺬا ﻓﻀﻼً ﻋﻦ ﺳﻌﻴﻬﺎ إﱃ ﳏﺎرﺑﺔ اﻹرﻫﺎب وﲡﻔﻴﻒ ﻣﻨﺎﺑﻌﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل ﺗﻌﻠﻴﻤﻬﺎ ﻟﺴﺒﻌﺔ ﻣﻼﻳﲔ ﻃﻔﻞ ﺣﻮل اﻟﻌﺎﱂ ﺣﱴ ﻻ ﻳﻘﻌﻮا ﻓﺮﻳﺴﺔ ﻟﻠﺠﻬﻞ واﻷﻓﻜﺎر اﳌﺘﻄﺮﻓﺔ. وﰲ ﻫﺬا اﻹﻃﺎر، أود أن أﺷﻴﺪ ﲜﻬﻮد ﺻﺎﺣﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻤﻮ اﻟﺸﻴﺨﺔ ﻣﻮزا ﺑﻨﺖ ﻧﺎﺻﺮ، اﳌﺒﻌﻮﺛﺔ اﳋﺎﺻﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﻷﺳﺎﺳﻲ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﻟﻌﺎﱄ ﰲ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، ﰲ دﻋﻢ أﻧﺸﻄﺔ وﺑﺮاﻣﺞ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ اﳌﺘﻌﻠﻘﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ، وﻣﻨﻬﺎ ﻣﺎ ﰎ ﻣﺆﺧﺮاً ﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻗﻴﻊ اﺗﻔﺎﻗﻴﺔ ﺣﻮل ﺗﻨﻔﻴﺬ ﻣﺸﺮوع "ﻋﻠّﻢ ﰲ ﺑﺎﻛﺴﺘﺎن" ﻹﳊﺎق ﻣﺎﺋﺔ أﻟﻒ ﻃﺎﻟﺐ ﺑﺘﻜﻠﻔﺔ ﻗﺪرﻫﺎ ١٣ ﻣﻠﻴﻮن دوﻻر أﻣﺮﻳﻜﻲ. ١٢-٦ ﺣـﻀـﺮات اﻟﺴـﻴـﺪات واﻟـﺴـﺎدة، ﻻ ﻳﻔﻮﺗﲏ أن أﻋﺮب ﻟﺴﻌﺎدة اﻟﺴﻴﺪة إﻳﺮﻳﻨﺎ ﺑﻮﻛﻮﻓﺎ ﻋﻦ ﺧﺎﻟﺺ ﺷﻜﺮي وﺗﻘﺪﻳﺮي ﳍﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺎ ﺑﺬﻟﺘﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺟﻬﻮد ﻛﺒﲑة ﺧﻼل ﻓﱰة إدار廬ﺎ ﳍﺬﻩ اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻌﺘﻴﺪة، ﻓﻘﺪ ﲢﻤﻠﺖ أﻣﺎﻧﺔ ﻋﻈﻴﻤﺔ ﻗﺎﻣﺖ ﺑﺄداﺋﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺧﲑ وﺟﻪ، ﺑﺘﻌﺎو�ﺎ اﳌﺨﻠﺺ ﻣﻊ رﺟﺎﻻت اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ واﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ ﰲ اﻟﻌﺎﱂ. وﰲ ﺧﺘﺎم ﻛﻠﻤﱵ، أﲤﲎ ﳌﺆﲤﺮﻛﻢ ﻫﺬا ﻛﻞ اﻟﺘﻮﻓﻴﻖ ﰲ ﻣﻬﻤﺘﻪ اﳉﻠﻴﻠﺔ، وأن ﺗﻈﻞ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ داﺋﻤﺎً رﻣﺰاً ﺣﻴﺎً ﻟﻠﺘﻌﺎون اﻟﺪوﱄ اﻟﺒﻨّﺎء ﺑﲔ ﻛﻞ ﻗﻮى اﳋﲑ ﰲ اﻟﻌﺎﱂ. وﺷﻜﺮاً ﳊﺴﻦ إﻧﺼﺎﺗﻜﻢ. ١٣ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ: ﺷﻜﺮاً ﻣﻌﺎﱄ اﻟﻮزﻳﺮ. واﻵن ﺳﺄﻋﻄﻲ اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺔ إﱃ ﺳﻌﺎدة اﻟﺴﻴﺪ ﳏﻤﺪ ﳌﲔ وﻟﺪ اﻟﺸﻴﺦ، وزﻳﺮ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ واﻟﺼﻨﺎﻋﺔ اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﺔ ﰲ ﻣﻮرﻳﺘﺎﻧﻴﺎ. ١٤-١ اﻟﺴﻴﺪ وﻟﺪ اﻟﺸﻴﺦ (ﻣﻮرﻳﺘﺎﻧﻴﺎ): ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮﲪﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ، اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ، اﻟﺴﻴﺪ رﺋﻴﺲ اﺠﻤﻟﻠﺲ اﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬي، أﺻﺤﺎب اﳌﻌﺎﱄ اﻟﻮزراء ورؤﺳﺎء اﻟﺒﻌﺜﺎت، أﺻﺤﺎب اﻟﺴﻌﺎدة ﺳﻔﺮاء اﻟﺪول اﻷﻋﻀﺎء، أﺻﺤﺎب اﻟﻔﻀﻴﻠﺔ اﳋﱪاء، أﻳﻬﺎ اﳉﻤﻊ اﻟﻜﺮﱘ، ﺑﺪاﻳﺔ أود أن ﺗﺴﻤﺤﻮا ﱄ أن أﻫﻨﺊ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ ﲟﻨﺎﺳﺒﺔ اﻧﺘﺨﺎ䛬ﺎ رﺋﻴﺴﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم ﳍﺬﻩ اﻟﺪورة اﻟﺘﺎﺳﻌﺔ واﻟﺜﻼﺛﲔ. ﻛﻤﺎ أﻫﻨﺊ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﳌﺪﻳﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ اﳉﺪﻳﺪة ﲟﻨﺎﺳﺒﺔ اﻧﺘﺨﺎ䛬ﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ رأس اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ، وﻛﺬﻟﻚ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﳌﺪﻳﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ اﳌﻨﺘﻬﻴﺔ وﻻﻳﺘﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻌﻤﻞ اﳌﻤﺘﺎز اﻟﺬي أﳒﺰﺗﻪ ﺧﻼل ﻓﱰة اﻧﺘﺪا䛬ﺎ. ﻛﻤﺎ أود أن أﻋﱪ ﻟﻜﻢ ﻋﻦ ﺳﻌﺎدﰐ وﻏﺒﻄﱵ اﻟﻴﻮم ﺑﻮﺟﻮدي ﲢﺖ ﻗﺒﺔ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺘﻨﺎ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ اﻟﻌﺘﻴﺪة، ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، اﻟﱵ ﺗﺮﻣﺰ إﱃ وﺣﺪة اﻟﻌﻘﻞ اﻟﺒﺸﺮي ﰲ اﺗﺴﺎق ﺑﺪﻳﻊ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺘﻨﻮع اﻟﺜﺮي ﻟﻠﺜﻘﺎﻓﺎت اﻟﻌﺎﳌﻴﺔ وﲡﺴﻴﺪ رﻣﺰﻳﺔ إﺧﺎء اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻓﻮق اﻷرض، ﲟﺎ ﺗﻌﻨﻴﻪ اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ وﺗُﻌﲎ ﺑﻪ ﻣﻦ أداء رﺳﺎﻟﺔ اﶈﺒﺔ واﻟﺴﻼم واﳌﻌﺮﻓﺔ ﺑﲔ اﻟﺒﺸﺮﻳﺔ ﲨﻌﺎء ﺧﻼل ﺳﺒﻌﲔ ﺳﻨﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﻄﺎء اﻟﺴﺨﻲ. ﻓﺒﺜﺖ ﺑﻄﻮاﻗﻢ ﻋﻤﻠﻬﺎ اﻟﺮاﺋﻌﺔ وﺟﻬﻮد اﻟﺪول اﻷﻋﻀﺎء ﺧﲑاً ﻋﻤﻴﻤﺎً ﰲ ﲨﻴﻊ زواﻳﺎ ﻛﺮﺗﻨﺎ اﻷرﺿﻴﺔ ﺑﺎﻧﻴﺔ اﻷﻣﻞ ﰲ اﻟﻨﻔﻮس اﳌﻬﺰوزة وﻣﻨﲑة اﻟﻌﻘﻮل اﳌﱰددة وﻣﻨﺎﻓﺤﺔ ﻋﻦ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺎت اﳌﻬﺪدة وﳏﺎﻓﻈﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺘﻨﻮع اﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ ﻟﺪى اﻟﺸﻌﻮب ﰲ ﻃﺮاﺋﻖ ﺣﻴﺎ廬ﻢ. وإ�ﺎ ﻟﺮﺳﺎﻟﺔ ﻧﺒﻴﻠﺔ ﺗﺴﺘﺤﻖ ﻣﺎ ﺗﺒﺬﻟﻮﻧﻪ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺟﻬﻮد ﳏﻤﻮدة ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﰲ أﻳﺎﻣﻨﺎ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺣﻴﺚ ﺗﻌﺎﱐ ﺛﻘﺎﻓﺎت وﺷﻌﻮب ﻋﺪﻳﺪة ﻣﻦ آﻻم اﳊﺮوب واﻟﻨﺰاﻋﺎت اﻟﻌﻘﻴﻤﺔ واﻟﻘﻬﺮ وﻛﻞ ذﻟﻚ ﺑﺴﺒﺐ ﻋﺪم ﻗﺒﻮل اﻵﺧﺮ. 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 6

١٤-٢ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ، أﻳﻬﺎ اﳊﻀﻮر اﻟﻜﺮﱘ، ﺗﻨﺘﻬﺰ اﳉﻤﻬﻮرﻳﺔ اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ اﳌﻮرﻳﺘﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺳﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﻋﺎﻣﺔ 廬ﺪف إﱃ اﻟﺮﻓﻊ ﻣﻦ ﺷﺄن اﻹﻧﺴﺎن وﺗﻜﺮﳝﻪ وذﻟﻚ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل ﺑﺮاﻣﺞ ﻣﺘﻜﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﺗﻀﻤﻦ اﻟﺘﻜﻔﻞ ﺑﺎﳊﺮﻳﺎت اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ اﻟﻔﺮدﻳﺔ واﳉﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ. ﻛﻤﺎ ﺗﻌﻤﻞ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﺸﺠﻴﻊ اﻟﻨﻤﻮ وﳏﺎرﺑﺔ اﻟﻔﻘﺮ وﺗﻮﺳﻴﻊ اﻟﻘﺎﻋﺪة اﻹﻧﺘﺎﺟﻴﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ وﺗﻌﺰﻳﺰ اﻟﺒﻨﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﺤﺘﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺒﻠﺪ ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﰲ اﳊﻘﻞ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ واﻟﺸﺒﺎﰊ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻤﻲ، ﳑﺎ ﻳﺸﻴﻊ اﻻﺳﺘﻘﺮار واﻟﺴﻠﻢ اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﲔ وﻳﺆﻫﻞ اﻟﺒﻼد ﻹﳒﺎز اﻻﺳﺘﺤﻘﺎﻗﺎت اﳌﺪﻧﻴﺔ واﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ وﺧﺪﻣﺔ اﻷﺟﻴﺎل اﻟﺸﺒﺎﺑﻴﺔ اﻟﺼﺎﻋﺪة. ١٤-٣ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ، أﻳﻬﺎ اﳊﻀﻮر اﻟﻜﺮﱘ، ﲤﺜﻞ ﺑﻼدﻧﺎ اﻟﻴﻮم وﻛﻤﺎ ﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﺑﺎﻷﻣﺲ ﻗﻨﻄﺮة اﳊﻀﺎرة واﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺎت اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﰲ ﻏﺮب أﻓﺮﻳﻘﻴﺎ ﺑﲔ ﴰﺎل أﻓﺮﻳﻘﻴﺎ ودول ﺟﻨﻮب اﻟﺼﺤﺮاء اﻟﻜﱪى. ﻓﺄﻧﺸﺄﻧﺎ ﺑﺬﻟﻚ ﳎﺎﻻً ﺣﻴﻮﻳﺎً ﻧﺸﺮﻧﺎ ﻋﱪﻩ اﻟﻘﻴﻢ اﻹﳚﺎﺑﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺗﺴﺎﻣﺢ وﺳﻠﻢ وأرﳛﻴﺔ ﺑﲔ ﺷﻌﻮب اﳌﻨﻄﻘﺔ. وﻛﻨﺎ ﺳﺒﺎﻗﲔ إﱃ ﺗﻌﺰﻳﺰ اﻻﻧﺘﻤﺎء اﻟﻌﺮﰊ اﻷﻓﺮﻳﻘﻲ واﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ واﻟﺪوﱄ ﻋﱪ ﻣﻨﻈﻮﻣﺔ اﻟﻘﻴﻢ اﻟﱵ أﻧﺸﺄﻫﺎ ﻋﻠﻤﺎؤﻧﺎ وأدﺑﺎؤﻧﺎ وﻣﺜﻘﻔﻮﻧﺎ اﻧﻄﻼﻗﺎً ﻣﻦ ﻧﺼﺮة اﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ اﻟﻌﺎدﻟﺔ وﻓﺾ اﻟﻨﺰاﻋﺎت وﻣﻌﺎﳉﺔ اﻷزﻣﺎت وﺗﺸﺠﻴﻊ اﻟﻮﺳﻄﻴﺔ. ١٤-٤ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ، أﻳﻬﺎ اﳊﻀﻮر اﻟﻜﺮﱘ، اﻧﻄﻼﻗﺎً ﻣﻦ إﳝﺎﻧﻨﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﺪور اﶈﻮري اﻟﺬي ﺗﻠﻌﺒﻪ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ ﰲ اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﺘﺪاﻣﺔ ﻓﻘﺪ ﺗﺒﻨّﺖ ﻣﻮرﻳﺘﺎﻧﻴﺎ إﺻﻼﺣﺎً ﺛﻘﺎﻓﻴﺎً ﻃﻤﻮﺣﺎً ﺳﻴﺴﻤﺢ ﲝﻤﺎﻳﺔ اﳍﻮﻳﺔ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺟﻬﺔ، وﻳﻀﻤﻦ اﻟﺘﻼﺣﻢ ﺑﲔ ﲨﻴﻊ ﻣﻜﻮﻧﺎ廬ﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺟﻬﺔ أﺧﺮى. ﻛﻤﺎ ﳚﻌﻞ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ ﻗﻄﺒﺎً ﺗﻨﻤﻮﻳﺎً ﻳﻮﻓﺮ ﻓﺮص اﻟﻌﻤﻞ وﻳﺪر دﺧﻼً ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻌﺎﻣﻠﲔ ﰲ اﳊﻘﻞ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ داﺧﻞ اﳌﺪن اﻟﺼﻐﲑة واﻷرﻳﺎف. وﻗﺪ اﻋﺘﻤﺪﻧﺎ ﰲ ذﻟﻚ ﻋﻠﻰ إﻋﻼن ﺳﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﻋﺎﻣﺔ ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ، وﻣﺮاﺟﻌﺔ ﺷﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﻨﻈﻮﻣﺔ اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ، وﻣﺮاﺟﻌﺔ ﺷﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﻟﻺﻃﺎر اﳌﺆﺳﺴﻲ ﻟﻠﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻳﻀﻤﻦ اﻟﺘﺄﻃﲑ اﻟﻼزم ﳌﺨﺘﻠﻒ اﻷﻧﺸﻄﺔ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ واﻟﺘﻜﻮﻳﻦ اﻟﻔﻌﺎل ﻟﻸﻃﺮ واﻟﻔﻨﻴﲔ اﻟﻌﺎﻣﻠﲔ ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻟﺼﻨﺎﻋﺎت اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ وإﻧﺸﺎء ﻓﻀﺎءات ﺛﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ 䛬ﺪف ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺐ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ ﻣﻦ اﳌﻮاﻃﻦ وﺧﻠﻖ ﺣﺎﺿﻨﺔ ﺛﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ ﻳﺄوي إﻟﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﺸﺒﺎب ﲪﺎﻳﺔ ﳍﻢ ﻣﻦ ﺣﻮاﺿﻦ اﻟﺘﻄﺮف واﻟﻐﻠﻮ واﻹﺟﺮام. ﻛﻤﺎ أ�ﺎ ﺗﺸﻜﻞ ﺳﺎﺣﺔ ﻟﺘﻼﻗﺢ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺎت اﶈﻠﻴﺔ وﺻﻬﺮﻫﺎ ﰲ ﺑﻮﺗﻘﺔ واﺣﺪة، وإﻃﻼق ﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ وﻃﲏ ﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﳌﺪن واﳌﻮاﻗﻊ اﻟﱰاﺛﻴﺔ وإﳒﺎز ﻣﺸﺎرﻳﻊ ﻛﱪى 廬ﺪف إﱃ ﲪﺎﻳﺔ ﳐﺘﻠﻒ ﻣﻜﻮﻧﺎت ﺗﺮاﺛﻨﺎ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ وﲢﻘﻖ ﺗﻄﻮراً ﻣﻠﻤﻮﺳﺎً ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺴﺘﻮى أداء اﻷﻧﺸﻄﺔ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ ﳏﻠﻴﺎً ووﻃﻨﻴﺎً ودوﻟﻴﺎً. ١٤-٥ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ، أﻳﻬﺎ اﳊﻀﻮر اﻟﻜﺮﱘ، ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ ﻓﺈن ﻣﻮارد ﻫﺎﻣﺔ ﰎّ ﺗﺴﺨﲑﻫﺎ ﰲ ﺑﻼدﻧﺎ ﻟﺒﻨﺎء اﳌﺪارس واﻟﺘﻜﻮﻳﻦ وﳏﺎرﺑﺔ اﻷﻣﻴﺔ ﻟﺪى اﻟﻜﺒﺎر ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﻣﻦ اﳌﻨﺘﻤﲔ إﱃ اﻟﻔﺌﺎت اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ اﳍﺸﺔ. وﻟﻘﺪ ﻗﺎﻣﺖ ﺑﻼدﻧﺎ ﲞﻄﻮات ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺔ ﻣﻌﺘﱪة ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻹﻋﻼم ﲤﺜﻠﺖ ﰲ ﲢﺮﻳﺮ اﻟﻔﻀﺎء اﻟﺴﻤﻌﻲ اﻟﺒﺼﺮي وﺳﻦ ﻗﻮاﻧﲔ ﲪﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﺼﺤﻔﻴﲔ، ﳑﺎ ﺧﻮﳍﺎ ﺗﺼﺪر دول اﳌﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﰲ ﺣﺮﻳﺔ اﻹﻋﻼم ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺪار اﻟﺴﻨﻮات اﻷرﺑﻊ اﳌﺎﺿﻴﺔ. ﻛﻤﺎ اﻋﺘﻤﺪﻧﺎ اﺳﱰاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺔ ﻣﺘﻜﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﳊﻔﻆ اﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ واﻟﱰاث اﻟﻄﺒﻴﻌﻲ. وﻧﻌﻤﻞ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻨﻔﻴﺬ ﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ ﺧﺎص ﶈﺎرﺑﺔ زﺣﻒ اﻟﺮﻣﺎل. وﰲ ﻫﺬا اﻟﺼﺪد، اﺳﺘﻀﺎﻓﺖ ﺑﻼدﻧﺎ ﻣﻘﺮ وﻛﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﺴﻮر اﻷﺧﻀﺮ اﻟﻜﺒﲑ. وﺑﺬﻟﻚ ﺗﺘﺠﻠﻰ إرادة ﻣﻮرﻳﺘﺎﻧﻴﺎ واﻟﺘﺰاﻣﻬﺎ ﲟﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ اﻟﺘﺼﺤﺮ وﲪﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ. وإن ﺑﻼدﻧﺎ ﻟﺘﺠﺪد دﻋﻤﻬﺎ ﻟﻠﺠﻬﻮد اﳌﺒﺬوﻟﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﺠﻤﻟﺘﻤﻌﺎت اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺑﺘﻄﻮﻳﺮ اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ واﻟﻌﻠﻮم، وﺗﺸﺪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻳﺪﻫﺎ ﰲ اﻟﻮﻗﻮف ﺿﺪ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻮاﺟﻪ اﻟﻘﺪس اﻟﺸﺮﻳﻒ ﻣﻦ إزاﻟﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﻌﺎﱂ اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ واﳌﺴﻴﺤﻴﺔ واﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ، وﻛﺬﻟﻚ ﲪﺎﻳﺔ اﻵﺛﺎر اﻟﻔﻠﺴﻄﻴﻨﻴﺔ ﺑﺎﻋﺘﺒﺎرﻫﺎ ﺗﺮاﺛﺎً ﻟﻠﺒﺸﺮﻳﺔ ﲨﻌﺎء، أﺷﻜﺮﻛﻢ واﻟﺴﻼم ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ورﲪﺔ اﷲ وﺑﺮﻛﺎﺗﻪ. 15. La Présidente : Shukran. Je voudrais maintenant donner la parole à S. E. M. Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Ministre de l’éducation nationale du Sénégal. 16.1 M. Thiam (Sénégal) : Madame la Présidente de la Conférence générale, Monsieur le Président du Conseil exécutif, Mesdames, Messieurs les Ministres et Chefs de délégation, Madame la Directrice générale, Mesdames, Messieurs. Madame la Présidente, en vous adressant mes félicitations pour votre élection à la tête de notre Conférence générale, je remercie en même temps votre prédécesseur pour le travail accompli durant son mandat. Je félicite également le Président du Conseil exécutif et exprime notre gratitude à Mme Irina Bokova, Directrice générale sortante, pour sa contribution inestimable au rayonnement de notre Organisation. À Mme Audrey Azoulay, qui prendra bientôt son relais, j’exprime, par anticipation, nos vœux de succès. 16.2 En raison des développements qui affectent sa composition – développements récents –, de grands défis se profilent à l’horizon de notre Organisation, la mettant ainsi à nouveau à la croisée des chemins. Le Sénégal est convaincu que c’est le moment, pour tous ceux qui croient aux idéaux qui nous rassemblent ici depuis 72 ans, de poursuivre, avec foi et vigueur, notre marche résolue et solidaire. Nous devons continuer nos efforts en faveur du multilatéralisme comme facteur de paix et relais indispensable du dialogue des civilisations. C’est la raison d’être principale de l’UNESCO. 16.3 Je me réjouis de constater que plusieurs orientations du prochain exercice biennal cadrent avec les priorités actuelles du Sénégal. Ainsi en est-il de l’éducation. Ma délégation se félicite du contenu du grand programme I visant à atteindre l’ambitieux ODD 4 et les autres ODD liés à l’éducation. Le Sénégal investit considérablement dans le secteur de l’éducation. Plus de 80 % de notre budget national, représentant près de 7 % du PIB, est consacré à ce secteur, dépassant ainsi la recommandation de 20 % préconisée dans l’agenda Éducation 2030. Le cadre de mise en œuvre de ce volontarisme politique en faveur de l’éducation est le programme sectoriel qui porte comme intitulé l’acronyme PAQUET, Programme d’amélioration de la qualité, de l’équité et de la transparence. Le PAQUET vise à promouvoir une école pour tous, une école de qualité, une école viable, stable et pacifiée. Les Concertations et Assises nationales, organisées en 2013 et 2014 dans le secteur de l’éducation et de la formation, ont permis de mobiliser tous les acteurs et partenaires du système éducatif autour des objectifs du PAQUET, financé à hauteur de 80 % par des ressources domestiques. Mais en dépit de tous les efforts, les besoins de financement en matière d’éducation restent énormes et difficiles à soutenir. Je tiens à saluer ici la contribution précieuse du Partenariat mondial pour l’éducation. Voilà pourquoi le Sénégal estime que ce Partenariat mérite, en retour, un soutien conséquent afin de poursuivre ses activités en tant que seul fonds mondial dédié à l’éducation. C’est dans cet esprit qu’avec le coparrainage de la France, le Sénégal accueillera, le 2 février 2018, la troisième Conférence de financement du Partenariat mondial autour du thème « Bâtir l’avenir ». Je convie tous les pays membres de l’UNESCO à ce rendez-vous de Dakar. Au Sénégal, nous restons convaincus que la bataille de l’éducation est la mère de toutes les batailles. Lorsqu’elle est perdue, il est illusoire d’engager d’autres fronts, parce qu’il n’y aura tout simplement pas de ressources humaines aptes à mener les autres combats. C’est cette conviction qui a guidé le Président Macky Sall à instaurer le Grand prix du Chef de l’État pour l’enseignant, dont la finalité est de reconnaître et de valoriser 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 7 le métier d’enseignant. C’est pourquoi aussi le Sénégal est d’avis qu’une éducation de qualité pour tous appelle une alphabétisation et un apprentissage tout au long de la vie, une formation technique et professionnelle ouverte sur le marché du travail, un enseignement supérieur orienté vers les STEM. 16.4 S’agissant de la culture, le Sénégal adhère aux grandes priorités biennales déclinées dans le programme. J’insiste particulièrement sur l’importance que notre pays accorde à la diversité culturelle. À travers les âges et aujourd’hui encore, bien des tragédies humaines naissent du mépris culturel au sein ou entre les États. L’acceptation de la diversité culturelle et civilisationnelle est une condition sine qua non de la paix. L’UNESCO doit en rester la gardienne vigilante. C’est pourquoi, relayant l’appel du Président Macky Sall devant la 72e session de l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies, ma délégation reste plus que jamais attachée au devoir de respecter et de protéger les droits de toutes les minorités. 