Participation in subsidiary organs

Organs elected by the General Conference

Intergovernmental Council of the "Management of Social Transformations" Programme
Member (Term expires : 39th General Conference)
Executive Committee of the International Campaign for the Establishment of the Nubia Museum in Aswan and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo
Member (Term expires : 2017)
Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication
Member (Term expires : 40th General Conference)
Headquarters Committee
Bureau Member
Member (Term expires : 40th General Conference)
Legal Committee
Member elected by the General Conference at its 37th session - Member of the Legal Committee from the beginning of the 38th session (2015) until the beginning of the 39th session (2017)

Other intergovernmental organs

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
Member
Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
Vice-President (Term expires : December 2017)
Member (Term expires : 2019)
Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
Member (Term expires : 2019)

Addresses delivered in the general policy debate by the Head of Delegation at the General Conference

37 session of the General Conference

His Excellency, Mr Petr Solsky, Vice Minister of Interior of the Czech Republic

Speech delivered during the General Policy Debate of the 37th session of the General Conference - revised and corrected version of the verbatim records of plenary meetings

36 session of the General Conference

H.E. Mr Vladimir Galuska, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Speech delivered during the General Policy Debate of the 36th session of the General Conference and posted as received

35 session of the General Conference

H.E. Mrs Miroslava Kopicová, Minister of Education

“I’d like (…) to thank Mr Matsuura, the outgoing Director-General, for his ten year’s dedication to UNESCO (…). Let me congratulate warmly Madame Irina Bokova on her nomination as the new Director-General.”
“The Czech Republic fully endorses the joint statement of member and candidate countries of European Union presented by Sweden (…)”.
“Better education and more culture are tools with which we will face the 21st century. A strong multilateral system is a framework that the new world needs for its more effective functioning. We support the change of the General Conference presents today: more openness to media and outer world, more debates through the new institution of ministerial forum. Nevertheless, UNESCO needs to reform certain practices even more: more optimal ratio between programme and administrative activities, more decentralization and work in the field.”
“(…) UNESCO has organized several major conferences that have shown that literacy and quality education are prerequisites of human dignity and of successful life. Our Organization should probably seek more contacts and more cooperation with other actors devoted to education in the world, analyzing where it has its unique character. The Education for All Programme is a means that we should all foster with the year 2015 approaching. In this respect, the Czech Republic will continue its long-standing policy of offering scholarships to young people from developing countries.”
“Education for sustainable development is a major tool, and in this respect the Bonn Conference was a key moment. Humanities is a field that UNESCO should cultivate, with philosophy and other disciplines needing to be promoted in today’s’ technological world. We are supporters of international reflection leading to introduction of legal standards for ethics in science.”
“In the field of culture, our priority is sustainable care for cultural heritage, including intangible heritage, and support for cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue. With regard to the current situation in the discussion on the Declaration of Principles concerning Cultural Objects Displaced in Connection with the Second World War, we are thinking firmly that a consensus is necessary. UNESCO needs a document that would put a full stop to the consequences of the Second World War.”
“We welcome that UNESCO will start work on a new recommendation concerning the conservation of historic urban landscapes, which should include the principles in finding practical solutions to the conflict situations that may arise from the commitment to conservation of urban landscape and from requirements of new urban development. (…) finally the Czech Republic intends to continue working on key goals of UNESCO, they are based on recognition of human rights (…).”

