UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL,
SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL
ORGANIZATION
Message by Mr Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General
on the occasion of the
International Seminar on
Education and the Protection of the Cultural Heritage
in South-Eastern Europe
Tokyo, 22-23 March 2001
I am very pleased to address a warm message of greetings to all the distinguished participants in this International Seminar, dedicated to the promotion of education and protection of cultural heritage in South-Eastern Europe.
I congratulate the Government of Japan on this worthy initiative bringing together representatives of the international community and of the countries of the region. This is indeed a crucial issue. Educational and cultural exchanges in a region which has experienced such instability are of the essence if a peaceful climate is to be established among neighbouring countries. As part of this, cultural and educational diplomacy should more than ever be a top political priority.
It is noteworthy that the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are organizing this important meeting as a follow-up to the High-Level Conference on South-Eastern Europe held in Tokyo last May. This active interest shown by Japan in the concerns of South-Eastern Europe is most welcome, reflected as it is in its organization of these activities and its participation in the Stability Pact, and augurs well for the 2001-2010 decade of Japan-Europe cooperation currently being launched. This opens up new avenues for partnership.
The previous decade was not easy for South-Eastern Europe. Nor for the international community as a whole. Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Sarajevo - and now perhaps Macedonia - have fuelled the media with images and reports of chaos and conflict. The same media were less generous in their coverage of the patient efforts of women and men who - in very difficult circumstances - were fighting to consolidate democracy through the teaching of artistic, civic and scientific values in schools and cultural institutions. This enormous human potential, and the efforts of democratic governments, are a guarantee that these nations will gradually turn their attention from the problems of the past to the possibilities of the future.
As we look forward, we must also remember. The lessons of genocide and ethnic cleansing must be learned very carefully and taught very well if we are to prevent intolerance, prejudice and fanaticism from threatening our security in the future. We should also preserve national memory as part of the common treasure of humankind.
Preserving heritage also means taking action to protect it and apply sanctions when it is endangered, damaged or destroyed. The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia recently included the destruction of historic monuments in its list of indictments relating to the 1991 attacks on the ancient port of Dubrovnik. The attacks on Dubrovnik ten years ago in the Balkans and the action by the Taliban today in another part of the world to destroy Afghanistan's pre-Islamic heritage should be sanctioned if we wish to preserve our memory.
There can be no doubt that the new relationships among the countries of South-Eastern Europe in this century should be built on the principles of tolerance, respect for cultural, religious and ethnic pluralism, non-violence and dialogue as a way of alleviating tensions and settling conflict. UNESCO's action in South-Eastern Europe is now focusing on a more in-depth regional analysis, taking into account the prevailing historical and geographical context, the close cultural links among the countries of the region and the active participation of the governmental authorities and civil society. This is indeed a challenging but necessary task in the context of the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.
As in other parts of the world, UNESCO is working to strengthen the processes of mutual understanding and indeed convergence between a wide range of cultures in South-Eastern Europe through the discovery of a common heritage and shared ethical values. Through these endeavours, countries of the region can hope to overcome the present sources of prejudice and intolerance and lay the foundations for peaceful and stable development.
I wish you every success.
Koichiro Matsuura
