The General Conference ,

Bearing in mind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination,

Taking note of the resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council and by many other international bodies on Bosnia and Herzegovina, in particular resolution 827 adopted unanimously on 25 May 1993 by the United Nations Security Council, which sets up the International Tribunal of War Crimes empowered 'to prosecute persons violating the laws or customs of war' including but not limited to 'seizure of, destruction of or wilful damage done to institutions dedicated to religion, charity and education, the arts and sciences, historic monuments and works of art and science' (Article 3, para. (d) of the annex to the Secretary-General's report (S/25704)),

Also taking note of 139 EX/Decision 7.5, 140 EX/Decision 8.4 and 141 EX/Decision 9.3, on the subject,

Aware of the need to denounce all forms of intolerance based on religion, belief or culture, and of the need to encourage reciprocal tolerance and mutual respect between religions and cultures,

1. Expresses grave concern at the continuing massacres of and aggression against innocent human beings and destruction of the cultural, historical and religious heritage of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (including mosques, churches and synagogues, schools and libraries, archives and cultural and educational buildings) under the abhorrent policy of 'ethnic cleansing';

2. Strongly condemns the perpetrators of these heinous acts;

3. Welcomes the Executive Board's decision in which the Director-General is invited to send a mission, as soon as the situation permits, 'to Bosnia and Herzegovina to determine the damage to educational, historical, archaeological and cultural property in the region, and to explore the feasibility of sending emergency assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina' (139 EX/Decision 7.5, para.5);

4. Invites Member States, intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations and public and private institutions to make voluntary contributions in cash, equipment or services to reconstruct and equip the Sarajevo National and University Library, constitute and preserve its collections and train the requisite personnel;

5. Invites the Director-General:

(a) to mobilize extra-budgetary funds and voluntary contributions particularly form other organizations within the United Nations system, for this purpose;
(b) to appeal to all intellectuals, artists, writers, historians, sociologists and all whose work it is to inform - journalists, columnists, professionals of the press, radio, television and cinema - to help to develop an awareness of the problem by the public in all countries and to encourage them to contribute to the library;
(c) to provide intellectual support to the library;
(d) to continue his efforts to implement 139 EX/Decision 7.5.

¹ Resolution adopted on the report of Commission IV at the twenty-eight plenary meeting, on 13 November 1993.

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21 January 1997