34 session of the General Conference

H.E. Mr Vaclav Jehlicka, Minister of Culture

(Address delivered in Czech; English text provided by the Permanent Delegation)
“The Czech Republic wholeheartedly supports the joint declaration of European Union Member States on the draft Medium-Term Strategy, the Draft Programme and Budget for the upcoming two years, and other fundamental issues, which has been made on their behalf by the distinguished representative of Portugal.”
The Czech Republic also approves the reform measures of the Draft Programme and Budget and the efforts to deliver specific tangible results. The country endorses as well the new focus on promoting cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue that should be addressed by different sectors.
Ethical challenges also cannot be limited to the SHS program and Education for All is a matter of the Cultural Sector as well. « An emphasis needs to be placed on the intersectoral nature of UNESCO’s work and on more effective cooperation between experts and institutions.”
UNESCO should help pursue the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the United Nations, and play a coordinating role in the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.
Education should remain one of UNESCO’s main priorities, but not be restricted only to knowledge-based targets. “In the field of education, we also need to engender a hunger for knowledge and nurture the process of “learning to learn”. In our opinion the amount paid in contributions should be consistent with the compromise draft of the budget drawing on essential programme requirements.”
The Czech Republic intends to continue pursuing UNESCO’s key objectives and wishes to contribute to international intellectual cooperation. This cooperation, however, is possible only if there is profound respect for human rights.
“We therefore call on UNESCO to continue supporting observance of these principles with concrete action, in particular in light of the fact that next year is the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
“We would like to join those who welcome Montenegro and Singapore into the UNESCO family.”

Celebration of anniversaries

700th anniversary of the birth of Charles IV of Luxembourg, patron of education, art and economic development (1316-1378) (with the support of Luxembourg, Poland and Slovakia) (2016)

Charles IV (born May 14, 1316, Prague – died Nov. 29, 1378, Prague), German king and king of Bohemia (as Charles) from 1346 to 1378 and Holy Roman emperor from 1355 to 1378, was one of the most learned and diplomatically skilful sovereigns of his time. He gained more through diplomacy than others did by war, and through purchases, marriages, and inheritance he enlarged his dynastic power. Under Charles’s rule Prague became the political, economic, and cultural centre – and eventually the capital – of the Holy Roman Empire. Indeed, from his reign until the 18th century it was understood that the German imperial crown was based on the crown of the king of Bohemia.
The proposed anniversary concerns a personality of extremely high significance for the cultural and political evolution of the Czech Republic and of Europe in general, whose action has left a very important legacy in the fields of arts and culture, education, law, etc. The proposal is therefore positively evaluated.

100th anniversary of the birth of Bohumil Hrabal, writer (1914-1997) (2014)

Bohumil Hrabal (1914–1997) is considered as one of the best Czech writers. He started as a poet, and was highly appreciated for an expressive, highly visual style. His most common theme was Political quandaries and their concomitant moral ambiguities. His capacity to juxtapose beauty and cruelty, foolishness and wisdom with humour and imagination gained him recognition for his original style. Two of his best-known novels Closely Observed Trains (1965) and I Served the King of England, were made into movies in 1966 and 2006, respectively. His works have been translated into 27 languages.

100th anniversary of the birth of Otto Wichterle, scientist (1913-1998) (Czech Republic, with the support of Slovakia) (2013)

Otto Wicherle was an eminent scientist and he was the first to invent a process on how to manufacture contact lenses from hydrogel based on polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate, abbreviated as HEMA. Soft contact lenses are now worn by over 100 million people worldwide. He has more than 150 patents from the period of 1938-1989.

1,150th anniversary of the arrival of the missionaries Cyril and Methodius in Great Moravia (863) (Czech Republic and Slovakia, with the support of Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Poland) (2013)

Cyril and Methodius arrived in Great Moravia in 863. In addition to bringing Christianity and thus bringing countries located in the territory of Great Moravia into the mainstream of European civilization of that time, they created the Glagolitic alphabet and spread the use of Old Church Slavonic as a liturgical and literary language. Thus they laid the foundations of Slavonic literature and erudition.
The anniversary of the arrival of Cyril and Methodius in Great Moravia celebrates literature, education and culture, since it marked the creation of the first Slavonic alphabet and the beginning of Slavonic literature. Translations of liturgical texts into Old Church Slavonic facilitated the direct participation of these nations in the establishment and development of European civilization in that period.

100th anniversary of the birth of Jiří Trnka, designer and director of animated films (1912-1969) (Czech Republic, with the support of Slovakia) (2012)

Jiří Trnka (1912-1969) was a Czech puppet maker, illustrator, motion-picture animator and film director, renowned for his stop motion puppet animations. He is the author of more than 20 audiovisual productions which defined Czech motion-picture animation. His work had a wide influence among world filmmakers.