16.5 Dans le domaine des sciences exactes et naturelles, le Sénégal approuve le programme visant le renforcement des institutions et des réseaux en Afrique et la résilience face aux changements climatiques. Ma délégation soutient la priorité accordée aux activités de renforcement des systèmes scientifiques, technologiques et d’innovation (STI). Le Sénégal appuie également toutes les initiatives de l’UNESCO relatives à l’éthique, au développement interculturel, à la promotion des droits humains, à la jeunesse et au sport, ainsi qu’aux groupes vulnérables. En tant que pays de longue tradition démocratique, le Sénégal soutient toute action et stratégie visant la promotion de la liberté d’expression. Mesdames, Messieurs, je souhaite plein succès à nos travaux et vous remercie de votre écoute attentive. 17. La Présidente : Merci, Excellence. Je voudrais maintenant donner la parole à S. E. M. Henry Rabary-Njaka, Ministre des affaires étrangères de Madagascar. 18.1 M. Rabary-Njaka (Madagascar) : Madame la Présidente de la Conférence générale, Monsieur le Président du Conseil exécutif, Mesdames et Messieurs les Chefs de délégation, Madame la Directrice générale de l’UNESCO, Mesdames et Messieurs, permettez- moi tout d’abord de féliciter, au nom du Gouvernement de Madagascar, Mme Zohour Alaoui pour son élection à la Présidence de la Conférence générale de l’UNESCO. Nous lui souhaitons plein succès dans ses fonctions et lui assurons notre total soutien et appui. Je vous prie également de me permettre de rendre hommage à Mme Irina Bokova, première femme à occuper le poste de Directeur général de l’UNESCO, qui a, au demeurant, réalisé un parcours brillant à la tête de notre Organisation, ce dont nous la félicitons vivement. Nous lui adressons ici nos vœux les plus sincères de réussite et de succès dans ses projets futurs. 18.2 Madame la Présidente, notre Organisation est à la croisée des chemins. Elle traverse une crise qui nous interpelle et qui nous amène à dire que la pérennité de l’UNESCO, acteur majeur du multilatéralisme, est plus que jamais une nécessité. Notre Organisation doit être soutenue par nous tous et Madagascar lui réaffirme aujourd’hui tout son soutien. Les objectifs de l’UNESCO ont une importance fondamentale dans un monde globalisé où les interconnexions, les métissages et la diversité sont autant d’opportunités pour construire la paix dans l’esprit des femmes et des hommes. La place de l’UNESCO pour la paix durable et d’un développement équitable et durable est incontournable. Nous nous réjouissons tous ainsi de ce que cette 39e Conférence générale puisse adopter son programme et son budget, élire les membres du Conseil exécutif, entériner la nomination de Mme Audrey Azoulay, nouvelle Directrice générale, qui succèdera à Mme Irina Bokova. Oui, notre Organisation est bien là, elle est présente dans le concert des nations, le multilatéralisme, et c’est heureux. Et cette crise finalement a ceci de salutaire qu’elle nous oblige à trouver des financements et des partenariats innovants. Nous tous ici devons mutualiser nos forces pour contribuer activement et de façon homogène à l'atteinte des objectifs de développement durable avec l’UNESCO. 18.3 Madame la Présidente, Madagascar est parfaitement dans cette lignée où le développement est d’abord la mise en place d’une société du vivre ensemble harmonieux, dans le respect de la diversité. L’éducation est un élément clé dans le processus de développement. Ainsi, le Gouvernement de Madagascar a engagé, avec le soutien de l'UNESCO, une réforme du secteur de l’éducation et en a fait une priorité dans sa politique nationale pour le développement. Cette réforme est consacrée dans le nouveau Plan sectoriel de l’éducation, ou PSE, qui a été conçu par les trois ministères malgaches en charge de l'éducation. Notre pays est en train de se doter d’un système éducatif performant et équitable, accessible à tous. De larges consultations nationales ont permis de poser les grands axes stratégiques. Le Gouvernement de Madagascar réitère sa gratitude à l’endroit de l’UNESCO pour son appui sans faille au secteur de l’éducation. Citons ici le programme de l’UNESCO relatif à la formation des enseignants, dont les résultats les plus marquants sont la conception de « la mallette mathématique » et la formation de 2 300 enseignants, ou encore le Programme CapED, soutenu particulièrement par le Président de la République Hery Rajaonarimampianina, qui a abouti à l’élaboration de la Politique nationale de l’emploi et de la formation professionnelle (PNEFP), qui s’est traduite, cette année, par la formation de plus de 2 500 jeunes ruraux déscolarisés. 18.4 Madame la Présidente, Madagascar est également consciente du rôle central de la culture dans l’atteinte des objectifs de développement durable. Nous sommes fiers de figurer parmi les pays sur le point d’adhérer à toutes les conventions culturelles de l’UNESCO. Des chantiers importants sont également en cours sur le plan culturel : la réactualisation de la politique culturelle nationale, ou encore le programme de restauration de l’un de nos monuments historiques et emblématiques, le Palais de Manjakamiadana, appelé aussi le Palais de la Reine, dans le cadre d’un programme d’appui de l’UNESCO financé par le Gouvernement japonais. 18.5 Madame la Présidente, Madagascar, c’est 5 300 km de côtes, 217 000 km2 de plateau continental, 1 140 000 km2 de zone économique exclusive. Madagascar soutient la proposition de la Commission océanographique intergouvernementale (COI) d’une décennie internationale de l’océanologie pour le développement durable de 2021-2030. Dans le domaine de l’eau, l’éco-hydrologie représente un des défis de notre Gouvernement. Nous nous engageons à continuer nos efforts pour mettre en œuvre des projets dans l’objectif d’un monde durable. Dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre du Plan d’action de Lima, notre Gouvernement est favorable à la mise en place d’un fonds pérenne pour les réserves de biosphère. 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 8

18.6 Madame la Présidente, 64 % de notre population ont moins de 25 ans. La protection de la jeunesse constitue pour nous un défi majeur. Le Gouvernement malgache a adopté en 2016 le Plan national de la jeunesse, pour faire des jeunes les acteurs directs du développement. 18.7 Consciente, par ailleurs, de ce que le sport rassemble les populations et contribue à la consolidation de la paix et à la réalisation des ODD, Madagascar a décidé d’accueillir la Conférence africaine sur la mise en œuvre du Plan d’action de Kazan en 2018, et je convie ici tous les pays membres de l’UNESCO à venir à Antananarivo pour assister à cette grande conférence africaine. 18.8 En conclusion, je tiens à vous assurer que la République de Madagascar s’engage à continuer tous ses efforts déjà entrepris et à agir activement au sein de notre Organisation. C’est pourquoi Madagascar est candidat pour faire partie du Conseil exécutif de l’UNESCO, du Conseil intergouvernemental du Programme MOST et du Comité intergouvernemental de sauvegarde du patrimoine culturel immatériel. Permettez-moi de terminer mon allocution en souhaitant à Mme Audrey Azoulay plein succès dans ses hautes fonctions de Directrice générale de l’UNESCO, tout en lui assurant tout le soutien du Gouvernement de Madagascar. Il faut le dire, cette année a été pour l’UNESCO l’année de la femme. Une grande dame s’en va, une autre grande dame vient continuer l’œuvre. (Applaudissements) Et par ailleurs, et par ailleurs, à la tête de notre Conférence générale, une autre grande dame, une femme arabe, on met en œuvre les valeurs de l’UNESCO, riche de sa diversité. Je vous remercie de votre attention. 19. La Présidente : Merci, Monsieur le Ministre, pour vos mots si aimables. Maintenant, je donne la parole à S. E. Mme Liana Ruokyte- Jonsson, Ministre de la culture de Lituanie. 20.1 Ms Ruokyte-Jonsson (Lithuania): Madam President of the General Conference, Madam Director-General, Excellences, ladies and gentlemen, UNESCO has always been an indispensable part of the United Nations system, a fundamental element in the international architecture of organizations that provide us with a platform to address the global challenges that we face today. It is absolutely vital to reaffirm our commitment to the shared principles of global collaboration and dialogue and work together to solve the problems that we meet along the way. At the same time, and especially at the time of rising regional tensions, it is important to remember that global issues cannot be reduced to national agendas. Global problems need global solutions and in this regard UNESCO has, and continues to play, a very important role in this endeavour. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Director General, Ms Irina Bokova, for her efforts and determination while leading UNESCO. 20.2 Ladies and gentlemen, UNESCO has been a relentless and consistent force in paving the way for a free flow of ideas. Only two years ago we declared the International Access to Information Day, and, since, its cause has rallied many determined partners, including Lithuania. A coherent narrative on the importance of access to information as a powerful enabler to achieve the sustainable development goals has been emerging: unhindered access to information and communication empowers people, be it by providing them with more choice and opportunities, or by keeping their governments accountable. Media actors, in particular journalists, are natural partners of our Organization in empowering individuals, by way of promoting their rights, most notably the freedom of expression. We need to make sure that journalists are free and safe to carry out their mission, which is vital in this globally connected world. 20.3 Lithuania condemns prevailing violations of international commitments throughout the world. Since 2014, we have been witnessing a deteriorating human rights situation in Crimea, Ukraine, including in the fields of competence of our Organization. Therefore, Lithuania recognizes the importance of UNESCO’s active and direct involvement in solving the relevant challenges. For its part, Lithuania continues to work on the implementation of the 1972 and the 2003 Conventions which lie at the heart of the Organization and cover both the fields of culture and tangible and intangible cultural heritage. We remain committed to the importance of safeguarding and transmitting cultural heritage to the generations to come. 20.4 UNESCO continues to face great challenges because of its unsustainable financial situation. Lithuania strongly supports efforts to improve UNESCO, both here in Paris and across the field offices. There is still a need for more transparent, efficient and accountable programme delivery. Strong and skilled leadership of the Organization is indispensable. In this regard, Lithuania places its trust in the nominated Director-General, Ms Audrey Azoulay, and remains determined to work together to contribute to our shared future. Thank you for your attention. 21. La Présidente : Thank you, Minister. Je voudrais donner la parole à S. E. M. Hang Chuon Naron, Ministre de l’éducation, de la jeunesse et des sports du Cambodge. 22.1 Mr Hang (Cambodia): Madam President of the General Conference, Madam Director-General of UNESCO, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Director-General of UNESCO for her report and the Draft Programme and Budget for 2018-2021 (39 C/5) submitted to us, and to share with you the efforts of the Government of Cambodia during the last two years under the leadership of the Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. 22.2 In response to many global challenges, ranging from climate change to global terrorism, the Government of Cambodia, together with its development partners, is implementing ambitious education reforms to ensure that our young people are ready and contribute to a sustainable future. The onset of the fourth industrial revolution is increasing competition and opportunities more than ever before. We are therefore continuously working to improve the quality of education to acquire knowledge, hard and soft skills, commitment to social justice, environmental protection and sustainable development, as well as to become good global citizens by respecting and valuing diversity and a willingness to make the world a more equitable and sustainable place. 22.3 With increasing government investment in education, the reform initiatives launched four years ago on examinations, teachers, school inspection, learning assessment and curriculum revision are demonstrating excellent 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 9 results. Cambodia is fully committed to Sustainable Development Goal 4 by integrating it into the national education strategic plan and preparing the Education 2030 roadmap. We are striving towards the improved provision of early childhood education, equitable quality primary and secondary education, and increasing the supply of well-trained teachers, leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. We are committed to fostering national and global citizenship among Cambodian learners. 22.4 In the field of natural sciences, Cambodia has introduced the “New Environment and Natural Resources Code” to strengthen the legal and policy framework in terms of environmental protection, conservation and climate change adaption and mitigation. With the support of UNESCO, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Tonle Sap biosphere reserve and strongly hope that we will be able to nominate the Cardamom mountain area as the second biosphere reserve in Cambodia. (The speaker continues in French) 22.5 Excellences, Mesdames, Messieurs, le Gouvernement royal du Cambodge se félicite de l’assistance de l’UNESCO pour la préservation des archives du régime khmer rouge du site de Tuol Sleng, grâce au Programme « Mémoire du monde ». L’accès à l’information constitue l’autre aspect majeur de la collaboration entre le Cambodge et l’UNESCO en matière de l’information et de la communication. Cette collaboration consiste en la préparation d’un projet de loi sur l’accès à l’information. 