Submission Form for a Written Statement to be presented orally during the first session of the Director General’s Consultation on the Draft Programme and Budget for 2010-2011 (35C/5) of National Commissions for UNESCO in Europe and North America All National Commissions of the region are invited to present their opinion on UNESCO’s programme and budget for 2010-2011 (35C/5), concerning themes, programmes, financial matters, procedures, decentralization, One UN, intersectoral platforms and other items, in an oral statement of no longer than 3 minutes, during the first session of the debate on the 35C/5. This oral statement should be put into writing (no longer than 350 words), and has to be sent to the three organizing Commissions no later than 19 May 2008. This written statement may be included as an appendix in the final report of the consultation.
WRITTEN STATEMENT National Commission of [country] LITHUANIA Spokesperson presenting the statement [name / position] Asta Dirmaitė, Secretary General of the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO
Statement (maximum of 350 words) UNESCO has just engaged into a new Medium-Term Strategy. We wish to acknowledge the new quality of the document for its readability, simplified structure and conciseness, but especially for a new comprehensive manner to respond to internationally agreed development goals through intersectoral and interdisciplinary action. The Organisation should continue applying the results-based management process approach with greater emphasis on time-bound performance targets and key performance indicators. Sustainable development is one of the major social, economic and political issues facing the world today, and UNESCO is in a privileged position to address this in an intersectoral way. I wish to stress the need for continued commitment towards ESD and the leadership role of UNESCO in DESD. EFA should remain the priority of MPI with a shift of focus from access to quality of education, both in formal and non-formal settings. More emphasis should be put on teacher training as means in attaining these goals. We believe that the activities of ASP net, UNESCO chairs and category II centres have to be much closer related to the C/5 and the programs of different UNESCO sectors thus making the entire organization much more focused and result-oriented. It is also important for the credibility of UNESCO to ensure that only active partners could be associated with its name; it is more than necessary to decide on a real accreditation policy for them every four or six years.
A better balance between support to scientific research and scientific policies could be reached in MPII and MPIII by deeper pursuance of a results-based approach as how could sciences contribute to the realization of the MDGs, respect for human rights and ethical principles, building human and institutional capacity, social transformations, and the mitigation of the consequences of natural, human and technological disasters. UNESCO should strengthen its role in the transfer of scientific know-how and science for sustainable living. Recognition of a fundamental role of culture in development strategies, particularly the essential link between the intersectoral nature of culture and sustainable development, should be maintained and promoted in UNESCO activities. In the span of six years the General Conference has adopted three conventions (Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions) related to cultural heritage and diversity issues. The C/5 should principally aim at advancing the application of these instruments. UNESCO should take relevant measures in prompting the implementation process. While it is expected that principal working methods of these three conventions will be adopted their by the end of 2009, the next biennium should be marked by a task to incorporate these principles in the national policies of States. The World Heritage Convention and its implementation should play an essential role in the UNESCO expression of its dedication and continuing involvement in the issues of preservation of cultural and natural heritage. Heritage safeguarding is of topical importance. Paradoxically in countries experiencing significant economic growth it is becoming especially complicated to harmonize preservation and development interests. Thus the focus on heritage education and public awareness on heritage issues is timely as ever. I want to note that in our opinion Arts Education wasn’t given a proper attention in 34C/5. UNESCO should follow up the outcomes of the Lisbon World Conference of Arts Education by surveying and gathering information and organizing expert meetings on the activities undertaken by countries for the promotion and implementation of the recommendations of the World Conference. Concerning the UNESCO’s agenda on Communication and Information, the follow up of the Tunis World Summit on the Information Society remains one of the main items. Moreover, I believe the programme “Memory of the World should be reinforced, as it is one of the programmes aimed at enhancing the wisdom of humanity and maintaining human memory. In performing its role as a standard -setter, UNESCO needs to strengthen the implementation and monitoring of standards and instruments with regard to conventions some of which may need to be reviewed.
Coming to the end I would like to touch the issue of UNESCO’s visibility and the problem related with an evident lack of unified directives in terms of UNESCO branding, resulting in misleading perception and recognition of the Organization. We are aware that producing of a brand book is currently in process and we urge to finalise it as soon as possible. There’s a wide range of activities to be identified by a certain sign and a unified reglementation would ensure high quality visibility of the organization.
