155 EX/INF.9PARIS, 30 October 1998English & French only

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL,SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Hundred and fifty-fifth Session

Item 9.6 of the agenda

THE CULTURE OF PEACEAND UNESCO’s ACTION IN MEMBER STATES

COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED IN SUPPORTOF THE TRANSDISCIPLINARY PROJECT

‘TOWARDS A CULTURE OF PEACE’

SUMMARY

This document contains information on the support provided byseveral intergovernmental organizations that do not belong to theUnited Nations system for the transdisciplinary project ‘Towards aculture of peace’. They supplement the information contained indocument 155 EX/50.

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Introduction

Several interregional, regional and subregional intergovernmental organizations that donot belong to the United Nations system have lent their support to the transdisciplinary project‘Towards a culture of peace’ and expressed their interest in establishing a partnership withUNESCO in the context of the International Year for the Culture of Peace in the year 2000.They include the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization of African Unity(OAU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Council ofEurope, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Commonwealth and theSecretariat-General of La Francophonie.

Extracts from the communications sent to UNESCO in this connection appear below.The original documents have been reproduced as annexes.

1. Organization of American States (OAS)

The UNESCO initiative of a Culture of Peace Programme, which will be presented tothe 53rd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, deserves the full support ofthe international community and is clearly congruent with the principles underpinning theOAS mission in defence of democracy, freedom and the preservation of peace in theHemisphere of the Americas.

The Preliminary Summarized Report to the United Nations regarding the Culture ofPeace which you submitted to the 154th meeting of the UNESCO Executive Council is acomprehensive document which contains fundamental elements such as a draft declaration onthe issue as well as a draft action programme. As such, it constitutes a useful frameworkwithin which to build a co-operative strategy linking the efforts of the various internationalorganizations, governments and civil society towards a culture of peace (letter of29 May 1998 from the Secretary-General, Mr César Gaviria, to the Director-General ofUNESCO).

Reaffirmation of Caracas (1 June 1998):

We reaffirm the commitment to strengthen the foundations of a culture of peace,development and non-violence, recognizing the right to peace as inalienable andinherent in the dignity of the human person.

2. Organization of African Unity (OAU)

The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity,meeting in its thirty-fourth ordinary session in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 8 to10 June 1998,

Welcomes the decision taken by the United Nations General Assembly to proclaim theyear 2000, International Year of a Culture of Peace;

Considers the International Year as a propitious occasion to substitute the culture ofwar and violence which characterized the last millennium of human history with aculture of peace by promoting values, attitudes and comportments which constitute thefoundations thereof,

…

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Further calls on the Secretary-General in co-operation with the Director-General ofUNESCO and all other concerned agencies and institutions to promote within MemberStates, activities to celebrate the year 2000 as the International Year of the Culture ofPeace and commends the Director-General of UNESCO for this laudable initiative(decision AHG/DEC. 5 XXXIV, June 1998).

3. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

ECOWAS has adopted legal instruments to promote regional security, peace andstability, these being prerequisites for the achievement of rapid regional integration and thesocio-economic development of West Africa. The recent agreements concluded by ECOWAShave led to the establishment of peace in Liberia and , most recently, to a return to power ofthe elected President of Sierra Leone, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

As part of its efforts to establish an effective conflict-prevention mechanism and, inaddition, with a view to promoting the culture of peace throughout the West Africancommunity, the Executive Secretariat is planning to organize a regional forum on the theme:‘Conflict management and resolution: the role of ECOWAS’ (letter dated 18 March 1998 fromthe Executive Secretary, Mr Lansana Kouyaté, to the Director-General of UNESCO).

4. Council of Europe

Regarding the two United Nations resolutions adopted on 20 November 1997:

It is naturally with great pleasure that the Council of Europe will contribute to the workto be undertaken by UNESCO in this field.

Like you, I am convinced that working to establish a culture of peace is one of the majorchallenges that our societies have to meet at the dawn of the twenty-first century (letter dated4 May 1998 from the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Mr Daniel Tarschys, to theDirector-General of UNESCO).

5. The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Acknowledging the importance for the peoples of South-East Asia of the newperspectives opened by the culture of peace which UNESCO has been promotingthroughout the world ‘in order to build the defences of peace in the minds of men’, as itis called upon by its Constitution,

Convinced that the spirit of intellectual and moral solidarity, equality and partnershipas promoted by UNESCO and ASEAN is a key factor for ensuring lasting peace,sustainable social and economic development, and dialogue among peoples andcultures,

Considering furthermore that without peace there can be no development and thatwithout development there can be no lasting peace,

Underlining the fact that the construction of peace, sustainable economic and socialdevelopment and respect for the democratic principles of justice, freedom, mutualtolerance and solidarity go hand in hand,

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Conscious that a new approach to security is necessary in order to take into accountnon-military threats to peace and security, in particular extreme poverty, environmentaldegradation and the aggravation of social inequalities and in order to identify the waysand means for the eradication at source,

Aware of our responsibility towards future generations and their right to live in peaceand a healthy environment,

Stressing the need for the reinforcement of the long-standing co-operation between thenations of South-East Asia and UNESCO in the fields of education, science, culture andcommunication, in particular with a view to enhancing the contribution of stakeholdersin these fields to peace, development and democracy in the region,

Recalling that the General Assembly of the United Nations has proclaimed theyear 2000 as the International Year for the Culture of Peace, for which UNESCO willact as lead agency within the United Nations system,

Recalling that the Fifth ASEAN Summit, held in Bangkok on 14-15 December 1995,declared that ‘Co-operative peace and shared prosperity shall be the fundamental goalsof ASEAN’,

Do hereby state:

The nations of South-East Asia, bound together by centuries of history and culture, havemade significant progress in the last three decades to found a prosperous and peacefulcommunity in the framework of ASEAN. They are called upon today, maybe more thanever before, to reaffirm their determination to ensure their peaceful, progressive andendogenous development in accordance with the ideals and aspirations of their peoples.Indeed, the economic, financial and environmental issues which have affected many ofthe countries of the region during the past year must be addressed on the basis ofstrengthened bonds of regional solidarity and co-operation, considering that thecountries of South-East Asia share a primary responsibility for strengthening theeconomic and social stability of the region as embodied in the ASEAN Declaration of1967.

