Interventions des Chefs des Délégations à la Conférence générale lors du débat de politique générale
37 session de la Conférence générale
Her Excellency, Ms Maria Arnholm, Minister of Gender Equality and Deputy Minister of Education of Sweden 
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 meetings37 session de la Conférence générale - Leaders Forum
Ms Maria Arnholm, Swedish Minister for Gender Equality and Education 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 meetings36 session de la Conférence générale
H.E. Mrs Birgitta OHLSSON, Minister for Democracy and European Affairs Speech delivered during the General Policy Debate of the 36th session of the General Conference and posted as received35 session de la Conférence générale
H.E. Mr Tobias Krantz, Minister for Higher Education and ResearchOn behalf of the European Union and the candidate countries (Turkey, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)
“The European Union would like to thank Mr Matsuura for his long-term commitment and dedication to UNESCO, (...) warmly congratulates Madame Bokova on her nomination as the new Director-General and is looking forward to working with her.”
“The world is facing many challenges. (…) I want to stress the importance of keeping the long-term perspective in mind and invest in education and research (…) that is one of the reasons why a strong UNESCO is needed”.
“The European Union welcomes the proposal regarding a comprehensive external evaluation which should review the five functions of UNESCO: to serve as a clearinghouse, capacity-builder, laboratory of ideas, standard-setter and catalyst for international cooperation. (…) the European Union firmly believes in a strong and vital multilateral system, and we will continue to support the One U.N. reform, and we encourage UNESCO to continue its work within the one U.N. pilot countries.”
“UNESCO needs to become more efficient and results-driven as well as set clear priorities and concentrate on its core tasks. It is also important to improve UNESCO's performance at country level as part of the One U.N.”
“We will welcome the introduction of a mechanism of constant reduction of central administrative costs.”
“UNESCO has a new unique role to defend the freedom of expression and press freedom. UNESCO needs to further strengthen its work in this field.”
“Although progress has been made, we need to accelerate the efforts to ensure literacy for all and free compulsory primary education of good quality by 2015 as emphasized in the Millennium Development Goals”.
“Climate change is one of the largest challenges to mankind, and UNESCO's work in this field is of great importance. We would like to underline the Man and the Biosphere Programme as one of the cornerstones of this work. Efforts to reinforce education for sustainable development are of utmost importance; (...) this is why the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development, for which UNESCO is the lead agency, is so important”.
“The EU fully supports UNESCO's overarching priorities: Africa and gender. Gender equality is at the heart of economic and social progress and essential to sound development practice. (…) We would like to see a gender perspective in expected results in all UNESCO's programs. (…) The European Union welcomes the Executive Board's decision that the UNESCO Institute of Statistics should work more actively at generating gender desegregated data whenever possible.”
“Culture and dialogue has to remain at the centre of UNESCO's work. We welcome the fact that 100 countries have ratified the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and the fact that its implementation has made great progress in the past year.”
“UNESCO and the EU need to work closely together in order to further fundamental freedoms and the right to knowledge all over the world.”
On behalf of Sweden
“Sweden stands by the EU positions and will contribute financially to the proposed external evaluation.”
“Sweden would also like to thank our Director-General, Mr Matsuura, for his efforts in making UNESCO more efficient and transparent. We also welcome the nomination of Ms Bokova as new Director-General.”
“Freedom of expression is the fundament for a functioning society. (…) An independent and free press is a core condition to make sure other human rights are upheld. (…) The Swedish-Eritrean journalist David Isaac was imprisoned in 2001 while exercising his rights as a journalist. He has now been held for over eight years without trial. We call for his immediate release. (…) Freedom of the press must be at the top of UNESCO's agenda in the coming years. UNESCO should organize, in cooperation with major nongovernmental organizations and other institutions, an annual forum of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.”
“The climate change is becoming more evident than ever. We need new scientific breakthroughs to combat that threat. Poverty, water shortage and food safety are other areas where new knowledge and new discoveries are the only way forward. The new influenza underlines the need of research in the field of medicine. We who have plenty must take the responsibility and invest heavily in education and research to face these grand challenges. We must also make sure knowledge is spread across the globe. Here UNESCO has a unique role to fulfil as a clearinghouse for ideas.”
