Association of Citizens Civil Rights Protection
On February 8th, Thursday evening a meeting was held in Shiraz for the seventieth anniversary of UNESCO establishment hosted by the Association of Citizens Civil Rights Protection.
During the ceremony, representatives of veteran civil rights activists from 31 provinces, Director General of Fars Province Education Organization, Deputy of Shiraz Municipality International Relations, university administrators and professors attended.
At the beginning of the ceremony Dr. Mohammad Reza Golehamishe Bahar, chairman of the Society for the Association of Citizens Civil Rights Protection, said: “Shiraz, as a city that has the indexes of convergence of education, science and culture, can use the international-level potentials, UNESCO as well. Chairman of the Society for the Association of Citizens Civil Rights Protection expressed the hope that “with a proper convergence between the areas of the province and country we can take significant steps for this purpose and I ask all relevant areas to endeavor for synergies in the path of growth and development and better understanding of the characteristics of the cultural capital of Iran.”
Chairman of the Association of Citizens Civil Rights Protection asked different organizations including the Governor of Fars Province, Education, University of Shiraz, Cultural Heritage, and Environment Organizations and Fars Province Islamic Culture and Guidance to cooperate in this regard in order to take important practical steps towards this goal.
Ms. Laroche, head of UNESCO’s Regional Office in Tehran was the special guest of this ceremony who lectured about UNESCO activities during the last 70 years.
The full text of remarks by Ms. Laroche is as follows:
Excellencies,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
In 2015, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reached its 70th anniversary and I am very happy to celebrate this joyous occasion together with you in the beautiful city of Shiraz.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to the organizers for having organized such a wonderful event.
As we celebrate our anniversary, please allow me to take a moment to tell you about UNESCO’s important work and achievements over the past 70 years in the fields of Culture, Education, Sciences, and Communication & Information.
UNESCO was founded in 1945, in the aftermath of the Second World War to develop the “intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind” as a means of building lasting peace.
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.”
This poetic statement is in fact the preamble of UNESCO’s Constitution. It was penned by the founding Member States of UNESCO 70 years ago and still holds true to this day.
UNESCO’s pioneering work has helped change the way people everywhere understand each other and the planet we live on.
In its early years, UNESCO helped rebuild schools, libraries, and museums destroyed during the Second World War, and served as an intellectual forum for exchanging ideas and scientific knowledge.
In the aftermath of the war, cultural heritage was quickly universally recognized as an important source of identity and cohesion for communities, and as a key to lasting peace and security.
To ensure that culture takes it rightful place in development strategies and processes, UNESCO spearheads worldwide advocacy for culture and development, helps to set clear policies and legal frameworks, and works on the ground to safeguard heritage, strengthen creative industries and promote cultural diversity.
UNESCO is also the lead agency for the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022), which is an important opportunity for all of us to join efforts to build a genuine “culture of peace”.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has always played a very important role in promoting the dialogue between cultures and civilizations. In fact, it was upon the suggestion of former President Khatami that the year 2001 was declared the “International Year of Dialogue among Civilizations”.
And as we are facing increasing tensions, conflicts and destruction of cultural heritage sites in the region, it is important that we encourage dialogue in order to foster greater harmony and mutual understanding between peoples and nations.
Since its creation in 1945, UNESCO’s mission has been to contribute to the building of peace, poverty eradication, lasting development and intercultural dialogue, with education as one of its main activities to achieve this aim.
UNESCO is committed to quality education for all and we believe that education plays a fundamental role in human, social and economic development.
As the only United Nations agency with a mandate to cover all aspects of education, UNESCO’s work encompasses educational development from pre-school through to higher education, including technical and vocational training, non-formal education and literacy.
Thank you very much.
