Consultation of Arab National Committees for UNESCO concludes [Archives:2004/753/Community]
Mohammed bin Sallam
The consultation meeting of the Arab National Educational, Cultural and Scientific Commissions (UNESCO) was concluded on Thursday July1 in Sana'a with the issuance of a communique that cited the importance of coordinating efforts between the related authorities in the issue of education for all, which must include all levels of education. The communique cited the inclusion of university education and the confirmation of the importance of the commitment of the UN to play its role the eradication of illiteracy during by 2012, with the focus on children and women, and to give priority to vocational and technical education. It demanded that UNESCO works to improve the quality of education and to improve access to technology at all education levels.
The consultation meeting agreed to the merging of definitions of sustainable development and confronting of AIDS epidemic.
The communique emphasized the continuation of work on set of agreed priorities related to the needs of the Arab region in the field of water and the ecological system associated with it. It also called for enhancing the protection of human rights, social security and fighting discrimination on race, sex, and religion. It recommended enabling the national committees to play their roles in serving the educational, cultural and scientific programs, enhancing their roles as connecting apparatuses between UNESCO and their administrative units as well as in developing their capabilities.
The participants in the consultation meeting demanded more measures to facilitate the translation of information and results of research to different languages and to enhance Arab research capabilities in the fields of water, communication, desertification, protection of coastal areas, using of renewable energy, connecting culture with science and the ethics of the natural and health sciences.
The participants alluded to the importance of increasing the level of cultural awareness, national culture and culture affinity and dialogue and to the role of UNESCO in the dissemination of books in different languages.
They also recommended the improvement of the free flow of information whilst taking into consideration the ethical and values of the Arab region. They also emphasized the need to take into consideration Sana'a's call for cultural dialogue between civilizations and religions and sustaining Arab-European dialogue through several channels. They also agreed to set up special sources for the support of the Palestinians in order to rebuild the education system inside the Palestinian territories.
At the end of the meeting, Dr. Mohamed Al-Qadse, secretary general of the Yemeni National Committee, praised the efforts of UNESCO exerted by its regional offices in the development of education, culture and sciences in the region.
Several speeches were also delivered that praised the organizational efforts made to hold this consultation meeting in Sana'a.
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