The interactions between peace and development in the context of open societies,consistent with their respective national identities, shall continue to progress in theregion, through the effective mobilization of all pertinent institutions and key socialactors, towards fostering a culture of peace. Indeed, the peaceful resolution of conflicts,the dialogue between cultures and religions, and the promotion of tolerance are,inter alia, key-factors for giving a solid foundation to all endogenous developmentefforts, ensuring the participation of all. In this framework, education has a key role toplay in nurturing shared values and, in particular, education for co-operative peace,social justice, rule of law, tolerance and international understanding, which should befostered at all levels of education.

The progress made in the field of co-operative peace in the framework of ASEAN shouldbe consolidated through the mobilization of all institutions and individuals who arecommitted to building a lasting peace in South-East Asia, in particular on the occasionof the year 2000, proclaimed International Year of the Culture of Peace by the GeneralAssembly of the United Nations.

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We therefore call upon UNESCO and ASEAN to reinforce their co-operation throughthe undertaking of joint endeavours, which can contribute to the consolidation of peaceand security, development and democracy in South-East Asia.

We commend UNESCO and ASEAN for having jointly taken the initiative of organizingthe Regional Symposium on Co-operative Peace in South-East Asia, which willundoubtedly open new avenues for closer dialogue and co-operation in South-East Asiaas well as between South-East Asia and other regions of the world. Indeed, we cherishthe hope that all the above-mentioned initiatives will contribute to strengthening thefoundations for peace in the third millennium for all the nations of South-East Asia, andexpress our commitment to further the cause of peace and dialogue through a thoroughimplementation of those initiatives. For it is in peace and through peace that the nationsof South-East Asia will be able to secure the future of their peoples and contribute to themaintenance of international peace and security and the attainment of common ends ofmankind (Statement on Peace in South-East Asia on the Eve of the Third Millennium,Jakarta, 12 September 1998).

6. Commonwealth

The Commonwealth supports this UNESCO initiative for promoting Culture of Peace,based on the principles set out in the United Nations Charter, since this accords with theCommonwealth’s own fundamental values of democracy, respect for human rights and therule of law, respect for diversity and tolerance, equal rights for women and sustainabledevelopment (letter of 15 June 1998 from the Secretary-General, Mr Emeka Anyaoku, to theDirector-General of UNESCO).

Note from the Secretariat on the UNESCO Draft Declaration and Programme of Actionon a Culture of Peace:

The uniqueness of the Commonwealth is based on its values of democracy and goodgovernance which embrace the principles of the rule of law and the independence of thejudiciary, just and honest government, unity through diversity, human rights includinggender equality, and the promotion of sustainable development.

…

Combined with its strong tradition of consensus-building, the Commonwealth seeks topromote tolerance and unity through pluralism, promotion of the democratic ethic andcommitment to international treaties and conventions governing peace anddevelopment. The Commonwealth in thus well-placed to defuse and prevent conflictsituations within its membership.

...

The Commonwealth is also interested in looking at other barriers and challenges to theprogress of peace in many countries and the world as a whole. One such challenge inthe conflict created by divisive pluralism, which can impede the achievement of peaceand democracy in any country and region.

...

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The Commonwealth has been co-operating with a number of other regional andinternational bodies to improve the effectiveness of programmes in areas critical todemocracy, peace and development. Thus, together these organizations could explorethe possibilities of enhancement of programme effectiveness through practical examplesof co-operation on common issues, exchange of experience and resource sharing. Suchcollaborative partnership on national, regional and especially global concerns couldcontribute further to the global vision for a culture of peace and development (London,June 1998).

7. International Organization of La Francophonie

With reference to United Nations General Assembly resolutions 52/13 ‘Culture ofpeace’ and 52/15 ‘Proclamation of the year 2000 as the International Year for the Culture ofPeace’ of 12 November 1997:

The International Organization of La Francophonie will contribute to the draftdeclaration and programme of action with suggestions and proposals. As you know, thepreoccupation with peace and with the culture of peace which is a necessaryprerequisite, has become essential to our organization as some of our Member Stateshave been involved in dramatic internal or regional conflicts (letter of 11 May 1998from the Secretary-General, Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, to the Director-General ofUNESCO).

155 EX/INF.9Annex

ANNEX

Transdisciplinary project ‘Towards a culture of peace’

This annex contains the full texts of the following declarations:

- Declaration-Reaffirmation of Caracas, approved at the second plenary meeting held on1 June 1998 of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation of the member countriesof the Organization of American States.

- Adopted decision on the Culture of Peace by the Assembly of Heads of State andGovernment of the Organization of African Unity at its thirty-fourth ordinary session inOuagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 8 to 10 June 1998.

- Statement on Peace in South-East Asia on the Eve of the Third Millennium, adopted bythe participants in the Regional Symposium on Co-operative Peace in South-East Asia inJakarta, Indonesia on 11 and 12 September 1998.

- Note by the Commonwealth Secretariat on 4 June 1998.