22.6 Le Cambodge salue les efforts déployés par l’UNESCO pour aider les pays membres dans le domaine de la culture. Le Cambodge souhaite vivement remercier le Comité du patrimoine mondial d’avoir soutenu et inscrit sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial, en juillet dernier, à Cracovie, la Zone des temples de Sambor Prei Kuk, un site préangkorien du VIIe siècle appartenant à la capitale d’un des premiers grands empires de l’Asie du Sud-Est. Le Gouvernement royal du Cambodge souhaite également exprimer ses remerciements à la France, au Japon, à l’Inde et à la Chine, qui œuvrent en tant que coprésidents, ainsi qu’à l’UNESCO, quant au bon fonctionnement des deux comités internationaux de coordination, l’un pour Angkor et l’autre pour le temple Preah Vihear. Dans le domaine du patrimoine immatériel, le Gouvernement royal se félicite également de l’inscription sur la Liste du patrimoine immatériel du chapei Dang Veng et remercie chaleureusement le Comité de l’attribution financière pour la mise en œuvre du plan de sauvegarde. Le Cambodge souhaite également féliciter la Directrice générale pour avoir dénoncé sans relâche les destructions les plus abjectes du patrimoine culturel du Moyen-Orient, avoir soutenu sans réserve son initiative #UnisPourLePatrimoine et avoir appelé de ses vœux le renforcement du Secrétariat des conventions de 1970 et de 1954, dont le Cambodge est fier d’assumer actuellement la Présidence. 22.7 Enfin, Madame la Directrice générale, Irina Bokova, le Gouvernement royal du Cambodge ne peut terminer ce discours de politique générale sans vous exprimer nos remerciements les plus chaleureux pour votre soutien indéfectible au Cambodge et le témoignage de notre admiration pour avoir traversé avec la plus grande dignité les difficultés de notre Organisation, en réussissant néanmoins à la réformer pour qu’elle puisse incarner un nouvel humanisme pour le XXIe siècle. Je vous remercie pour votre aimable attention. 23. La Présidente : Merci, Monsieur le Ministre. Et maintenant j’appelle S. E. M. Aboubakar Moukadas Noure, Ministre de l'enseignement primaire, secondaire, technique et de l’alphabétisation de la République centrafricaine. 24.1 M. Noure (République centrafricaine) : Madame la Présidente de la Conférence, Monsieur le Président du Conseil exécutif, Madame la Directrice générale de l’UNESCO, Mesdames et Messieurs les Ministres, Chefs de délégations, Honorables Délégués et Observateurs, Mesdames et Messieurs, c’est pour moi un réel plaisir et un grand honneur de vous présenter, Madame la Présidente, au nom de la République centrafricaine et de la délégation que je conduis, mes vifs compliments pour la confiance que les États membres ici présents vous ont accordée en vous portant à la présidence des travaux de cette session. Qu’il me soit permis d’adresser à la Directrice générale de l’UNESCO, Mme Irina Bokova, au nom du Président de la République centrafricaine et du Gouvernement, le témoignage de notre gratitude et de notre reconnaissance pour l’attention particulière et constante que l’Organisation accorde à mon pays par des actions multiformes aux fins de redynamiser le système éducatif, d’une part, et de consolider la paix, d’autre part, après plus de deux décennies tumultueuses et sombres de son histoire. 24.2 Madame la Présidente, Honorables Délégués, nous percevons aujourd’hui, avec plus d’acuité, l’actualisation de notre Acte constitutif, qui assigne à l’UNESCO la mission de, je cite « contribuer au maintien de la paix et de la sécurité en resserrant, par l’éducation, la science et la culture, la collaboration entre nations » – fin de citation. C’est forts de cette solidarité intellectuelle que nous devons bâtir notre monde et préserver les générations futures du fléau de la guerre, car en ce début du XXIe siècle, on assiste à une recrudescence des conflits entre nations, des combats au sein des nations, à des violences contre l’être humain et sa dignité, ainsi qu’à des conflits entre les cultures, entre les générations, à des injustices et des phénomènes d’exclusion intolérables. Comme nous le constatons, l’Afrique est malheureusement à ce jour en tête de peloton de ces multiples défis. C’est pourquoi mon pays, la République centrafricaine, qui sort lentement des conséquences du coup d’État du 24 mars 2013 ayant conduit déjà à trois changements politiques, renoue avec le concert des nations démocratiques avec l’élection de Son Excellence le Professeur Faustin-Archange Touadéra comme Président de la République, Chef de l’État. Avec sa politique de dialogue pour une véritable cohésion sociale, le Chef de l’État, sous ces rapports, déploie des efforts, à travers le programme de démobilisation, désarmement, réinsertion et rapatriement, en abrégé DDRR, pour pacifier entièrement le pays, dont une large partie connaît encore, malheureusement, une vague d’insécurité résultant des actions d’hostilité de certaines bandes armées non conventionnelles, qui terrorisent et violentent la population civile, occasionnant ainsi des vagues de réfugiés et de personnes déplacées. Malgré les efforts du Gouvernement de mon pays, qui travaille de concert avec les forces armées de la MINUSCA et l’EUTM, la paix sociale est encore fragilisée par les exactions et les attaques répétées qui sont orchestrées également par les rebelles de l’Armée de résistance du Seigneur (LRA) de Joseph Kony. C’est pourquoi, afin de consolider ses acquis démocratiques et la paix, l’appui de la communauté internationale est-il plus que jamais sollicité pour éradiquer définitivement cette culture de 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 10 violence que mon pays essaie de combattre par ses moyens encore limités en vue de réaliser ce qu’a énoncé la Charte constitutive de l’UNESCO, et là encore je cite : « les guerres prenant naissance dans l’esprit des hommes, c’est dans l’esprit des hommes que doivent être élevées les défenses de la paix » – fin de citation. 24.3 Madame la Présidente, l’UNESCO et ses États membres doivent assumer la lourde responsabilité morale et éthique de transmettre aux générations futures une planète en paix avec son passé, son présent et son avenir. Par ailleurs, la solidarité internationale est sollicitée pour poursuivre les initiatives dans les domaines scientifiques et technologiques, notamment les sciences de la nature, pour une mise en valeur des immenses ressources naturelles du pays grâce à une exploitation rationnelle aux fins d’un développement durable de la République centrafricaine. Dans le domaine de la communication, le Gouvernement a mis un accent particulier sur la promotion de la presse tant publique que privée. À cet effet, il apprécie à sa juste valeur l’appui multiforme de l’UNESCO dans ce domaine. Enfin, Madame la Présidente, Honorables Délégués, Mesdames et Messieurs, je ne saurais terminer mes propos sans pour autant réaffirmer, au nom du Gouvernement de mon pays, l’attachement de la République centrafricaine aux idéaux de l’UNESCO. Je vous remercie de votre aimable attention. 25. La Présidente : Merci, Monsieur le Ministre. Je voudrais maintenant donner la parole à S. E. M. Alejandro Finocchiaro, Ministre de l’éducation et des sports d’Argentine. 26.1 Sr. Finocchiaro (Argentina): Señor Presidente, Señora Directora General, excelencias, señores delegados. Es para mi un gran honor estar hoy aquí representando a la República Argentina ante esta 39 Conferencia General de la UNESCO. Vivimos en una época de grandes transformaciones globales, donde los cambios son cada vez más profundos y veloces. Ello nos pone frente a un desafío constante, adaptarnos a la aceleración de la revolución tecnológica y la creciente interdependencia mundial. La construcción del orden internacional moderno no debe perder de vista los principios que desde esta organización nos guiaron y nos deben seguir guiando para lograr construir la paz en la mente de todos los habitantes de nuestro planeta.Para lograr dicho objetivo contamos con las herramientas más poderosas, la educación, el entendimiento intercultural, la cooperación científica y la libertad de expresión. Pero fundamentalmente contamos con el poder transformador de la Educación, que debe ser inclusiva y de calidad a lo largo de toda la vida, en tanto derecho humano fundamental que garantiza el acceso a los demás derechos y es pre-requisito escencial del desarrollo. 26.2 Desde la República Argentina sostenemos la relevancia estratégica que la educación tiene para poder alcanzar la Agenda 2030 en su conjunto.De igual forma en nuestra agenda 2030 el ODS 4 es la clave para poder cumplir con los restantes objetivos. Es por eso que el ODS 4 tiene que estar en el corazón de la agenda global, es la fuerza de transformación que hará de los ciudadanos actores activos y comprometidos agentes de cambio. Este es el mensaje que la Argentina trae a UNESCO, en particular a través de su participación activa en el comité directivo de la agenda educativa 2030. Nuestro país continua realizando esfuerzos para que el debate educativo sea jerarquizado. Promovimos en enero de este año la primera cumbre de ministros de educación regiona del GRULAC, de la cual emanó la declaración de Buenos Aires que manifiesta nuestras prioridades. Así mismo podemos afirmar que en 2018 tendrá lugar en la Argentina la primera reunión de ministros de educación del G20 propiciada por nuestro país.Confiamos en los países, organizaciones internacionales y sociedad civil, podamos trabajar juntos para catalizar acuerdos concretos que nos permitan implementar la agenda mediante nuestra acción decidida en temas claves como las habilidades para la vida y el empleo del futuro, la innovación, el rol central de los docentes y la ciudadanía para el desarrollo sostenible. Esta es la visión que el Presidente Macri tiene para la educación en la Argentina y que buscamos hacer realidad. 26.3 Queremos construir una Argentina con una estructura social más justa, con igualdad de oportunidades y posibilidades. Nuestra metas están apuntadas al año 2030 en el cual egresarán quienes hoy comienzan su escolaridad. Estamos recuperando la capacidad del estado para diseñar e implementar las políticas en materia educativa. En el nivel inicial queremos fortalecer el ingreso, la permanencia y el egreso de los estudiantes a través de los procesos de enseñanza y de aprendizaje de calidad. Para ello llevamos adelante un plan para la construcción de las salas necesarias para la escolarización de los chicos desde los 3 años. Buscamos propiciar ya de la primaria la reducción de la brecha digital, la alfabetización digital de los alumnos Es necesario transformar la escuela secundaria y poner el foco en la organización de la misma. Esto implica aprendizaje por proyectos interdisciplinarios, el trabajo en equipo y prácticas educativas para contar con experiencia laboral previa y aprendizaje en emprendeurismo.Así mismo es fundamental la lucha contra el abandono escolar. En este sentido desarrollamos políticas públicas activas para la prevención de la desersión. Reviste particular importancia el “plan de prevención del embarazo adolescente no deseado”. Los sistemas educativos que logran una educación de calidad apuestan al fortalecimiento de los docentes como el principal motor del cambio. Por lo tanto impulsamos un plan de mejora del sistema de formación docente. Considerando la complejidad del fenómeno educativo y las distintas dimensiones de la vida institucional se creó un dispositivo nacional de evaluación de los aprendizajes. También planteamos alternativas a la universidad a través de una oferta de formación profesional que responda a las demandas del mundo laboral. Trabajamos para elaborar puentes entre la educación secundaria y la educación superior. 26.4 La educación nos acompaña toda la vida.Nos atraviesa. Es fuente de libertad.Es capacidad de elegir. Es generadora de oportunidades. Nos permite ser protagonistas de la transformación y no simples espectadores. Porque hoy la verdadera inclusión se centra en la posibilidad del acceso al conocimiento. La Argentina es un país que siempre abrió sus puertas a hombres y mujeres del mundo que buscaban una vida mejor. Hay una parte del mundo en cada rincón de mi país, somos una sociedad abierta que se enriquece en la diversidad, en un mundo donde proliferan tentencias de fragmentación. Estamos juntos en este nuestro planeta que tenemos que cuidar y en el que tenemos que convivir en paz. 26.5 Déjeme agradecerle Señora Directora General por su compromiso y liderazgo durante estos 8 años al frente de esta organización. Su legado en tiempos complejos es notable. El Gobiermo Argentino saluda a si mismo la decisión del Consejo Ejecutivo de la UNESCO de proponer a la Conferencia General a la candidata francesa Mme Azoulay como nueva directora de la organización. La Argentina expresa la total disposición para trabajar conjuntamente en aras de fortalecer la organización y preservar su mandato.Integrarnos y trabajar juntos nos fortalece. Sigamos apostando a tender 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 11 puentes. Cuenten con la Argentina. Muchas gracias. Mr Al-Mullakhalaf (Iraq) takes the Chair 27. The President: Muchas gracias. I now invite His Excellency, Mr George Kronnisanyon Werner, Minister of Education of Liberia. The floor is yours, Your Excellency. 28.1 Mr Werner (Liberia): Madam President of the General Conference, Madam Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, fellow delegates, distinguished ladies and gentlemen. I bring you greetings from Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia and the Government and people of Liberia. On their behalf, I would like to congratulate the new Director-General, Madam Audrey Azoulay, and also the new President of the General Conference and the new Chairperson of the Executive Board. We wish you success in advancing UNESCO’s mission during your tenure. Liberia stands firmly beside you. 28.2 As many of you may know, my country is in the midst of a closely contested and peacefully conducted election. When the new President is inaugurated in January, it will mark the first peaceful transfer of power in more than 70 years. That is no minor achievement, particularly in light of our troubled past. As I prepare to leave office, this opportunity to update you on our progress and to thank UNESCO for its steadfast support is particularly special for me. UNESCO has been an invaluable partner as we have worked to rebuild our education sector after the devastating impact of years of conflict followed by the Ebola crisis. UNESCO has helped us launch our efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, aimed at ensuring inclusive and quality education for all. UNESCO has also provided crucial guidance to ensure that our education sector plan was fully aligned with SDG 4. UNESCO’s support for the joint programme to accelerate efforts to advance the rights of adolescent girls in Liberia has also made a significant impact. Madam Director-General, I was heartened to see the focus on education, as a catalyst for development and gender equality, at the top of your vision for UNESCO. This is an issue that is of great importance for me and that is particularly close to the heart of our current President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. I am confident that our successors will be eager to partner with UNESCO to continue this effort. 