200th anniversary of the establishment of the Prague Conservatory (1811) (2011)

Established in 1808 (but opened to students in 1811), the Prague Conservatory is one of the oldest schools of music in the world and was the first musical training establishment in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. From the outset, renowned European musicians, such as Carl Maria von Weber, Hector Berlioz, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner and Clara Schumann, were invited to collaborate with the establishment. Thus, over time it became “the Conservatory of Europe” open to talented foreign students.
In 1891, the famous Czech composer Antonín Dvořák headed the composition department. Then in 1901, on returning from a long stay in New York, he was made its director until his death in 1904.
This musical training institution also served as a model for the establishment of similar schools throughout Europe and in North America, thus ensuring the international influence of music as a vector for both dialogue, through training, and exchange between artists and talented students worldwide.
Photo legend: Founding Charter

100th anniversary of the birth of Karel Zeman, film-maker (1910-1989) (2010)

Karel Zeman (1910-1989), a Czech cartoon producer and film-maker, is one of the founders of the renowned Czech animated-film school. He began in advertising, in which he experimented with puppets for the first time. His first short film, Christmas Dream, won the award for the best puppetry animated film at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival (France). Later, in his “Fairy Tales for Old and Young” series (A Deadly Invention, Journey to the Prehistory), he created an original world that was to enchant cinema-goers worldwide. By combining puppets, special effects, animation and live actors, he produced a clever synthesis of fantasy and reality and made these films wholly mysterious. His adaptations of Jules Verne’s novels gave him further scope for exploring how to adapt the fantastic for the big screen.

400th anniversary of the death of Jehuda Löw ben Bezalel, writer and philosopher (1520(1512?)-1609) (2009)

Jehuda Löw ben Bezalel, writer and philosopher (1520(1512?)-1609) was an important Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic, and philosopher who served as a leading rabbi in Prague (now in the Czech Republic). He is widely known to scholars of Judaism as the Maharal of Prague and was the author of philosophical and mystical works. The Maharal also became famous among non-Jews for his great secular knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, and other sciences. He was a great friend of the astronomer Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler.

50th anniversary of the death of Bohuslav Martinů, composer (1890-1959) (2009)

Bohuslav Martinů is a great classical composer of Czech music. He made a very important contribution to twentieth-century music. Exiled to the United States of America during the Second World War, he acquired the nationality of that country. A prolific worker (he has left 387 compositions behind), his creative wisdom is reminiscent of Joseph Haydn whom he admired both as a man and as an artist, believing that creative spontaneity is the result of prolonged creative activity. Martinů’s work evinces obvious joy, adding touches of hope or consolation to his most dramatic works, which are never melancholy.

100th anniversary of the death of Josef Hlávka, architect (1831-1908) Supported by Austria (2008)

Josef Hlavka (1831-1908) architect, entrepreneur and patron of the arts has made a great impact on the architectural physiognomy of several towns in central Europe; the historical centres of three of these (Prague, Kutna Hora and Vienna) are inscribed on the World Heritage List.

300th anniversary of the death of Jirí Josef Kamel, botanist (1661-1706) (2006)

Jiří Josef Kamel, an eminent botanist and pharmacologist of his time, made a significant contribution to the development of scientific knowledge in the natural sciences. He enabled Europe to discover the flora and fauna of the Far East, and more particularly the Philippines. He owes his international renown to the Swedish botanist Carl von Linné, who named one of the most beautiful plants of the Far East after him – the camellia.

150th anniversary of the establishment of Secondary School of Glassmaking in Kamenický Šenov (1856) (2006)

The Kamenický Šenov Secondary School of Glassmaking deserves this recognition because it is not only an institution that trains young people to engage in a commercially viable manufacturing industry, but because it has also carried forward into the twenty-first century the industrial arts and crafts of the nineteenth century. In an era when traditional arts and crafts are being lost in many countries, the survival of such crafts through their enrichment with modern technologies is to be commended.