“Sweden strongly supports the Education For All agenda. (…) consensus on what needs to be achieved isn't enough. We need to actually achieve results.”
“The financial crisis has affected us all. (…) It might be tempting to focus on short-term solutions, but I want to underline the importance of remaining foresighted. Investments in education and research may not be a quick fix for the crisis at hand, but it is essential in building a world economy that can stand strong when again challenged. UNESCO, as the organization for promoting education and research, must speak out and make sure the long-term perspective isn't lost.”
34 session de la Conférence générale - Visit
His Majesty the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf“By promoting collaboration among nations in the fields of education, science and culture, UNESCO contributes in an essential way to peace and security in the world. […] In this context, let me remind you of the fact that the first and foremost condition for a sound development of our world community is a sound environment.”
“Man-made global warming has become a major issue on the international agenda. The impact of human activity is multiple and complex; it ultimately endangers ecosystems and conditions for life.”
“Environmental degradation hampers economic growth and increases poverty. Sustainable use of natural resources is really a precondition for economic development. […] Again, the rich countries must take the lead; we cannot ask the less privileged to make excessive sacrifices.”
Action today is important for growth tomorrow and it is necessary for the sake of future generations and continued life on this planet. Lack of action means a tremendous loss in human as well as economic capital.
The international business community has a role of great importance in the environment protection. The business community has to cooperate with the political system to create optimal energy methods. UNESCO should encourage this community to take a more active interest in this problem.
The “Ethanol Pilot” is a new Swedish project that could be a source of alternative energy. If everything goes according to the planning this process will be commercialised within the next decade.
“A pre-requisite for decisions that can save our planet is that everybody is really informed. Therefore you need freedom of information, which in its turn requires guarantees of security for people in media and elsewhere.”
“The UN has declared the period of 2005 – 2014 as the decade of education for sustainable development. UNESCO has been nominated the lead agency in this work […] UNESCO must encourage all Member States to develop programmes for sustainable development and include them in their educational systems.”
“October 6 was "Overshoot Day", that is the day when the world had consumed this year's ration of natural resources. From now on until the end of the year we are living beyond our means.”
“The environment is the ultimate condition for human survival on earth. It is the condition for civilization and all human activity. In this process UNESCO could help in spreading the knowledge of the status of the environment of our planet and also assist in developing educational programs wherever it is necessary.”
34 session de la Conférence générale
H.E. Mr Lars Leijonborg, Minister of Higher Education and ResearchSweden fully supports the views expressed by the Portuguese Delegation on behalf of the European Union.
Since the Nairobi General Conference in 1976, globalization has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, literacy is less widespread in the world, infant mortality rate has decreased substantially and the share of people living in extreme poverty has been reduced by more than half. UNESCO should in part be credited for these remarkable achievements.
However, a lot of problems still remain and some are even growing. UNESCO has to base its work on democracy and play an important role in the promotion of human rights. Two billion people still live under dictatorship. Basic human rights and freedoms are not respected. Journalists get killed while practicing their profession. Nuclear proliferation and climate change should also be a concern for the Organisation.
Sweden expresses its firm support for the people of Burma in their struggle for a democratic future. It is imperative that the Burmese government initiate a peaceful dialogue and resist all violence.
Human rights, freedom of speech and assembly are core values of UNESCO. Without them there cannot be any development of education, science, culture or communication. UNESCO has to take up this challenge with courage and force, especially now, when attempts are made to undermine journalists’ work.
Climate change is one of mankind’s largest challenges and it has to be taken seriously. UNESCO, being the main responsible for science within the United Nations system, should discuss increasing science research investments.
In science programmes, UNESCO should focus on its exclusive tasks and concentrate on advising Member States in research policy and on how to implement it.
Sweden supports the United Nations resolution on a special decade of education for sustainable development. The link between science and education is crucial in this field.
“Sweden wants UNESCO to play an important role in the future in order to make sure that the benefits of the knowledge-driven globalization will reach everyone on this planet.”
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