28.3 Bolstered by support from UNESCO and other international partners, Liberia is getting our education system back on track. We have been working to ensure that all Liberian children have access to free, quality education by focusing on three crucial areas: improving the quality of teaching, ensuring effective monitoring, and exploring innovative solutions. Having qualified teachers is an essential element for a good education system. Supported by international donors, we have gone county-to-county, vetting and testing more than 15,000 teachers across Liberia. We have identified, and removed from our payroll, 1,900 “ghost teachers”, enabling us to recoup more than $2.5 million in savings per year. This can now be used to either train existing teachers or hire new qualified and energetic graduates. As we improve the quality of teaching and management in our schools, it is essential that we effectively measure the impact this is having. To that end, we are developing a framework for school quality assessment, which will monitor improvement in school quality from early childhood education up to senior secondary level, and enable the provision of objective feedback to school administrators and teachers. Finally, we are exploring innovative solutions to rapidly accelerate improvements in school management and teaching quality. One of our most ambitious reforms is a pilot programme called “Partnership Schools for Liberia (PSL)”. The programme has already demonstrated tremendous potential, with students learning 60% more than their peers in public schools. While the programme itself has generated international debate, one thing that tends to be lost is that PSL is not just about improving education in a small number of schools. PSL schools serve as learning hubs where we can identify effective interventions that can be applied across the school system – and we are doing just that. 28.4 Much remains to be done, but we have made significant progress over the last couple of years, thanks to the support of international partners and the dedication of Liberian educators. As I look forward, to the end of my term, we are focused on ensuring that this progress will continue. We have established an education delivery unit as a high-performing team in place to implement priority reforms and maintain momentum in the administration to come. Finally, before I close, let me thank the World Heritage Centre, as thanks to them we now have a tentative list of sites to submit for world heritage status. UNESCO is helping us work towards a day when Liberia is known for something more than just child soldiers and Ebola by bolstering our education system and showing the world our rich cultural heritage. Thank you very much. ٢٩ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ: واﻵن أدﻋﻮ ﻣﻌﺎﱄ اﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮر ﺳﻼم ﺣﺴﻦ ﻃﻪ ﺧﻮﺷﻨﺎو، ﻧﺎﺋﺐ وزﻳﺮ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﻟﻌﺎﱄ واﻟﺒﺤﺚ اﻟﻌﻠﻤﻲ ﰲ ﲨﻬﻮرﻳﺔ اﻟﻌﺮاق ﻟﻴﻠﻘﻲ ﻛﻠﻤﺘﻪ، ﻓﻠﻴﺘﻔﻀﻞ. ٣٠-١ اﻟﺴﻴﺪ ﺧﻮﺷﻨﺎو (اﻟﻌﺮاق): ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮﲪﺎن اﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ، اﻟﺴﻴﺪة رﺋﻴﺴﺔ اﳌﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم اﶈﱰﻣﺔ، اﻟﺴﻴﺪ رﺋﻴﺲ اﺠﻤﻟﻠﺲ اﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬي اﶈﱰم، اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﳌﺪﻳﺮة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ اﶈﱰﻣﺔ، أﺻﺤﺎب اﻟﻔﺨﺎﻣﺔ واﳌﻌﺎﱄ ورؤﺳﺎء اﻟﻮﻓﻮد وأﻋﻀﺎﺋﻬﺎ اﶈﱰﻣﲔ، اﻟﺴﻼم ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ورﲪﺔ اﷲ وﺑﺮﻛﺎﺗﻪ، ﻳﺴﻌﺪﱐ ﲟﻨﺎﺳﺒﺔ اﻓﺘﺘﺎح أﻋﻤﺎل اﳌﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم ﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﰲ دورﺗﻪ اﻟﺘﺎﺳﻌﺔ واﻟﺜﻼﺛﲔ ﻟﻌﺎم ٢٠١٧ ﰲ ﺑﺎرﻳﺲ، وﻧﻴﺎﺑﺔ ﻋﻦ ﻣﻌﺎﱄ وزﻳﺮ اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ، رﺋﻴﺲ اﻟﻠﺠﻨﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻴﺔ، أن أرﺣﺐ ﺑﻜﻢ وأﺑﻠﻐﻜﻢ ﲢﻴﺎت ﻓﺨﺎﻣﺔ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ ﻓﺆاد ﻣﻌﺼﻮم، رﺋﻴﺲ اﳉﻤﻬﻮرﻳﺔ وﲤﻨﻴﺎﺗﻪ ﺑﻨﺠﺎح ﻣﺆﲤﺮﻛﻢ ﻫﺬا، وﲢﻴﺎت اﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮر ﺣﻴﺪر اﻟﻌﺒﺎدي، رﺋﻴﺲ ﳎﻠﺲ اﻟﻮزراء. ﻛﻤﺎ ﻳﺴﺮﱐ أن أﻫﻨﺌﻜﻢ ﺳﻴﺎدة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺜﻘﺔ اﻟﱵ أوﻻﻫﺎ ﻟﻜﻢ اﳌﺆﲤﺮ اﻟﻌﺎم ﺑﺎﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﻜﻢ رﺋﻴﺴﺔ ﻟﺪورﺗﻪ اﳊﺎﻟﻴﺔ. ٣٠-٢ وﻧﻮد أن ﻧﻘﺪم ﺷﻜﺮﻧﺎ وﺗﻘﺪﻳﺮﻧﺎ ﻟﻠﺴﻴﺪة إﻳﺮﻳﻨﺎ ﺑﻮﻛﻮﻓﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺎ ﻗﺪﻣﺘﻪ ﻣﻦ دﻋﻢ ﻣﺒﺎﺷﺮ وﻏﲑ ﻣﺒﺎﺷﺮ ﻟﻠﱪاﻣﺞ اﻟﱰﺑﻮﻳﺔ واﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ واﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ اﻟﱵ ﻧُﻔﺬت ﻟﺼﺎﱀ ﺑﻠﺪﻧﺎ اﻟﻌﺮاق ﺧﻼل ﻓﱰة ﺗﺴﻠﻤﻬﺎ ﻣﻬﺎم اﻹدارة اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﻨﻈﻤﺔ، وﻹﻋﺎدة اﻟﺒﻨﺎء واﻹﺻﻼح ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﻻﺑﺘﺪاﺋﻲ واﻟﺜﺎﻧﻮي واﳌﻬﲏ، إﺿﺎﻓﺔ إﱃ اﳌﻜﺎﺳﺐ اﻟﱵ ﺣﺼﻞ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﻌﺮاق ﰲ ﳎﺎل اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ واﻟﻌﻠﻮم واﻟﱰاث، وﻣﻨﻬﺎ إدراج ﻗﻠﻌﺔ أرﺑﻴﻞ واﻷﻏﻮار ﺿﻤﻦ ﻗﺎﺋﻤﺔ اﻟﱰاث اﻟﻌﺎﳌﻲ، وﻣﺴﺎﻧﺪ廬ﺎ ﻟﻠﻌﺮاق ﰲ ﺣﺮﺑﻪ ﺿﺪ اﻹرﻫﺎب ﺧﻼل ﻓﱰة ﺳﻴﻄﺮة اﻟﻌﺼﺎﺑﺎت اﻹرﻫﺎﺑﻴﺔ اﻟﺪاﻋﺸﻴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺟﺰء ﻣﻦ اﻷراﺿﻲ اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻴﺔ. اﻟﺴﻴﺪة إﻳﺮﻳﻨﺎ ﺑﻮﻛﻮﻓﺎ، إﻧﻨﺎ ﻧﻘﺪر ﺟﻬﻮدﻛﻢ اﻟﻜﺒﲑة ﰲ ﲣﻄﻲ اﻟﺼﻌﻮﺑﺎت واﳊﻔﺎظ ﻋﻠﻰ دور اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 12

اﻟﺮﻳﺎدي ﰲ ﳎﺎﻻت ﲣﺼﺼﺎ廬ﺎ ﻣﻦ أﺟﻞ ﲢﻘﻴﻖ رﺳﺎﻟﺔ اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ وﲡﺴﻴﺪ أﻫﺪاﻓﻬﺎ اﻟﺴﺎﻣﻴﺔ وﺗﺄﻛﻴﺪ دورﻫﺎ اﻟﻔﺮﻳﺪ ﰲ ﺗﺮﺳﻴﺦ أﺳﺲ اﻟﺴﻼم اﻟﺪاﺋﻢ واﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﺘﺪاﻣﺔ. ّوﻧﺸﺪ ﻋﻠﻰ أﻳﺪﻳﻚ ﰲ اﲣﺎذ اﻟﺘﺪاﺑﲑ اﳌﻘﱰﺣﺔ ﰲ إﻃﺎر ﻣﺸﺮوع اﻻﺳﱰاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺔ اﳌﺘﻮﺳﻄﺔ اﻷﺟﻞ. وﻧﺘﻤﲎ أﻻ ﺗﻜﻮن ﺟﻬﻮد اﻹﺻﻼح ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﺴﺎب اﻟﱪاﻣﺞ اﳌﺘﻌﻠﻘﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺪول اﶈﺘﺎﺟﺔ أو اﻟﱵ ﺗﻌﺎﱐ ﻣﻦ ﻇﺮوف ﺧﺎﺻﺔ. ٣٠-٣ وإﻧﻨﺎ اﻟﻴﻮم ﻧﺒﺸﺮ دول اﻟﻌﺎﱂ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻋﺎم، واﻟﺪول اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﺪوﻟﺔ اﻟﺼﺪﻳﻘﺔ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﺧﺎص، ﺑﺄن اﻟﻌﺮاق �ﺾ ﻣﻦ ﺟﺪﻳﺪ رﻏﻢ اﻟﺼﻌﻮﺑﺎت واﳍﺠﻤﺎت اﻟﻮﺣﺸﻴﺔ اﻟﱵ واﺟﻬﻬﺎ ﺑﺘﺤﺮﻳﺮ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ اﳌﻮﺻﻞ، ﺛﺎﱐ أﻛﱪ ﻣﺪن اﻟﻌﺮاق، وإﻋﺎد廬ﺎ إﱃ أﺣﻀﺎن اﻟﻮﻃﻦ اﻷم ﺑﺴﻮاﻋﺪ اﻷﺑﻄﺎل وﻣﺴﺎﻧﺪة اﳋﲑﻳّﻦ ﻣﻦ اﻷﺧﻮة اﻷﺷﻘﺎء واﻷﺻﺪﻗﺎء. وﻧﻘﺪر ﻣﻮﻗﻒ اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﳌﺴﺎﻧﺪ ﻟﻠﻌﺮاق ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل ﻣﺸﺮوع ﻣﻨﻊ اﻻﲡﺎر ﻏﲑ اﳌﺸﺮوع ﻟﻠﻤﻤﺘﻠﻜﺎت اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ اﳌﻬﺮﺑﺔ. وإن اﻟﻌﺮاق، ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل إﺣﺴﺎﺳﻪ ﺑﺎﳌﺴﺆوﻟﻴﺔ ﲡﺎﻩ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺘﻨﺎ ورﻏﻢ اﻟﻈﺮوف اﳊﺎﻟﻴﺔ اﻟﱵ ﳝﺮ 䛬ﺎ، ﻗﺎم ﺑﺘﺴﺪﻳﺪ ﻣﺴﺎﳘﺎﺗﻪ ﲡﺎﻩ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ. ٣٠-٤ وإن اﻷﺣﺪاث اﳌﺘﺴﺎرﻋﺔ اﻟﱵ ﺷﻬﺪﻫﺎ اﻟﻌﺎﱂ ﺗﺪل ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﺎﺟﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﱂ إﱃ ﺗﻔﻌﻴﻞ دور اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ وﻧﺸﺮ ﻗﻴﻤﻬﺎ اﳌﺘﻤﺜﻠﺔ ﰲ ﺑﺚ أﻓﻜﺎر اﻟﻌﺪل واﳌﺴﺎواة واﳊﻮار واﻟﺘﺴﺎﻣﺢ واﻟﺪﳝﻘﺮاﻃﻴﺔ وﺣﻘﻮق اﻹﻧﺴﺎن. وﺗﺒﻘﻰ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺘﻨﺎ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ داﺋﻤﺎً ﲝﺎﺟﺔ إﱃ دﻋﻢ ّاﳋﲑﻳﻦ واﺠﻤﻟﺘﻤﻊ اﻟﺪوﱄ ﺑﺄﻛﻤﻠﻪ ﻟﻜﻲ ﺗﺴﺘﻄﻴﻊ أداء رﺳﺎﻟﺘﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ أﻛﻤﻞ وﺟﻪ. وإﻧﻨﺎ ﲨﻴﻌﺎً ﲝﺎﺟﺔ إﱃ ﻫﺬﻩ اﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﺮاﺋﺪة اﻟﱵ ﺗﻨﺼﻬﺮ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﻛﻞ اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺎت واﻷدﻳﺎن، وإﱃ ﲢﺪﻳﺪ اﻟﻄﺮﻳﻖ ﻟﺒﻨﺎء ﳎﺘﻤﻌﺎت ﺗﺮﻓﺾ اﻟﻌﻨﻒ واﻟﺘﻄﺮف واﻟﻜﺮاﻫﻴﺔ، وﺗﺘﻮاﻓﺮ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﻌﺪاﻟﺔ واﺣﱰام ﻛﺮاﻣﺔ اﻹﻧﺴﺎن، وﻳﻌﻴﺶ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﻛﻞ ﻓﺮد ﰲ ﺳﻼم وﺗﺴﺎﻣﺢ. وإﻧﻨﺎ اﻟﻴﻮم ﲝﺎﺟﺔ إﱃ ﺗﻌﻠﻴﻢ ّﳝﱳ ﻋﻼﻗﺎﺗﻨﺎ اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ وﻳﺰرع ﰲ ﻧﻔﻮﺳﻨﺎ اﻷﻣﻞ ﰲ ﺣﻴﺎة ﺣﺮة ﻛﺮﳝﺔ ﺗﺘﺴﺎرع ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﺧﻄﻰ اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ. ٣٠-٥ وإن اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ، أﻳﻬﺎ اﻷﺧﻮة واﻷﺧﻮات، ﻫﻮ ﻣﺸﺮوع ﻟﺒﻨﺎء اﻟﻨﻔﺲ اﻹﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ وإﻧﻜﺎر ﻟﻠﺬات ووﺿﻊ اﻷﺳﺲ اﻟﺼﺤﻴﺔ ﺠﻤﻟﺘﻤﻊ ﻣﺘﻜﺎﻣﻞ ورﺻﲔ، ﺧﺼﻮﺻﺎً ﺑﻌﺪ اﳍﺠﻤﺎت اﻹرﻫﺎﺑﻴﺔ اﻟﺸﺮﺳﺔ، وذﻟﻚ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل اﻟﱪاﻣﺞ اﻟﱵ ﺗﻘﺪﻣﻬﺎ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺘﻨﺎ اﻟﻌﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﻣﺜﻞ ﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ اﳌﺴﺘﺪاﻣﺔ. وإﻧﻨﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻳﻘﲔ ﺑﺄن اﻟﻌﺎﱂ ﺳﻴﻨﻬﺾ ﻣﻦ ﺟﺪﻳﺪ ﺑﻜﻞ اﺠﻤﻟﺎﻻت اﻟﱰﺑﻮﻳﺔ واﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ واﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ أﻣﻞ أن ﻳﺘﺤﻘﻖ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ اﳉﻴﺪ واﳌﻨﺼﻒ واﳉﺎﻣﻊ واﻟﺘﻌﻠّﻢ ﻣﺪى اﳊﻴﺎة ﻟﻠﺠﻤﻴﻊ ﲝﻠﻮل ﻋﺎم ٢٠٣٠. ٣٠-٦ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﺔ، أﺻﺤﺎب اﻟﺴﻌﺎدة، اﻟﺴﺎدة اﳌﺆﲤﺮون، ﻛﻤﺎ ﺗﻌﻠﻤﻮن إن اﻟﻌﺮاق ﻣﻦ اﻟﺪول اﳌﺆﺳﺴﺔ ﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﻣﻨﺬ ﻋﺎم ١٩٤٨، وﱂ ﻳﻨﻀﻢ إﱃ ﻋﻀﻮﻳﺔ اﺠﻤﻟﻠﺲ اﻟﺘﻨﻔﻴﺬي ﻣﻨﺬ ﲬﺴﺔ وﻋﺸﺮﻳﻦ ﻋﺎﻣﺎً، ﻟﺬا ﻧﺜﻤﻦ دﻋﻤﻜﻢ ﳌﺴﺎﻧﺪة اﻟﻌﺮاق ﻛﻲ ﻳﺸﻐﻞ ﻫﺬا اﳌﻮﻗﻊ ﻣﻦ ﺟﺪﻳﺪ وﻟﻴﺴﺘﻌﻴﺪ ﻣﻜﺎﻧﺘﻪ ﺑﲔ اﻟﺪول. ٣٠-٧ وﺧﺘﺎﻣﺎً، أﺗﻘﺪم ﺛﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺑﺎﺳﻢ اﻟﻌﺮاق ﺑﺎﻟﺸﻜﺮ ﳌﻨﻈﻤﺘﻨﺎ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻛﻞ ﻣﺎ ﻗﺪﻣﺘﻪ ﻣﻦ دﻋﻢ وﻣﺴﺎﻧﺪة، وﺑﻜﻞ إﺻﺮار. ﻛﻤﺎ أرﺟﻮ أن ﺗﺴﻤﺤﻮا ﱄ أن أﺗﻮﺟﻪ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﻬﻨﺌﺔ إﱃ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة أودري أزوﻻي ﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎ䛬ﺎ ﻣﺪﻳﺮة ﻋﺎﻣﺔ ﳌﻨﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻴﻮﻧﺴﻜﻮ، وﻧﺘﻤﲎ ﳍﺎ ﻣﺴﲑة ﻋﻠﻤﻴﺔ ﻧﺎﺟﺤﺔ ﻣﻠﻴﺌﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﻘﺪم وﻧﺄﻣﻞ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ اﳌﺰﻳﺪ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﻄﺎء وﻧﺴﺄل اﷲ اﻟﺘﻮﻓﻴﻖ ﰲ ﻫﺬﻩ اﳌﺴﲑة اﻟﺼﻌﺒﺔ. وﺗﻘﺒﻠﻮا ﻣﲏ ﻛﻞ اﳊﺐ واﻟﻮد واﻻﻋﺘﺰاز ﻣﻦ ﺑﻐﺪاد أرض اﻟﺮاﻓﺪﻳﻦ، ﻣﺰﻳﻨﺔ ﺑﺂﻳﺎت اﻟﻌﺮﻓﺎن واﻟﺸﻜﺮ ﻟﻜﻢ ﲨﻴﻌﺎً. وأود أن أﻃﻤﺌﻨﻜﻢ أن اﻟﻌﺮاق ﲞﲑ وﻋﺎﻓﻴﺔ رﻏﻢ اﻟﺘﺤﺪﻳﺎت ورﻏﻢ ﻛﻞ ﻗﻮى اﻹرﻫﺎب واﻟﺘﺂﻣﺮ، واﻟﺴﻼم ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ورﲪﺔ اﷲ وﺑﺮﻛﺎﺗﻪ. ٣١-١ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ: ﺷﻜﺮاً ﻣﻌﺎﱄ اﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮر ﺳﻼم ﺣﺴﻦ ﻃﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻫﺬﻩ اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎت اﳌﻌﱪة. (The President continues in English) 31.2 Now I invite His Excellency Mr Jeffrey Leonard Lloyd, Minister of Education in Bahamas. The floor is yours Excellency. 32.1 Mr Lloyd (Bahamas): Madam President of the General Conference, Madam Director-General, Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. Good afternoon. I bring greetings and salutations on behalf of Her Excellency, Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General and the Honourable Hubert A. Minnis, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. I am privileged on their behalf and on behalf of our people to offer congratulations to Your Excellency on your election as President of this most prestigious conference and also to wish the outgoing President every success in his endeavours. Additionally, my Government wishes to express gratitude to Ms Bokova, Director- General, who will shortly be leaving office and who, after eight years of tireless efforts and against all odds, managed not only to keep UNESCO relevant during these times of turmoil, but continued to successfully advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Madam Bokova, the Bahamas wishes you all the best in your future endeavours and we wish now to congratulate Madam Audrey Azoulay on her upcoming installation as Director-General. 32.2 Madam President, I am honoured to address you for the first time at this 39th session of the General Conference. The Bahamas fully supports the strategic objectives of the United Nations, especially cognizant that we live in a world today with ever-changing economic, legislative and political realities. Our country is acutely aware that the 2030 Agenda, adopted at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly, marked a turning point in the history of international cooperation, thus rendering the principles and objectives of UNESCO more globally important now than ever before. 32.3 During the past three years, the Bahamas successfully hosted three globally significant UNESCO events. Firstly, in 2015 we conducted a regional workshop on science, technology and innovation (STI) policy and indicators, in which visiting Member States participated in developing guidelines for national and regional STI policies, our aim being to strengthen action towards STI as a key component towards sustainable development. In July, this year, we welcomed the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas, in partnership with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), at the CBU’s 48th annual general assembly. At this meeting, delegates from more than 48 media houses, 23 countries and territories from the English-, Dutch-, French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean and South America met to discuss and support the digital revolution in broadcasting and communications in general, and implications for the Caribbean more specifically. Finally, in September, our country was host of UNESCO’s 12th International Hydrological Programme (IHP) meeting, where delegates from over 65 Member States developed and discussed resolutions for implementing ways to achieve water security for small island developing States (SIDS). All of these meetings served to reinforce our commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda. 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 13

