Österreichisches Statement bei der 35. UNESCO-Generalkonferenz
Bundesministerin für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur Dr. Claudia Schmied
Paris, 8.Oktober 2009

(Es gilt das gesprochene Wort!)

Mr President,
Mr Chairman of the Executive Board,
Mr Director-General
Honorable Ministers,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am deeply honoured to address you today witnessing this important moment for UNESCO’s future. A new Director General will take over Mr. Matsuuras heritage very soon. Please allow me to express my warmest gratitude to Mr. Matsuura for his efforts to promote UNESCO.

BM Dr. Claudia Schmied (Foto: Cyril Bailleul)

New challenges call for new approaches

The United Nations key comparative advantage lies in its universality, in its multilateralism and in its promotion of core values and principles for worldwide peace and human security. We need a global order in which everyone has the chance to develop and to prosper.

Through its Specialized Agencies, the United Nations are able to integrate normative work and operational analysis and approaches.

UNESCO provides the platform to address a full range of global issues relevant today. In this context we took note with great interest of the new Programme and Budget proposal for the next biennium. We especially welcome the fact that this proposal strengthens the programme sectors.

In the current situation of a global economic crisis UNESCO is more relevant than ever. We must increase our efforts in order to support those who are most affected by the situation and those who are the most vulnerable.

Austria has always strongly supported all efforts to improve the impact of the United Nations. UNESCO´s comparative advantage to other Specialized Agencies lies i.a. in its network of National Commissions – a unique system within the UN with great potential to address country level needs and to strengthen the relationship with civil society.

Africa and Gender Equality

UNESCO’s two major priorities – Africa and Gender Equality – demand all our attention. Access to education, respect for human rights and the promotion of gender equality are essential. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals must not be sacrificed in favour of short-term measures fighting the economic crisis.

Equal access to education

We are deeply convinced that equal access to education is a fundamental right. UNESCO’s work in this field is unique. Austria highly appreciates that Education is still high on the agenda for both the organisation and the Member States. In order to reach the EFA (Education for All) goals we have to increase our efforts. We are therefore looking forward to the next High-Level Group meeting on EFA, hosted by the Government of Ethiopia and the African Union Commission, to be held in Addis Ababa in February 2010.

Austria fully supports UNESCO’s implementation scheme for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. In the middle of the Decade UNESCO should increase its efforts also in this domain, based on the Bonn Declaration.

Multilingualism in the education system

A major field of UNESCO’s action is multilingualism and the use of mother tongue in the education system. Austria is committed to the respect, the promotion and the protection of all languages, especially the ones in danger of extinction. The International Year of Languages 2008 proves that languages and multilingualism are vital and important items on the international agenda. The success of this International Year should be taken as an impulse for further action. Austria therefore welcomes the proposal made by Hungary to proclaim an UN International Decade of Languages.

Cultural Diversity

In the cultural sector, the promotion of cultural diversity, the safeguarding of our common heritage in all its dimensions, and the dialogue of cultures are among Austria’s top priorities. The effective implementation of the relevant UNESCO-Conventions, especially the Convention on the Protection and the Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage are of major importance for us. Furthermore, we also attach great importance to the Memory of the World Programme.

Promotion of Human Rights

As to the field of social and human sciences, Austria’s interests correspond closely with those of UNESCO, endeavouring to encourage and disseminate Human Rights research, while at the same time promoting education in this field. Action to promote Human Rights must be put in the very centre of UNESCO’s work.

UNESCO, being a pioneer in the field of ethics of science and technology, is challenged to take advantage of modern sciences to fight global problems.

Communication and information

„Communication and Information” has become an important and successful pillar of UNESCO’s work. The mid-term strategy 2008-2013 and its key objective of building knowledge societies that are inclusive, pluralistic, equitable, open and participatory proves the significance and relevance of information and communication policy to fulfil UNESCO’s mission.

A free press is one of the most essential components of a democratic society. Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right. UNESCO’s Medium-Term goal to establish integrated communication and information policies in conformity with the principles of press freedom will help to create pluralistic media and free flow of information.

UNESCO’s future will be determined by its performance and action today. To face the existing challenges we need a holistic and multidisciplinary approach. We must ensure that in the coming years, UNESCO will be able to provide expert analysis of the risks and opportunities of globalization.

We must ensure that UNESCO will be able to offer a forum for dialogue and consensus-building and to envisage a strategy focused on policy advice, standard setting and capacity-building.

In this context I would like to congratulate Ms. Irina Bokova to her nomination as future Director General of this organisation and assure her of the full and entire support of my country.

Mr. President, thank you very much.

Geändert am 14.10.2009