100th anniversary of the birth of Jaroslav Ježek, composer (1906-1942) (2006)

Music composer, piano player and jazz conductor, Jaroslav Ježek is best known for his work at Voskovec and Werich’s Liberated Theatre, where he created, in his cabaret music, the Czech jazz song form. Besides music for 19 plays, Ježek also wrote film music. He also directed his creative talent towards the so-called classical music. He studied composition under Karel Boleslav Jirák and Josef Suk, and as early as the beginning of the 1920s he became a significant representative of the Czech avant-garde. In the 1930s, he found a new form of expression in an atonal framework, by means of concise structural forms. His Fantasy for piano and Violin Concerto (both written in 1930) and especially his small piano pieces and the Violin Sonata (1933), show the attempts that Ježek made to assimilate jazz rhythms into the structural movement of voices, as well as his gradual advance from atonal cluster chords to clearer planned modulations. He was fully involved in the fight conducted by some artists and cultural institutions against the Nazi regime.

100th anniversary of the death of Antonín Dvorák (2004)

One of the greatest figures in classical music, Antonín Dvorák (1841-1904) is one of the founders of the classical musical culture of Central Europe in the nineteenth century and of Czech national music. A world-famous composer, conductor and teacher, he had a clear influence on modern music.

150th anniversary of the birth of Leoš Janacek and the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Jenufa (2004)

A composer, conductor, music critic and teacher, Leoš Janacek (1854-1928) is among the great musicians of the twentieth century. He initiated the revival of traditional opera, while paying homage in his compositions to Czech folk music.

100th anniversary of the birth of Jan Calábek (2003)

Jan Calábek (1903-1992) used the medium of film in order to study the autonomous movements of plants in relation to growth regulators. In addition to those of his films that were scientific studies, he also created a whole series of popular scientific films in which he revealed to the general public the beauty of natural phenomena.

250th anniversary of the birth of Josef Dobrovský (2003)

Josef Dobrovský (1753-1829) was a recognized scholar who conducted comprehensive studies on Czech and Slavic literature and language through historical analysis, linguistic analysis and commentaries. His work has served as the basis for Slavic studies all over the world.

150th anniversary of the birth of Otakar Ševcík (2002)

Otakar Ševcík was a virtuoso violinist and teacher whose worldwide importance lies in his teaching activities. The founder of the violin method based on modern pedagogical principles, he won international renown thanks to his teaching of violin techniques. He made an outstanding contribution to teaching, and the proposed celebration deserves to be supported.

300th anniversary of the foundation of Wroclaw University (2002) (Poland, with the support of Austria, Czech Republic and Germany)

The Science Sector supports the joint proposal of the Austrian, Czech, German and Polish National Commissions for UNESCO to celebrate the tercentenary of the founding of Wroclaw University. Founded on 15 November 1702, Wroclaw is one of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe which has made, and continues to make, an important contribution to the culture and science of Europe and the world. Today Wroclaw University has eight faculties and offers a wide variety of research fields in mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, social sciences, etc. The authorities of the university wish to celebrate the anniversary under the motto: Intellectual Unit of Europe.

Hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth and hundredth anniversary of the death of Zdenek Fibich (2000)

Together with Bedrich Smetana and Antonín Dvoéák, Zdenek Fibich (1850-1900) was the most prominent Czech composer of the second half of the nineteenth century, notably of operas and of orchestral and piano music. He was a keen innovator not only of musical styles but also of musical types and genres and is nown worldwide.
The anniversary will be celebrated in connection with the “Prague - European City of Culture 2000” project.

Hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of Tomas Masaryk (2000)

Tomás Masaryk (1850-1937) was an eminent figure of the history of the former Czechoslovakia (first President of the independent republic). His work, particularly his contribution to democracy, has had a lasting impact on the political and cultural life of today’s Czech Republic and in the rest of the world.

Seven hundredth anniversary of the publication of the Royal Code of Mines (2000)

The Royal Code of Mines (Ius Regale Montenorum) was one of the first legal codes of the Middle Ages. With the great reform in Minting of King Wenceslav II, this legal document was instrumental in bringing about the prosperity and cultural development of Central Europe.

Two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Vincenc Priessnitz, considered the founder of hydrotherapy (4 October 1999).

Three hundredth anniversary of the invention of the pianoforte in Florence by Bartolomeo Cristofori (1998).