32.4 Madam President, like other Member States, the Bahamas firmly believes that education is an indispensable element for achieving sustainable development. Thus, our newly-elected Government is working steadily to ensure the right of all of its citizens and residents to an equitable and inclusive education, deepening its alignment with SDG 4. New education policies are being grounded in progressive educational research and planning, improvement in the learning environment, updating the curriculum and education materials, establishing global standards and conditions, and supporting the advancement and development of educational professions. We are also moving from focusing exclusively on universal primary and secondary education to those areas that promote lifelong learning, with particular emphasis on early childhood and pre-school education. We firmly believe that in addition to the basics that were once the cornerstone of a primary school education – namely literacy, numeracy, oracy and cognitive skills development – we must also ensure the vital inclusion of social and emotional values in the training of our youngest minds, starting at the earliest stages of human life. To facilitate this initiative, our Government has mandated the necessary appropriation of technology in the successful and effective delivery of education. To this end, we have recently introduced table computers into preschools and primary schools, as global indicators show that technology and learning in this digital age must immerge in the twenty- first century classroom. 32.5 Madam President, another crucial area of focus for our country is that of technical and vocational education and training (TVET). In alignment with our national development objectives and UNESCO’s “Strategy and Recommendations for TVET”, which was adopted by the Executive Board at its 199th session, the Bahamas has increased financial assistance for students interested in the technical and vocational fields. Madam President, we are committed to full and constructive participation in the follow-up and review processes of UNESCO’s 2030 Agenda. We will continue to invest the lion’s share of our national budget in education, science and technology, as we remain focused on not only attaining our national educational ambitions, but the goals and strategies of SDG 4. Thank you and good afternoon. 33. The President: Thank you Excellency for the inspiring words. Now I invite His Excellency, Mr Jean-Pierre Nirua, Minister of Education and Learning in Vanuatu. The floor is yours, Excellency. 34.1 M. Nirua (Vanuatu) : Madame la Présidente de la Conférence générale, Monsieur le Président du Conseil exécutif, Madame la Directrice générale, Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs les Ministres et chers collègues, Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs les Chefs de délégation, chers Invités d’honneur, Mesdames et Messieurs. C’est avec grand honneur que je m’adresse à cette 39e session de la Conférence générale de l’UNESCO au nom du Gouvernement et du peuple de la République de Vanuatu. Permettez-moi tout d’abord de m’associer aux précédents orateurs et collègues pour féliciter Son Excellence l'Ambassadrice Alaoui dans sa nouvelle fonction de la Présidence de la 39e Conférence générale de l'UNESCO. Ma délégation tient aussi à exprimer ses remerciements au Président de la 38e session de la Conférence générale pour son leadership de qualité et concrétisé au travers de l’exécution concrète des activités de l’UNESCO durant la période 2015-2017. Tout aussi important, je tiens à rendre hommage à Madame la Directrice générale sortante et son équipe pour leur dévouement exceptionnel durant ces huit dernières années à la tête de notre Organisation. Je vous souhaite bon vent pour vos projets futurs. 34.2 Ma délégation a pris bonne note du rapport présenté aux États membres lors de la session d'ouverture de la Conférence générale. Je vous remercie non seulement pour les succès mais aussi pour les dossiers épineux dont votre successeur assumera la charge. En outre, je tiens à souhaiter la bienvenue et, en même temps, remercier la Conférence générale d’accueillir favorablement et à l’unanimité l'adhésion de la Nouvelle-Calédonie comme nouveau Membre associé. Je ne cacherai pas la joie et l’émotion de mon pays suite à cette nouvelle adhésion, car en tant que pays voisin le plus proche, Vanuatu partage les valeurs culturelles et les liens historiques les plus proches à ceux de nos cousins néo- calédoniens. Je tiens à exprimer ma profonde reconnaissance pour l'appui continu de l'UNESCO à l'égard de nos priorités nationales et, en particulier, le soutien en vue de la réhabilitation de Vanuatu post-catastrophe 2015. J’invite la Conférence générale à approuver la nomination de la prochaine Directrice générale, seconde dans cette organisation onusienne. Ma délégation reste disposée à travailler en étroite collaboration avec la nouvelle équipe. (L’orateur poursuit en anglais) 34.3 Madam President, Vanuatu is a small island developing State located in the south west Pacific with a population of less than 300,000 people, currently estimated at 272,000. Despite our small size, the Government is committed to the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Prime Minister, Honourable Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, launched in 2016 the country’s 2030 National Sustainable Development Plan, nationally labelled as the “People’s Plan 2030”, to embrace the overwhelming support and ownership of the plan of all the institutions of the people of Vanuatu. Deeply rooted and based on three key pillars – social, environmental and economic – carefully selected for the relevance of their local context. The Vanuatu People’s Plan 2030 will guide the national development agenda of the country for the next 13 years to 2030. The Government and the people of Vanuatu welcome the continued partnership of UNESCO in the implementation of SDGs, which are progressing with UNESCO’s expertise. 34.4 Madam President, let me present to you and our prestigious audience a snapshot on the Vanuatu education sector. First, to give you the assurance that Vanuatu is highly committed to SDG 4 and all its targets. To signify this national commitment, the Government has allocated 23% of its national budget to support education and training development in Vanuatu. The Vanuatu Education Sector Strategy 2017-2018 ensures that there is equitable and inclusive access to quality education and training, starting from early childhood care and education (ECCE) to enhance early childhood development, all the way up to tertiary and higher education, and provided at the early stages in local vernacular languages other than English and French, Vanuatu’s official languages of instruction. We are mainstreaming ECCE into our education system and providing grants to ECCE children. We continue to provide school grants to primary school students and also expand grants to secondary schools this year to ensure that all school-aged children complete basic education of 12 solid years of compulsory education up to junior secondary level. For senior secondary and university students, learning is supported by a Government subsidy and a significant scholarship programme funded by the Government to the order of $6 million 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 14 annually. Understandably, Madam Chairperson, Vanuatu values the generous assistance of UNESCO in the education sector and will continue to seek the expertise of UNESCO to guide us in the further emancipation of our education sector. (The speaker continues in French) 34.5 Madame La Présidente, Vanuatu est unique, avec ses propres caractéristiques, et est culturellement diversifiée. Selon l'Organisation mondiale de conservation des langues, 116 langues sont parlées par 272 000 habitants, y compris le bichelamar, langue nationale, le français et l’anglais. Ces chiffres font de Vanuatu le pays ayant la plus forte densité linguistique par habitant dans le monde, soit en moyenne une langue pour 2 345 habitants. Bien que nous reconnaissions cette richesse culturelle, l'avenir de notre patrimoine culturel et les savoirs traditionnels sont également menacés. Les savoirs traditionnels qui ont été légués par nos ancêtres contiennent beaucoup de solutions pratiques pour atténuer les effets des catastrophes naturelles. Nous remercions l'UNESCO pour son soutien continu à la promotion et à la préservation de la culture à Vanuatu. (L’orateur poursuit en anglais) 34.6 Madam President, while climate change phenomena and related impacts have continuously battered our islands over the last three to four decades, over the past three years Vanuatu has experienced new disasters and other forms of calamities. Our greatest fear is that they will never go away, that they will continue to intensify in strength. Vulnerable and very prone to natural disasters, Vanuatu is currently one of the world’s most at-risk countries for natural hazards according to a United Nations world index. In 2015, we were hit by the most devastating category 5 tropical cyclone Pam, the first of its kind in the south Pacific region before Winston hit Fiji in 2016. While we were going through rehabilitation, more cyclones struck us earlier this year. And as if cyclones were not enough, just two months ago the volcanic eruption of Lombenben volcano on the island of Ambae forced the evacuation of the entire population of 11,000 people to resettle in three neighbouring islands. Climate change and other natural hazards, due to a logical nature, must always remain high on the agenda for the coming years because they do not know physical nor sovereign boundaries and have no respect for the development and welfare of citizens and the education of children. Each time calamities strike, we are left to recover at a very high cost. (The speaker continues in French) 34.7 Madame la Présidente, Vanuatu note avec grand intérêt le projet de déclaration de principes éthiques en rapport avec le changement climatique et tient à faire appel à la Conférence pour la mise en œuvre effective des Modalités d’action accélérées des petits États insulaires en développement, ainsi que la Convention-cadre des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC) et l’Accord de Paris adopté en vertu de la Convention de la COP-21. Madame la Présidente, d’après le rapport de la Commission océanographique intergouvernementale (COI) sur ses activités 2016- 2017, l’océanographie revêt une importance désormais cruciale pour notre civilisation. En 2016, le Commissaire aux comptes de l’UNESCO a effectué un audit complet de la COI. Il a observé avec une grande précision que la Commission se trouvait « à la croisée des chemins », dû à ses contraintes financières. En conclusion, permettez-moi d'assurer cette conférence que Vanuatu soutient la pertinence de l'UNESCO, et n'oublions pas que nous sommes le produit de l'UNESCO. Longue vie à l’UNESCO. Merci, thank you, tankiu tumas. 35. The President : Thank you very much. Now I invite Her Excellency, Ms Olga Vasilieva, Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. The floor is yours Excellency. 36.1 Г-жа Васильева (Российской Федерации): Уважаемый Председатель, уважаемый Генеральный директор, уважаемые коллеги, современный мир переживает стремительные трансформации. Как отмечал недавно президент России Владимир Путин, «многие прежние рецепты глобального управления, преодоления конфликтов и естественных противоречий уже не годятся, часто не срабатывают, а новые ещё пока не выработаны». В этих условиях мандат ЮНЕСКО «укреплять мир в умах людей» востребован как никогда. 36.2 Нашей Организации предстоит пережить очередной виток обновления, сохранив при этом свою миссию генератора идей развития и прогресса, надежной гуманитарной опоры глобальной архитектуры, общепризнанного форума по защите духовного и культурного наследия и продвижению непреходящих нравственных ценностей. На этот счет большие ожидания имеются в отношении нового Генерального директора, которого нам с вами предстоит назначить. Пользуясь случаем, хочу поздравить г-жу О. Азуле с победой на выборах в Исполнительном совете. Первоочередная задача нас как государств-членов – помочь новому руководству Секретариата Организации с достоинством сохранить исторический мандат ЮНЕСКО и укрепить ее роль интеллектуального лидера в системе ООН, важного участника реализации глобальной повестки дня в области устойчивого развития. 36.3 Сделать это мы можем лишь сообща, объединив усилия и сосредоточившись на тех направлениях, где наша Организация незаменима и обладает большим опытом и компетенцией, чем другие международные структуры. Необходимо отказаться от искушения использовать площадку ЮНЕСКО для решения сиюминутных политических задач. Любая политизация гуманитарных связей неприемлема. Следовало бы доказывать свою приверженность идеалам ЮНЕСКО делом, не забывая вовремя платить уставные взносы в ее бюджет. В современном мире наше будущее может быть только общим. Отдельного будущего нет. Сейчас как никогда необходима созидательная объединительная повестка дня, основанная на балансе интересов, на учете и уважении культурно-цивилизационного многообразия. 36.4 Это уважение прививается с детства, в семье, которая, будучи естественной и основной ячейкой общества несет главную ответственность за воспитание детей. Вместе с тем неотъемлемыми и важнейшими помощниками государств в борьбе с терроризмом и экстремизмом, ксенофобией, нетерпимостью и дискриминацией становятся образовательные учреждения. Система обучения и воспитания должна быть ориентирована на утверждение в сознании и поведении молодого поколения общечеловеческих нравственно гуманистических ценностей, 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 15

