UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC
AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)

Address by H. E. Professor Michael OMOLEWA
President of the UNESCO General Conference
and Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO
during the opening of the 172nd session of
UNESCO's Executive Board
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France:
20 September, 2005

Chairman of the Executive Board,

Director-General,

Distinguished members
of the Board,

Excellencies,

My dear colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

With the unhappy proliferation of disasters that the world has witnessed recently, I cannot start this short intervention without first expressing my sympathy to the victims of these disasters both natural and those brought about by acts of terrorism. I think of the many innocent lives that have been lost and I would like to convey our condolences to the victims and their families and loved ones; in the United Kingdom, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Lebanon and to all those who have been victims of acts of terrorism. We recall also with pain, the sufferings brought about by natural disasters. Tsunami, the Hurricane Katrina and the desolation, destruction and death they have left in their wake in the United States of America, in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, in the Republic of Indonesia, in Malaysia, in the Kingdom of Thailand, in the Union of Myanmar, in India, in Bangladesh, in Kenya, in the Seychelles, in the United Republic of Tanzania and, in the Democratic Republic of Somalia. As far as the natural disasters are concerned, it is encourageing to know that UNESCO is intensifying its activities in the field of early-warning networks, which hopefully, in future may contribute to alleviating some of the horrible effects of these natural phenomenons.

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

As this is probably the last time I would have the privilege and honour of participating in the work of the Executive Board in the ex-officio capacity of President of the General Conference, I wish to let you know what a tremendous experience it has been for me and also to communicate to you my unreserved gratitude, for the warmth of your friendship, each one of you and everyone of you; for your cooperation, for your assistance and for your understanding, as, over the last two years, we worked together under the guidance of your able chairman, my friend Ambassador Wrede and the cooperation of our indefatigable Director General Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, in the search for optimum efficiency in the performance of the responsibility conferred on the Executive Board by the General Conference.

In the last two years I have come to admire and appreciate more and more the wisdom that informed the constitutional requirement that, in the period between two General Conferences, the President of the General Conference is enabled, albeit ex-officio, to be part of the activities of the Executive Board. This two- handed requirement, on the one hand, gives the President of the General Conference a privileged place as the execution of the programmes unravels under the guidance of the Executive Board. On the other hand, the President is given the opportunity, twice every year of the biennium, to inform members of the Executive Board and through them the Member States of UNESCO’s of the activities he or she has been involved in, in the furtherance of the spreading of the UNESCO message far and wide.

Far and wide indeed it has been; my role has led me to all the corners of the world, for there is where most of UNESCO’s action take place. It is true that quite a healthy percentage of UNESCO’s work takes place here at Headquarters, but it is out there in Member States, spread around the different corners of the world, that the real action takes place. And it has been my privilege to be called upon to support and participate in activities covering practically all the Sectors and disciplines of UNESCO; in Education, in Science, in Culture, in Communication and in the Social Sciences; to mention but just a few recent involvements in programme activities in Member States, I was able to be part of the latest activities aimed at strengthening the cooperative link between UNESCO and Africa when I was invited to Libya to participate in the work of the UNESCO-NEPAD Committee. The cooperation between UNESCO and the African Union, as you know, covers most areas of UNESCO’s interest. In the field of Culture; I was the guest of the Government of Uzbekistan for their most interesting and engaging International Music Festival. Other programmes include the launching of Science Reform in Nigeria; the Meeting of the German National Commission for UNESCO on cultural Diversity and two very important visits to South Africa for meetings for the World Heritage Committee.

Please allow me to take this opportunity to thank the so many Member States who have made it possible for me to be part of their execution of UNESCO and UNESCO-related programmes, during the biennium; They have contributed greatly to my enhanced knowledge of UNESCO at work in Member States.

My dear Friends and Colleagues: When I think of the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of our Organization, I say to myself “What a golden opportunity for reappraisal; what with the finalization of the Programme and Budget for the next two years, and the beginning of trying to put- our thoughts- together-, as regards our next Medium Term Strategy, we will have ample excuse for vigorous action. The cry for reappraisal and reform is very much abroad; we must be deaf not to hear it …. We will be irresponsible not to heed it!!!!. Fortunately opportunities for action are there in the agenda you have approved for your work and in the agenda you are proposing to the General Conference for its work at its 33rd Session which is very much on us.

Bear in mind as you deliberate, that you are bound to millions of people around the globe. This combination of global obligation and local scope is unique. When it works well, then we manifest the power of our network and its usefullness to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable people around the world, particularly on promoting the unique features of our organization, that would enable that uniqueness to reflect its effectiveness world wide. I know that the Board recognises this.

