| JOHANNESBURG--While
much of the dialogue taking place at the World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) has
centred on key issues such as energy, trade and
environment,
one organization has brought a human dimension
to the Johannesburg agenda. Director-General
of UNESCO Koichiro Matsuura has emphasized to the
Earth Times that education and cultural diversity,
though not priority agenda issues, play a vital
role in talks about sustainable development.
A
decade ago at the Earth Summit in Rio, UNESCO played
a minor role, having organized only two events. This
year in Johannesburg, the director-general noted
that UNESCO has been involved in numerous events
that cover four different areas: education, cultural
diversity, oceans and fresh water.
Education
is one of the core priorities of UNESCO
at the WSSD. “Education
is not only an end in itself but is also
one of the most powerful instruments
we have for bringing about the changes
required to achieve sustainable development,” said
Matsuura. “It is not included in
the high priority areas, but education
is definitely the basis of sustainable
development,” he related to the
Earth Times.
UNESCO
and the South African government addressed
the issue of education and
sustainable development in a two-day
symposium ending today. Today, UNESCO
launched three partnership proposals
and presented Japan’s proposal
to the General Assembly to create a Decode
of Education for Sustainable Development
in 2005.
Cultural
diversity is another issue that Matsuura
believes is vital to the
discussion of sustainable development.
He noted that a great deal of attention
is given to the theme of biodiversity,
but maintains that cultural diversity
should share the spotlight. Matsuura
said that diversity in humanity and in
nature cannot be separated since one
cannot understand the natural environment
without understanding the human cultures
that shape it. “Each culture possesses
its own sets of representations, knowledge
and practices,” he said.
Additionally,
local languages, like natural resources
are being depleted
due to present day human activities. “Cultures
are disappearing and we are committed
to maintaining cultural diversity in
the context of sustainable development,” the
director-general said. “Sustainable
development must be based on the maintenance
of cultural diversity.”
Some
progress has been made in the realm
of cultural diversity since Rio’s
Earth Summit. Cultural diversity has
now been recognized in the Universal
Declaration. Today, in a high-level round
table sponsored by UNESCO, UNEP and the
government of France, French President
Jacques Chirac proposed the adoption
of a world convention on cultural diversity
to act as a counterweight to the Convention
on Biological Diversity and protection
against the unfettered growth of globalization.
Chirac said that UNESCO should take the
lead role in organizing this proposed
convention. A spokesperson for UNESCO
said that Matsuura has not yet responded
to Chirac’s proposal.
Matsuura
did express his and UNESCO’s
commitment to further intercultural dialogue
in the aftermath of the events of September
11. UNESCO drafted its Universal Declaration
on Cultural Diversity shortly after the
attacks on New York almost one full year
ago. Matsuura said that in the wake of
the events, UNESCO’s mission became
recharged. “It was a pity and tragedy
that the September 11 events took place
in the UN year of civilization,” he
said. “However, we all became more
determined to promote dialogue between
civilizations and cultures.”
Through
the promotion of education, Matsuura
hopes to “reach the unreached.” He
also hopes to pursue the promotion of
cultural diversity and intercultural
dialogues as major components in sustainable
development. “Cultural diversity
is a driving process that needs the support
of dynamic institutions and people,” he
said.
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