принципов уважительного и ненасильственного поведения, патриотических убеждений, психологии товарищества, сотрудничества и взаимопомощи. На этом направлении важная роль отводится сети ассоциированных школ. Чем больше растет их количество, тем больше охват подрастающего поколения идеалами ЮНЕСКО и участие каждого в созидании мирного и устойчивого будущего. 36.5 Наша Организация не может остаться в стороне, когда попираются ее нормативные акты, когда по сути ее государства-члены дают примеры экстремистского поведения. Имею в виду Конвенцию о борьбе с дискриминацией в области образования, положения которой грубо нарушены в связи с принятием на Украине закона «Об образовании». Иначе как языковым расизмом это назвать нельзя. В наших общих интересах сосредоточить усилия на таких важны направлениях, как дошкольное и профессиональное образование, создание инклюзивной среды в учебных заведениях, подготовка учителей для всех уровней образования. Обращаем особое внимание на Программу УНИТВИН/кафедры ЮНЕСКО. На днях в штаб-квартире мы торжественно отмечали юбилей этой важной масштабной программы, объединяющей более 700 вузов мира. Считаем, что усилия ЮНЕСКО должны быть направлены на создание в Африке мощного преподавательского потенциала. При этом следует уделить особое внимание развитию партнерства по линии Север-Юг-Юг для совершенствования программ предоставления стипендий молодежи из развивающихся стран, обучающихся по педагогическим специальностям. 36.6 Одним из важнейших векторов в деятельности ЮНЕСКО являются естественные науки. Большей поддержки и укрепления, на наш взгляд, заслуживает Международная программа по фундаментальным наукам (МПФН) как неотъемлемая часть мандата Организации. В перспективе связываем развитие этой программы с поиском новых форм сотрудничества и не исключаем возможности ее более активного взаимодействия с другими программами. В этом году Российская Федерация выступила с предложением объявить 2019 год Международным годом Периодической системы химических элементов. Очень надеемся на поддержку инициативы Генеральной конференцией. 36.7 И несколько слов о еще одной неотложной задаче ЮНЕСКО, а именно защите мирового культурного наследия. Совет Безопасности ООН принял на этот счет историческую резолюцию № 2347. Наша страна активно участвует в осуществлении задач, поставленных в этом решении. Намерены наращивать взаимодействие с ЮНЕСКО в этой сфере, в том числе в рамках недавно заключенного «Меморандума о взаимопонимании по вопросу об охране и восстановлении культурных ценностей в зонах конфликтов, прежде всего на Ближнем Востоке». Убеждена, что наша Организация не может оставаться равнодушной, когда в цивилизованной Европе закрывают глава на неонацистские проявления, когда, потворствуя росту национализма, допускают снос памятников освободителям континента, героям Второй мировой войны, победа в которой создала фундамент ООН. Считаем в рамках ЮНЕСКО необходимым безотлагательно уделить этой проблеме приоритетное внимание и обеспечить правовые рамки для пресечения подобных действии. К сожалению, человечество не раз платило слишком высокую цену за забвение уроков прошлого и вольное обращение с исторической правдой. Если мы не хотим допустить разобщения стран и народов, появления новых разделительных линий, наш долг защитить правду, отстоять подвиг, достоинство, доброе имя живых и павших. Иначе чаяния отцов основателей ЮНЕСКО о более справедливом и безопасном мире так и останутся несбывшимися надеждами. Спасибо за внимание. 37. The President: Now I invite His Excellency, Mr Yerlan Sagadiev, Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan. The floor is yours Excellency. 38.1 Mr Sagadiev (Kazakhstan): Madam President, Your Excellencies. I feel very privileged to address such a high level audience. This year is the twenty-fifth year of cooperation between UNESCO and Kazakhstan. Let me express my gratitude to the Member States and the leadership of UNESCO, Madam Bokova specifically, for supporting our country and our initiatives at UNESCO and the United Nations as a whole. Let me congratulate Madam Audrey Azoulay for her nomination as the next Director- General. 38.2 In the context of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we would like to mention the success of this year’s “Astana Expo: Energy of the Future.” This summer, 115 countries and 22 international organizations gathered in Astana to demonstrate their ideas, vision of the future and associated technologies. We would like to thank again all of the countries and organizations for their effort. As one of the post Expo activities, with the support of five United Nations organizations, we are creating the permanent International Centre for Green Technologies and Future Energy. I would like to welcome you all to be a part of that Centre. At the site of the Expo, we also held the first ever summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Science and Technology. Many of the Ministers today were there. I would like to thank you all again for being a part of that cooperation conference. As a result of the summit, we hope to develop multiple joint research and educational projects within Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries. In October next year, Astana plans to hold the sixth congress of Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions on the theme of “Religious leaders for a safe world”. We hope that UNESCO, as usual, will be represented at the forum. 38.3 As you can see, Astana is all about global integration and this is where education is going today as well. There is no doubt that human capital and better education are the keys for all future successes of the nation in every field – economy, science, arts and so forth. But better education is also a key to turn a nation’s people into truly integrated and responsible citizens of our planet – and this is also the goal of Kazakhstan. We have many activities in the sphere of education, but let me dwell for a moment on two significant ones. 38.4 The first is to introduce English as a language of instruction for some subjects. Today, it is a choice for information technology, biology, chemistry and physics for all high-school children and college students in Kazakhstan. We have always been a bilingual country, with Kazakh and Russian widely used. The goal today is to become truly trilingual. It means that in a few years every high-school graduate and every student should know Kazakh, Russian and English at subject level. It has not been easy, but today 85% of parents want their children to have English at subject level. The 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 16 second goal is internationalization of higher education by bringing true academic freedom to universities. This means freedom for higher education establishments to freely develop their own programmes, choose the language of education and instruction and bring in management and faculty staff from all over the world, all in the hope of making Kazakhstan an educational hub for central Asia. Over the past six years, the number of students studying abroad has more than doubled to 4.5 million, so we would like to capitalize on that as well. Scholars have indicated that in 10 years the number will be closer to 20 million. We should think about it. We now encourage our students to travel and our universities to attract students from other countries, and also to develop joint programmes with other universities. We encourage other leading universities around the world to open campuses in Kazakhstan as we believe that openness can create true quality integration. A third goal is the commitment to the highest standards in technical colleges and harmonizing the national qualification framework with European standards at university level. It is a lot of work. We will be happy to work together with UNESCO and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to share our experience and develop and participate in global initiatives. Thank you very much. Ms Alaoui resumes the Chair 39. La Présidente : Merci, Monsieur le Ministre. Et maintenant je donne la parole à S. E. M. Yuri Sterk, Vice-Ministre des affaires étrangères de Bulgarie. 40.1 M. Sterk (Bulgarie) : Madame la Présidente, Madame la Directrice générale, Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs, tout d’abord, je voudrais féliciter Mme Alaoui pour son élection au poste de Présidente de la Conférence générale et lui souhaiter du succès dans sa mission responsable. Ma délégation se joint d’ailleurs à la déclaration au nom de l’Union européenne qui sera faite plus tard dans la journée. 40.2 Mesdames et Messieurs, cette session restera sur les pages de la longue histoire de l’UNESCO, avec des décisions importantes qui marqueront le parcours de l'Organisation de la mise en œuvre du nouveau et ambitieux programme mondial de développement durable. Notre responsabilité est très grande en vue de la réalisation de notre engagement à construire un monde sûr et durable dans lequel personne ne doit être rejeté, et nous tous sommes obligés de tout faire pour mettre en œuvre nos promesses. 40.3 Nous nous félicitons de l'approche novatrice multidisciplinaire et intersectorielle dans l'élaboration du Projet de programme et de budget pour la période 2018-2021, conformément au Programme de développement durable à l'horizon 2030. Et malgré les contraintes budgétaires sévères auxquelles l'Organisation a été confrontée ces dernières années, il est de notre responsabilité collective de maintenir sa capacité à répondre aux attentes élevées pour la mise en œuvre des objectifs stratégiques du développement durable. 40.4 Nous vivons dans un monde de transformations positives, mais aussi de graves problèmes de sécurité qui exigent de nouvelles approches de la part de la communauté internationale pour y répondre avec les ressources de l'éducation, de la diversité culturelle et du dialogue interculturel. Dans un contexte d'incertitude globale sans cesse croissante et de crise des valeurs, nous affirmons que l'UNESCO a un rôle primordial à jouer dans la construction d'une société juste, inclusive et globale, fondée sur des valeurs humaines universelles : respect des droits de l'homme, solidarité, sauvegarde de la paix, préservation du patrimoine commun de l’humanité. L’idée de l'UNESCO, inscrite dans son Acte constitutif il y a plus de 70 ans, de « construire la paix dans l’esprit des hommes et des femmes » aujourd'hui est plus pertinente que jamais. L'extrémisme violent est un fléau de notre temps qui change de visages et d’apparences et qui nécessite une approche innovatrice et globale. Nous sommes profondément préoccupés par l’ampleur croissante de ce phénomène qui déstabilise gravement nos sociétés et frappe les plus vulnérables : les jeunes. La Bulgarie s'est engagée à soutenir les efforts de l'Organisation pour combattre la radicalisation et l'extrémisme en promouvant une éducation équitable et inclusive, en prévenant l'exclusion sociale et économique des jeunes et en promouvant la diversité culturelle pour renforcer leur sentiment d'identité et d'appartenance. (L’orateur poursuit en anglais) 40.5 Ladies and gentlemen, never before in recent history have we seen such brutal and systemic terrorist attacks against cultural heritage used as a tactic of war, meant to disseminate hatred and to weaken the grounds for peace. As a country of long history with a significant cultural legacy, Bulgaria is fully engaged with its preservation and protection in compliance with all relevant international legal instruments. In this vein, we acknowledge UNESCO’s key role in integrating culture into the peace-building process and in sharpening the international community’s focus on the links between the protection of culture and the maintenance of security. Cultural heritage is our bridge from the past to the future. This is the way we understand the world and the means by which we shape it. Sharing this vision, Bulgaria has actively contributed to fostering cultural diversity and multicultural dialogue during its mandate as a member of the committee for intangible cultural heritage as well as through the activities of the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Sofia under the auspices of UNESCO. 40.6 Ladies and gentlemen, in line with its strong commitment to advance the implementation of the Education 2030 Framework for Action, Bulgaria hosted in September 2017 the 5th International Summit on Information Technology in Education under the title “Rethinking Learning in a Digital Age” under the patronage of UNESC. Guided by the conviction that culture is one of the main enablers for achieving sustainability and development, Bulgaria has defined it as one of the priorities of its forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In conclusion I would like to thank UNESCO’s Director-General, Ms Irina Bokova, for her leadership and dedication to raising UNESCO’s visibility in difficult times for the Organization, and to enhance its role in addressing a range of global challenges. (The speaker continues in French) 40.7 Je voudrais aussi souhaiter à la prochaine Directrice générale, Mme Audrey Azoulay, du courage, du succès et du vent en poupe. Merci de votre attention. 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 17

41. La Présidente : Merci, Monsieur le Ministre. Et maintenant, je voudrais donner la parole à S. E. M. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Vice-Ministre des affaires étrangères d’Ukraine. 42.1 Mr Kyslytsya (Ukraine): Madam President of the General Conference, Madam Director-General, ladies and gentlemen. I am honoured to take part in this notable session that potentially can mark a transition from the old to the new UNESCO. Being the biggest and the most inclusive world platform for cooperation, UNESCO has many reasons to turn into an even more influential actor at the global arena. Having said that, I would like to use this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to Madam Bokova who led the Organization in perhaps the most challenging times of its history, who was accessible and approachable to everyone, who was capable of listening to all delegations, and who was always available to me when I had the need to talk to her. Thank you, Madam. 42.2 This influence and deeper engagement of UNESCO come at a price. The challenges our Organization is facing nowadays has become more complex and multifaceted, which inevitably leads UNESCO to assuming new responsibilities. Some may, and do say, that the Organization is getting more and more involved in global political affairs. I would interpret this the other way round. UNESCO is trying to save culture, education and science from grave consequences inflicted by global political affairs at a time when we face hybrid challenges and hybrid threats, with hypocrisy jamming all discussions, when we see that aggressive mimicry when predators assume the role of victims which dominates behaviour in the international arena. That is what UNESCO is about. The same criteria and the same approaches based on the basic values of the Organization should be applied everywhere in the world, be it in Africa, Latin America, Asia or Europe. When the human rights in the spheres of education, science, culture, freedom of information are in danger, there is no room for idle speculations about “politicizing the issues” or the “insufficiency of UNESCO’s mandate”. It is not about the name of the country, it is about the relevance of the Organization and its viability in the modern world. 42.3 With this in mind, I would like to recall eight consecutive decisions, “Follow-up of the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Ukraine)” of the Executive Board, the last one adopted just a few weeks ago. It is common knowledge why, throughout the last three years, this issue stays high on the agenda of UNESCO. It is high also on the list of priorities of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), European Union, Council of Europe and other international institutions. The information of the UNESCO Secretariat on the issue, as well as the recent United Nations thematic report on the situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, vividly testify to the situation in the occupied peninsula within UNESCO’s field of competence. The violations of freedom of expression and access to information continue to be extremely severe and systematic. Access to education in the Ukrainian language is of particular concern. I would not dignify the aggressive statement of the Russian Federation delegate by commenting on it. I would only like to refer her to the order of the International Court of Justice of 19 April this year requesting the Russian Federation to provide education in the Ukrainian language in Crimea. 