This invention was an important milestone in the development of music in the eighteenth century, and it exerted a particular influence on musical composition in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It gave composers new scope as regards the loudness and quality of sound and made it possible to play, inter alia, Mozart’s and Haydn’s sung melodies. The piano school was established in Prague.
That invention marked a fundamental change in the construction of the piano by giving it its present appearance and enabling it to become one of the most popular musical instruments, played not only by professionals but also by the general public, all over the world. It contributed to the development of contemporary music teaching and musical culture.
On the occasion of this anniversary, the sixth Haydn music festival, organized every year in the Czech Republic, will celebrate this event; an international symposium will be organized, as will an exhibition of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century pianos in a local baroque castle.

Six hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the Charles University in the Czech Republic (7 April 1998).

Charles University, which has enjoyed international prestige from its inception, has contributed to the development of education in Europe and throughout the world; many intellectuals and decision-makers from the region and abroad have been associated with the University.
Charles University is one of the oldest universities in Europe and in the world; by virtue of its history, it has come to symbolize the struggle for freedom of thought and the affirmation of the Czech national identity.
To celebrate this anniversary, the Czech Government is planning to organize various cultural events such as lectures, exhibitions and concerts; it will also open parts of the University to the public.

Two hundredth anniversary of the birth of the Czech philosopher and historian František Palacký (14 June 1998).

František Palacký was a philosopher, historian and politician who played a key role in the Czech national awakening and contributed to the political emancipation of the other Slav nations living at the time under the Hapsburg monarchy.
In view of the historic turn of events in Central Europe, Palacký’s universal ideas are a source of inspiration for society today, by virtue of their humanist message regarding the rights of small nations within states comprising several nationalities.

Thousandth anniversary of the death of the Czech intellectual Aldabert (Vojtech) Slavnikovec, a man of great distinction of mind (23 April 1997).

Aldabert Slavnikovec, who was the author of several literaly works, was
considered ‘the first European Czech’ because of his cultural and educational
activities in the countries of Europe. He was noted for his learning and his
humanism.
Through his works he helped to establish the link between the literaly tradition of
Old Slavonic and the European culture of the period, thus demonstrating his
enlightened universalism.

Two hundredth anniversary of the invention of lithography in the Czech Republic (1996).

This invention, which revolutionized the world with its technique of colour printing,
was used throughout the nineteenth century, not only in applied art but also for the
printing of scientific and technical books and postcards.
In spite of the utilization of other processes, lithography is still in great use today as an artistic printing technique, especially for posters. Offset, which is one of today’s great printing techniques, is the direct heir of lithography.
On the occasion of this anniversary the Czech Government is organizing exhibitions highlighting the role of lithography in the arts.

100th anniversary of the birth of the educator Premysl Pitter (1995)

The educator Pitter Premysl distinguished himself particularly for his humanitarian work on behalf of children during and after the Second World War. He has often been compared to Albert Schweitzer.
Through his educational work and his publications, he propagated the lofty ideas of humanism and a universal code of ethics.
The Czech Republic is planning to organize lectures and international exhibitions of children’s drawings.

400th anniversary of the birth of Jan Amos Comenius (1992)

100th anniversary of the birth of Egon Erwin Kisch, writer and journalist (Czechoslovakia) (1985)

Reference document: 120 EX/Decisions + CORR.

100th anniversary of the death of Bedrich Smetana, composer (Czechoslovakia) (1984)

Reference document: 119 EX/Decisions.

100th anniversary of the birth of writer Jaroslav Hasek, the author of the book ‘The Good Soldier Schweik’ (Czechoslovakia) (1983)

Reference document: 115 EX/Decisions + CORR.

300th anniversary of the death of Jan Amos Komensky (Comenius) (Czechoslovakia) (1970)

Reference document: 15 C/DR.167

500th anniversary of the Universal Peace Plan of George of Podebrad, King of Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) (1964)

Almost five centuries before the foundation of the United Nations, King George drew up
the statute for an international organization to guarantee peace and outlaw war. He
won the support of the kings of Poland and Hungary, but Europe as a whole was not yet
ready for a multilateral treaty of international cooperation for peace.
Reference document: 61 EX/16

100th anniversary of the birth of Bozena Nemcova (Czechoslovakia) (1962)

Reference document: 60 EX/13

Centenary of the death of the writer Bozena Nemcova (1820-1862) (1962)