Only those who cannot understand what it means to believe strongly in something would hesitate or only critically challenge the role of UNESCO in the UN family especially at this crucial moment when the very existence and raison d’etre of the United Nations system is often put to question. I believe that it is more necessary than ever to share a proactive vision and to strengthen the ties between the United Nations and its specialized agencies through greater collaboration and the exchange of views and experiences at all levels.

As we plan our programmes and projects for the future, I happily note that we have wisely decided to retain those priorities that we have identified for our action. Priority of priorities in UNESCO remains Education For All. But should we not be asking ourselves, especially here on the Executive Board, why the promise of Mass Literacy has not been kept in spite of decades of action; and why even today, the attainment of the Dakar goals still seems threatened in many countries of the world?

I wonder and I say to myself that perhaps if we can solve the conundrum of the cruely intransigent scourge of illiteracy, we would find some useful pointers for those challenges that continue to defy resolution, in spite of valiant efforts deployed for meeting them.

I will like to pause here and state how much I have agreed with the many suggestions that have been offered through this debate, on ways of improving and strengthening the Programmes we are now finalizing for the coming biennium. Your insights as revealed by your interventions, have been penetrating and positive and I am happy to note that most of my concerns and joys have been aptly reflected in the debate.

While not neglecting the primordial importance of making sure that the Organization is adequately financed to fulfil its responsibilities, I would particularly like to draw attention to two questions which have been echoed by many members in their statements. I refer to the request by many, especially, China, Australia, Guatemala and others, for adequate funding for the Sector of the Social and Human Sciences and also to the plea by many for the strengthening of the Higher Education component of our programme, especially Teacher Training in Africa and in other areas where illiteracy still remains a challenge.

The other question concerns, the future of our organization, the future of our world and the role we must reserve for our Youth in the planning of that future. It is not enough for us to make plans for the integration of our young people and their concerns into our thinking. We must endeavour to involve the young people themselves, directly, know their aspirations and try to bring a knowledge of their conception of that future to bear on our proposals and ideas for progress and well being. For the world of the future is their world and they must essentially contribute in most meaningful ways, to its planning. The continuation and reinforcement of the Youth Forum during the General Conference, must be seen as a positive and sensible contribution to this idea.

As one of the three organs of the organization, the role of the secretariat is to co-ordinate, to facilitate and promote the activities of the organization. Mr Matsuura has left no stone unturned to ensure that this is happening. It is my duty and pleasure to congratulate him on his nomination yesterday by the Executive Board and on his excellent statement on the activities of the Organization. In a most genial way, he objectively and professionally covered all areas of the organization’s ambitions and expectations. I wish to agree with him in stressing that development begins with people and Education is the core weapon; and a means of empowering people to take control of their lives and the world in which we live.

It is obvious today that UNESCO still stands, and continues to defend the same admirable ambitions for which it was established. Its future must be based on its enhanced capacity and capability to acquit itself, efficiently in the context of the new circumstances that are emerging as challenges for success, in the t imes ahead.

My Dear Colleagues and Friends:

Finally please allow me to thank the Executive Board for the admirable work it has done in dealing with the Report of the Ad hoc working group on the relations between the three organs of UNESCO which is now on its way to the General Conference, accompanied by the Board’s comments and recommendations. I look forward with great interest and anticipation to the deliberations on this item at the conference and to the positive results which I have no doubt will follow.

And now I would like to thank my colleagues, my staff, members of the secretariat of the General Conference, in particular the former secretary of the General Conference, Mr Stany Kol, the present secretary of the General Conference Mrs Birgitte Moller and her staff, the Permanent Delegation of Nigeria to UNESCO, my thanks and gratitude also go to my friend and colleague, Mr Chairman of the Executive Board Mr Hans Heirich-Wrede and indeed all of my friends for all they have done for me in my capacity as President of the 32nd session of the General Conference. Any thing I achieved, I achieved because of their hard work, their support and their understanding. The things I didn't achieve were, of course, also naturally entirely due to their fault!!!

I will take with me many memories of a mandate that was stimulating and challenging. I will take with me memories of people who have been cooperative and accommodating, and sometimes, believe it or not, many who actually agreed with me.

I thank you all for your kindness, your consideration and today I have to thank you too for your wonderful gifts of wisdom. It will be a constant reminder to me that my time in office achieved one thing. That is that I made many, many good friends and in my own little way contributed to the immense task of promoting the standard-setting on which this organization was established.

Thank you very much indeed, thank you for your kind attention and God bless you.

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