42.4 While the population of the peninsula bears the brunt of occupation, the cultural and natural heritage of Crimea is also being treated by the Russian occupying authorities as the spoils of the “conquest”, not as objects of timeless, historic significance. Take as one example the state of conservation of the Khan’s palace in Bakhchisarai, submitted to the World Heritage Tentative List in 2005, which remains of great concern. The occupying authorities conduct so-called restoration works in the roof of the mosque, including the construction of iron awning over the principal facade of the main building of the Khan’s palace. The most alarming fact is that these illegal works are supervised by personnel that have neither experience nor qualifications in the restoration of historic buildings. Another recent example is the construction of the so- called Taurida highway, which is becoming a real disaster for the ancient Tiritakskiy defensive wall that protected the citizens of the city of Ponticapeum in the past from the raids of nomads. However, I am pleased to acknowledge that we are at the final stage of cooperative consultations with the UNESCO Secretariat on the elaboration of parameters of direct monitoring activities of UNESCO in Crimea. 42.5 Madam President, today UNESCO is taking a global lead in practically all spheres of its unique mandate. The updated Strategy for Climate Change and the work in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the Education 2030 Framework for Action attest to the enormous scope of competence and efforts of UNESCO. Ukraine is ready to support the development and transformation of UNESCO, to continue its active participation in all the spheres of its activities by taking practical steps that make our Organization stronger. I thank you for your attention. 43. La Présidente : Merci, Monsieur le Ministre. Et maintenant, j’ai le grand plaisir de donner la parole à S. E. M. Abdoulaye Yéro Baldé, Ministre de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche scientifique de Guinée. Excellence, vous avez la parole. 44.1 M. Yéro Baldé (Guinée) : Madame la Présidente de la Conférence générale, Monsieur le Président du Conseil exécutif, Madame la Directrice générale de l’UNESCO, Mesdames et Messieurs les Ministres, Chefs de délégation, en prenant part aux travaux de la 39e session de la Conférence générale de l’UNESCO, la République de Guinée, par ma voix, voudrait apporter aux éminents représentants des États membres de l’UNESCO le salut fraternel et amical du peuple de Guinée, du Gouvernement guinéen et tout particulièrement du Professeur Alpha Condé, Président de la République, mais également Président en exercice de l’Union africaine. Il m’est ainsi agréable, au nom de la délégation de la République de Guinée, de féliciter chaleureusement Mme Zohour Alaoui, Présidente de la Conférence générale, pour sa brillante élection. Je suis d’ores et déjà persuadé que ses immenses qualités professionnelles et sa riche expérience lui permettront de conduire avec efficacité les travaux de la présente session. Je voudrais aussi remercier et féliciter M. Stanley Mutumba Simataa, Président de la 38e Conférence générale, pour la qualité des services rendus à l’Organisation tout au long de son mandat. Notre délégation adresse ses sincères félicitations à Mme Audrey Azoulay pour sa brillante élection en qualité de Directrice générale de l’UNESCO par le Conseil exécutif et la rassure de notre soutien total. C’est avec un réel plaisir, du haut de cette tribune, que nous adressons un hommage sincère et appuyé à Mme Irina Bokova, première femme Directrice générale de l’UNESCO, qui, grâce à ses compétences professionnelles et sa riche expérience, a dirigé notre Organisation 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 18 avec succès. Mme Bokova, la République de Guinée se félicite du soutien de l'UNESCO pour le choix de « Conakry, Capitale mondiale du livre 2017 ». 44.2 Madame la Présidente, Mesdames et Messieurs, ces projets méritent une attention toute particulière. La multiplicité et la complexité des défis qui interpellent nos pays les moins avancés dans le contexte d’un monde globalisé invitent certes à une mobilisation de ressources financières, mais aussi et surtout à des réformes de structures et de méthodes tendant à mieux cerner les problèmes et les réalités à la base. C’est dans cette dynamique que le Gouvernement de la République de Guinée a engagé des réformes majeures dans les secteurs de développement, particulièrement dans ceux de l’éducation, de la recherche scientifique, de l’innovation technologique, de la culture, de l’environnement, de l’autonomisation des femmes et des jeunes, dans le cadre de la réalisation des objectifs de développement durable (ODD). Il convient de noter que la Guinée est le premier pays ouest-africain à ratifier l’Accord d’Addis-Abeba relatif à la reconnaissance et à l’équivalence des diplômes. C’est aussi dans ce cadre qu’il faut situer la vaste réforme du secteur éducatif dont les réflexions sont confiées à un groupe de spécialistes et dont le travail a permis de faire le diagnostic exhaustif de notre système éducatif en vue de la tenue prochaine des états généraux de l’éducation, ce qui permettra de rénover fondamentalement notre système éducatif. Et c’est parce que nous voulons réaliser ce programme en respectant notre environnement et nos valeurs culturelles que nous restons mobilisés autour des projets phares de conservation de la réserve de biosphère du mont Nimba, des réserves de la forêt de Ziama, du Parc national du Haut Niger et du Parc national du Badiar, et ainsi que la conservation du fameux Sosso Bala et de son espace culturel, placés sous la tutelle de l’UNESCO. Ces projets méritent une attention toute particulière et un soutien actif de la communauté internationale, afin de sauvegarder ces éléments constitutifs du patrimoine immatériel et scientifique de l’humanité, ainsi que le retour dans nos pays respectifs des biens matériels spoliés. C’est pourquoi nous fondons l’espoir que l’UNESCO, grâce à son expertise pluridisciplinaire, soutiendra efficacement les efforts de nos États dans la construction des sociétés modernes du savoir. 44.3 Madame la Présidente, Mesdames et Messieurs, nous savons que c’est à travers un savant dosage entre l’éducation, la science et la culture que l’Afrique pourra se doter de ressources humaines de qualité pour accélérer son développement économique et socioculturel. L’Afrique reste confrontée à des problèmes majeurs qu’il convient de prendre en compte et l’UNESCO, de concert avec les autres agences du système des Nations Unies, aidera à les extirper de notre continent. Il s’agit de l’analphabétisme, de l’intolérance, de la dégradation du patrimoine culturel et des valeurs culturelles positives, de la destruction de l’environnement et de la non-maîtrise de la science et de la technologie. La persistance et l’aggravation de ces fléaux rendent encore plus complexes les problèmes de l’éducation et de la formation dans de nombreux États. Pour faire face à ces défis, l’expertise de l’UNESCO est particulièrement requise pour la valorisation des sous-secteurs de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche scientifique, de l’éducation nationale, de l’alphabétisation, de l’enseignement technique, de la formation professionnelle et la création de centres d’excellence. 44.4 Madame la Présidente, Mesdames et Messieurs, avant de terminer, je formule le vœu ardent que l’action de l’UNESCO, notamment en Afrique, s’amplifie et se consolide à travers des programmes et des projets novateurs porteurs de croissance, afin de faire reculer en Afrique les frontières de la pauvreté, et faire avancer les causes de l’éducation, de la science, de la technologie et de la compréhension mutuelle. Je vous remercie. 45. La Présidente : Merci, Monsieur le Ministre. Notre prochain orateur est S. E. Mme Venera Domi, Ambassadeur d’Albanie auprès de l’UNESCO. Excellence, vous avez la parole. 46.1 Ms Domi (Albania) : Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Madam Director-General, distinguished Ministers, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, fellow participants. It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be here to represent Albania and to address this distinguished audience. Let me start by expressing my Government’s and my own support to all those countries, peoples and individuals that have suffered from violence and unnatural disasters. Human and nature’s violence is rising in troubling levels and I firmly believe that UNESCO, the forum where we build peace in the minds of men and women and find ways to develop sustainable science, is more relevant and needed than ever. 46.2 I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Madam Irina Bokova, the outgoing Director-General, who expertly led UNESCO during the last eight years of financial difficulties for the Organization. I also express our gratitude and appreciation to Mr Michael Worbs, the outgoing Chairperson of the Executive Board, who distinguished himself in the polite and diplomatic way he chaired the Executive Board during the last three years. I also welcome the new Director-General that will be confirmed in a couple of days, Madam Audrey Azoulay, and wish her full success in her new endeavours. Our expectations are very high, the challenges UNESCO faces are numerous and difficult. We need the new Director-General to complete the reform of the Organization, to prioritize by selecting fewer programmes most relevant to UNESCO’s mandate without overlapping and duplication within the United Nations bodies, to invigorate and inspire the staff and to conduct a deeper and wider dialogue with Member States. We expect UNESCO to provide a substantial and decisive contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its fields of competence, and most importantly to leave no one behind. 46.3 Ladies and gentlemen, Albania aligns itself with the European Union statement. I am delighted to see that this year education has been one of the most important topics of the debate and action of the whole United Nations system. Through assessment of progress and making recommendations for improving delivery, the United Nations contributed to making education more inclusive. UNESCO has the leading role in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 04 concerning education for all (EFA), and we are strongly committed to working closely with UNESCO to fulfil this objective. Education is the foundation of dynamic societies. Sustainable, just, fair, inclusive and democratic value oriented education is the foundation of peaceful societies. Underscoring national efforts towards achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 25 Albanian universities recently signed a declaration of commitment to play an active role in advancing the 2030 Agenda in the country. This follows the ongoing efforts of the United Nations in Albania, with the support of the Government, to establish partnerships with academics, Parliament, the private sector, civil society and others 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 19 to support the country’s achievement of the global goals. Through their work, universities can advance strategic areas of development, inform good policies as well as propose sustainable solutions for social, economic, environmental and other issues in countries. Universities are in the most favourable positon to lead innovation and become best examples for both public and private sectors in the country. Our country’s education sector has greatly benefited from UNESCO’s Education Policy Review, assessing both strengths and weaknesses of the system, focused on three national priority policy areas: teachers curriculum, development and use of information technology. Albania commends UNESCO and especially the Education Sector for its outstanding work on the prevention of violence and extremism for education, but also through sustainable science, culture and communication. This programme is an example of how we should respond in a timely manner to a major concern and need of the Member States to tackle one of the most serious and wide-spreading threats and violation of human rights. 46.4 Science is an important field for the sustainable development of each country. UNESCO’s role in promoting biosphere reserves, geoparks, hydrology programmes, disaster risk reduction and resilience are all important tools for Member States. We need science to become affordable for all countries regardless of their economic growth and level. UNESCO should be able to accompany and assist Member States to achieve their scientific development and use of the most advanced technologies. Culture and the World Heritage List is now the programme that makes UNESCO known and appreciated worldwide. Its tireless efforts to protect cultural expressions and heritage in a context of armed conflict has garnered not only international recognition and support, as the historic United Nations resolution 2347 testifies, but has also advanced international criminal law, with the International Criminal Court condemning the perpetrators of the destruction of the world heritage sites in Timbuktu, Mali in 2016. 46.5 UNESCO’s role in promoting freedom of expression, safety for journalists and a safe and healthy media and communication environment is essential. Albania commends the efforts of UNESCO and several Member States in promoting media literacy. We congratulate Madam Albana Shala, Chairperson of the International Programme for Development of Communication (IPDC) Council, for revitalizing this important programme, unique in the United Nations system, and her contribution to the Group of Friends for the Safety of Journalists and the question of impunity. Albania considers cooperation, and especially regional cooperation, as an important tool to reach sustainable peace and development. Responding positively to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’ appeal to all of us to strive to overcome our differences because peace depends on us, I invite Serbian politicians and government leaders to work within a European spirit, and good neighbourly spirit, for a sustainable and developed region. 46.6 Kosovo is one of the countries of the region which contributes to the stability, peace and progress of the whole region, and it has nothing in common with Catalonia. I wish to assure all Member States, that all heritage, cultural and natural, is not endangered in Kosovo. Albania, together with many countries throughout the world, supports Kosovo’s efforts to join UNESCO whenever they will decide to apply, because it will be for the benefit of Kosovo, for the heritage in the country about which Serbs are so concerned, and for UNESCO itself. 46.7 Dear colleagues, Albania is running for election to the Executive Board of UNESCO for the term 2017-2021. My country and my Government are committed to contributing to the fulfilment of UNESCO’s mandate in all of its field of competence in our country and worldwide. My Government is committed to strengthening and widening cooperation with UNESCO that is already growing steadily. We are convinced that Albania, a country of tolerance, respectful of cultural diversity and religious beliefs, and in a dynamic and vibrant economic development, has a lot to offer UNESCO as well as a lot to benefit from. I invite all Member States to cast their vote for the election of my country to the Executive Board next Tuesday. Thank you. 47. La Présidente : Merci, Madame l’Ambassadeur. Je donne maintenant la parole à S. E. M. Jean-Paul Carteron, Ambassadeur, Délégué permanent des Îles Salomon auprès de l’UNESCO. Monsieur l’Ambassadeur. 48.1 Mr Cateron (Solomon Islands): Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Madam Director-General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the people and the Government of Solomon Islands, I extend our warm greetings and congratulations to Ms Alaoui on her election as the President of this Conference. (The speaker continues in French) 48.2 Mme Zohour Alaoui, au-delà de vos compétences exceptionnelles qui nous ont fait vous choisir, vous représentez un grand pays, le Maroc, dont le Souverain met en œuvre des programmes de coopération essentiels non seulement pour l'Afrique, mais aussi pour le Pacifique, ce qui est vital pour nous. Qu’il en soit remercié. (L’orateur poursuit en anglais) 48.3 Madam President, I would like also to acknowledge the leadership provided by your predecessor in facilitating the proceedings of the last Conference First, we would like to congratulate the Executive Board for having nominated the distinguished Ms Azoulay as our next Director-General. (The speaker continues in French) 48.4 Depuis les premières heures, mon Gouvernement a appuyé avec énergie et détermination sa candidature et nous sommes heureux que ses qualités et surtout ses profondes valeurs humaines aient été reconnues lors de cette élection. Les États du Pacifique entendent soutenir Mme Azoulay dans ses entreprises qui, nous en sommes persuadés, devront rendre prestige et rayonnement à notre Organisation. Et, à ce moment, il m'appartient de saluer avec émotion le départ de Mme Bokova. Durant huit années, Mme Bokova a tenu la barre d'une Organisation qui a connu de nombreux et graves problèmes et subi de multiples attaques injustifiées. Mme Bokova s'est battue jusqu'au dernier moment pour garder le cap. Elle mérite, je tiens à le dire, honneur et respect. (L’orateur poursuit en anglais) 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 20

48.5 Madam President, Solomon Islands has continued to implement UNESCO-related programmes in the areas of world heritage sites, the Memory of the World programme, the promotion of intangible cultural heritage, gender equality, youth empowerment, information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education, climate change and disaster preparedness. Solomon Islands is committed to ensuring access to education at all levels, and quality of education in terms of teacher effectiveness and better learning strategies for students, as well as management of resources at the national, provincial, education authority and school levels. In Solomon Islands, we have made moderate progress in our efforts to improve the quality of education. We still need to work hard to implement programmes and activities of UNESCO such as developing relevant curriculum materials and resources. We need to use ICTs to ensure that education reaches the unreached, and to develop a participatory approach that can enable us to integrate traditional and scientific knowledge in the management of the impact of climate change. Climate change is indeed the most critical threat to our very existence in the Pacific and there is a need for the industrialized nations to honour their obligations to reduce the increase in global temperature. I cannot but express concern at the current process put in place to include our voice, the voice of the Pacific, in UNESCO. We need a reserved seat in the Executive Board, as this is where the voice of Pacific islands can be heard and needs can be discussed. (The speaker continues in French) 48.6 Les États du Pacifique, qui sont le trésor de notre monde, ont été trop longtemps oubliés, négligés, malmenés. Aussi je me fais l'interprète de tous nos États frères, qui sont ici en réclamant avec force ce siège au Conseil exécutif. Ceux qui produisent en quantité ce terrible CO2 et qui siègent en nombre au Conseil exécutif ne peuvent pas ne pas se pencher sur le cas de ceux qui en subissent tous les effets dévastateurs et qui pourtant n'en produisent pas un seul gramme ! Voilà pourquoi la voix du Pacifique veut être entendue, et encore plus entendue. (L’orateur poursuit en anglais) 48.7 My country is committed to ensuring that its cultural heritage is protected and safeguarded. As a least developed country, Solomon Islands fully appreciates UNESCO’s support, together with our Pacific neighbours, and is honoured to be part of UNESCO’s programme. (The speaker continues in French) 48.8 Mais je lance à nouveau cet appel à tous les États membres : nous, États du Pacifique, nous sommes un continent. Nous représentons un patrimoine merveilleux, unique et tellement fragile. Il est temps que vous nous donniez une vraie place autour de la table. Il est temps que nos actions, nos discours ici, nos échanges, cessent d’être conventionnels et deviennent porteurs de mouvement et de progrès. L’UNESCO doit signifier quelque chose de vrai et de profond pour tous ceux qui souffrent et qui ont besoin d’elle. Je vous remercie. 49. La Présidente : Merci, Excellence. Et maintenant, je donne la parole à notre dernier orateur, qui est S. E. Mme Maria da Paixão Costa, Ambassadeur, Déléguée permanente du Timor-Leste auprès de l’UNESCO. 50.1 Ms da Paixão Costa Cateron (Timor-Leste): (address delivered in Portuguese; English text provided by the delegation): Maman President, Madam Director-General, distinguished Heads of Delegations, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, headed by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, I am honoured to congratulate every member present at the 39th session of UNESCO's General Conference. Timor-Leste is a young and dynamic nation, located in south-eastem Asia, which recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary of independence. We are at the beginning of a new chapter on our history, through which – after ensuring peace and stability – we hold our destiny in our own hands. Timor-Leste reaps the benefits nowadays from peace, stability and a rapidly expanding economy which has been gradually improving the well-being of our people. Earlier this year, Timor-Leste peacefully and democratically held two elections: presidential and parliamentary. Dr Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo was elected as president of Timor-Leste and the Fretilin Party received the most votes. 50.2 Madam President, our national strategic development plan notes that the biggest asset of our nation is the strength of our people – and is the reason why education is an essential priority of governmental action. As an outcome of the work accomplished over the last 14 years, it is with pride that I acknowledge the significant improvements in the number of children enrolled in basic education, which is currently over 94%. However, we still face challenges which are common to many developing countries, particularly in regards to the quality of education. We want to reduce the current differences between schools, municipalities and rural and urban areas. In May 2017, Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Education, conducted a national education congress on the theme “Education is the pillar for reinforcing identity and national development”. At that national congress, questions were asked relating to five key-areas, namely national education curriculum, teachers’ management and training, schools’ management and supervision, infrastructure, equipment and educational resources, and public and private education management. We are grateful for the support being provided, since the beginning, by the international community. We embraced the education for all (EFA) programme and are equally committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 50.3 In terms of regional inclusion, we have established friendly relations with south-eastern and Pacific neighbouring countries, in particular our closest neighbours Australia and Indonesia. Given our geographic location, we also wish to become part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with which we will, together, contribute towards regional growth, social progress and cultural development in a spirit of partnership. In addition, we hold strong historical and affective connections to the group of countries that are also part of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). In terms of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Timor-Leste is a signatory to the “Call to Action” statement launched at the meeting of the High-Level Group for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. We think that the world should move quickly towards realizing the new, ambitious and transformational sustainable development agenda. 39 C/VR.8 Unedited – page 21

50.4 Madam President, I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to UNESCO’s Director- General for the continuous support provided to UNESCO’s National Commission in Timor-Leste in its initiatives in the fields of education, science, communication and culture. I would particularly like to emphasize the support provided to the from the Ministry of Education’s programme regarding multilingual education based on mother tongue languages. Timor-Leste’s countless existing languages reflect the current linguistic richness of our country, and are as essential part of our cultural heritage. In the area of culture, we are committed, with UNESCO’s support, to the preservation of our rich cultural heritage. Culture is essential in strengthening national unity and cohesion, and it is important for this culture to be protected and celebrated. We are counting on UNESCO’s contribution in attaining our cultural and educational goals for the benefit of our people. In the domain of communication and information, Timor-Leste has established a national committee for the Memory of the World programme, which will work according to the specified goals of the Memory of the World’s General Guidelines. Before concluding, I should like to take this opportunity to reiterate Timor-Leste’s commitment to cooperating with UNESCO in the maintenance and promotion of peace, which is an essential goal of this Organization. Thank you very much. 51. La Présidente : Merci, Madame l’Ambassadeur. Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs, avant de conclure, j’ai cru comprendre que la Délégation d’Azerbaïdjan demandait le droit de réponse. La Délégation est donc appelée à lire sa déclaration depuis son siège, et pour deux minutes. Je donne donc la parole au Représentant de l’Azerbaïdjan. Excellence, vous avez la parole. 52.1 Azerbaijan: Thank you, Madam President of the General Conference. I would like to use my right of reply to the statement of the Foreign Minister of Armenia, made yesterday. The occupation by armed forces of the Republic of Armenia of 20% of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan has continued for many years regardless of four United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding immediate full and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories. 52.2 More than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced as a result of this conflict. In his speech, the Foreign Minister of Armenia touched upon the importance of education. Indeed, education is important but it should be first and foremost applied to Armenian leadership. While the international community strives to eliminate all forms of discrimination as well as fighting against Nazism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and xenophobia, the current leaders of Armenia are officially declaring ethnic incompatibility between Azerbaijanis and Armenians, glorifying and erecting monuments in honour of the Nazi military General Garegin Nzhdeh and other terrorists in their capital. This speech is another hypocritical attempt to deviate the attention of the international community from the aggravated facts of cultural cleansing, carried out not only within the occupied territories of Azerbaijan but also within Armenia itself. Cultural heritage such as mosques, monuments, cemeteries, and museums are being purposefully destroyed to wipe out evidence of the centuries-old historical presence of Azerbaijanis in these territories. How Armenia can lecture others about diversity and tolerance, while today it is a unique and mono-ethnic country in a very diverse region. 52.3 Having listened to Armenia’s speeches for many years, we have witnessed all the hatred and false accusations, the lack of vision for future development, and the lack of prospects for dialogue. Regretfully, instead of building peace in the minds of men and women, Armenia is misusing this highest podium by poisoning the noble spirit of this venerable House. But we strongly believe that all their attempts are in vain. Thank you, Madam President. 53. La Présidente : Merci. Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs, ceci nous amène à la conclusion de la réunion de cet après-midi. Comme vous le savez, la plénière se réunira de nouveau demain matin à 10 heures précises. Avant que j’ajourne la séance, je tiens à rappeler aux membres du Bureau de la Conférence générale que la deuxième réunion du Bureau aura lieu demain matin à 9 heures dans la salle X. Je vous souhaite à tous une excellente soirée. La séance est levée.

The meeting rose at 6.15 p.m.