General Assembly Session 57 meeting 43

The President

Pursuant to General Assembly decision 42/450 of 17 December 1987, the Assembly elects the members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination upon their nomination by the Economic and Social Council.

The Assembly has before it document A/57/428 and addendum 1, which contains the nominations by the Economic and Social Council to fill the vacancies in the Committee that will occur as a result of the expiration, on 31 December 2002, of the terms of office of Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Gabon, Germany, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Mauritania, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Zimbabwe.

Those States are eligible for immediate re-election.

I should like to remind members that, after 1 January 2003, the following States will still be members of the Committee: the Bahamas, Botswana, China, Ethiopia, France, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Tunisia, the United Republic of Tanzania, the United States of America and Uruguay.

Therefore, those 14 States are not eligible in this election.

I should now like to inform members that the following States have been nominated by the Economic and Social Council: the four African States for four vacancies are Benin, the Central African Republic, Gabon and South Africa; the four Asian States for four vacancies are India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan; the three Eastern European States for three vacancies are Armenia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine; the four Latin American and Caribbean States for four vacancies are Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Nicaragua; and the four Western European and other States for five vacancies are Germany, Monaco, Switzerland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, all elections should be held by secret ballot, and there shall be no nominations. However, I should like to recall paragraph 16 of General Assembly decision 34/401, whereby the practice of dispensing with the secret ballot for elections to subsidiary organs when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled should become standard, unless a delegation specifically requests a vote on a given election.

In the absence of such a request, may I take it that the Assembly decides to proceed to the election on that basis?

The President

The number of States nominated from among the African States, the Asian States, the Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States is equal to, or does not exceed, the number of seats to be filled in each of those groups.

May I therefore take it that the Assembly wishes to declare those States nominated by the Economic and Social Council from among the African States, the Asian States, the Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States, namely Argentina, Armenia, Benin, Brazil, the Central African Republic, Cuba, Gabon, Germany, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Monaco, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Republic of Moldova, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, elected members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2003?

The President

I congratulate the 19 States that have been elected members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination.

Regarding the remaining vacancy from among the Western European and other States, the General Assembly will be in a position to act on it upon the nomination by the Economic and Social Council of a Member State from that region.

We have thus concluded this stage of our consideration of agenda item 16.

The President

The note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has been circulated in document A/57/186 and addendum 1.

I now give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh to introduce draft resolution A/57/L.9.

Mr. Chowdhury (Bangladesh)

Mr. President, once again I should like to put on record my delegation's appreciation of your excellent leadership of this Assembly through your prodigious wisdom, knowledge and skill. My delegation is committed to working closely with you and other delegations to ensure that the current Assembly session reaches the fruitful conclusion to which we all aspire.

I now have the pleasure and the honour to present to the Assembly draft resolution A/57/L.9, entitled "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 2001-2010", under agenda item 24, Culture of peace. Traditionally, this draft resolution has been tabled by Bangladesh and co-sponsored by a large number of countries from all parts of the world.

In addition to the list of sponsors that has been provided in the draft resolution this time around, Morocco and Venezuela have also signed up. The list is still available; it is with the Secretariat at the side of this Hall; and we would welcome others who may wish to join us.

I hope that all delegations have had a chance to examine the draft resolution. There is very little that is new in the present formulation. Basically, we have followed the usual pattern of recalling relevant previous resolutions, noting significant new developments over the last year, commending Member countries, the United Nations system, organizations and civil society for their work in the area of culture of peace and calling on them to further strengthen their activities.

We have also recognized the very important work being done by the United Nations system and the international community in the fields of peacekeeping, peace-building, conflict prevention, disarmament, sustainable development, promotion of human dignity and human rights, democracy, the rule of law and good governance at all levels. These contribute greatly to the promotion of the culture of peace.

Over several sessions of informal consultations, an agreed text has been achieved among participants from over 50 countries, representing different groups and shades of opinion. The agreed text was circulated by the Secretariat this morning as document A/57/L.9/Rev.1.

Of particular note is the reference in operative paragraph 11 to the decision contained in operative paragraph 13 of General Assembly resolution 55/47 that one day of plenary meetings should be devoted during the sixtieth session of the Assembly to considering the item. While emphasizing the significance of these planned meetings in marking the halfway point in the observance of the Decade and calling for high-level participation, the Assembly is called upon to consider, at an appropriate time, the possibility of organizing these meetings as close as possible to the general debate.

There is also a new operative paragraph 5, which calls on the appropriate authorities to provide education in children's schools that includes lessons in mutual understanding, tolerance, active citizenship, human rights and the promotion of the culture of peace.

I hope that this Assembly will adopt the draft resolution by consensus, as it has done in the past, as a reflection of what we believe are the aspirations of humanity in our contemporary times.

The President

I give the floor to the representative of El Salvador, who will speak on behalf of the Central American countries and the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Lagos Pizzati (El Salvador)

My delegation is pleased to be able to participate in the debate on agenda item 24, entitled "Culture of peace", on behalf of the countries members of the Central American Group and of the Dominican Republic. Consideration of this item is particularly relevant today, at a time when the international community is facing a tense and difficult conflict situation, and also because of the potentially negative consequences of abandoning collective action as a means of promoting and maintaining international peace and security. A culture of peace is today more important than ever.

In fact, as a result of the attacks of 11 September 2001 and of the other terrorist acts which have given rise to a worldwide fight against terrorism, the international political situation has deteriorated, threatening multilateral mechanisms for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security and thus running the risk of bringing about serious political, economic and social destabilization in the entire Middle East region, which undeniably would eventually affect the entire world.

Efforts to give new impetus to and urgently and actively promote the consolidation of a culture of peace are thus essential at this time.

Given that the General Assembly has declared the period 2001-2010 as the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World, we now have an invaluable opportunity to convey a message of hope to our peoples, despite the adverse circumstances that threaten to make violence more widespread and extensive as an accepted -- though undesirable -- part of daily life.

As is well known, the culture of peace represents above all a general effort to change ways of thinking and attitudes with a view to promoting peace. It means transforming and preventing conflicts so as to ensure that they do not lead to further violence and re-establishing peace and trust among our citizens.

In this regard, the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic share the view that a culture of peace must be built up day by day. That is why our Governments believe that adopting values and attitudes that promote peace is first and foremost a personal decision, but that it becomes more significant when expressed collectively. The will to establish a dialogue, to share, to express solidarity, to listen to the views and accept the ideas of others -- even though one might not agree with them -- and to be understanding and tolerant, must come from within, as the result of personal reflection about how to be a peace-builder, before taking root in the collective conscience of our peoples.

In this respect, the International Year for the Culture of Peace, commemorated in 2000, provided an excellent opportunity for the promotion of a personal, collective and institutional attitude adjustment. This manifested itself in a number of activities carried out by civil society, Governments, the United Nations system and other relevant stakeholders interested in actively promoting a culture of peace.

It is also important to emphasize that the desire for peace is one that is universally recognized. It has been expressed and demonstrated throughout history, in documents and activities that are deeply rooted in human culture.

Peace, as a human aspiration and need, does not only mean a reduction in all types of violence, whether direct, structural or cultural. It is also an indispensable precondition for the creative and non-violent transformation of conflict in a way that contributes to peace-building, to the extent that we are capable of changing conflict into cooperation, positively and creatively acknowledging our opponents by means of dialogue.

In this respect, it is important to note that peace is multidimensional and therefore calls for efforts to be made to achieve not only disarmament but true human development and to consolidate respect for human rights, resolve conflict and put an end to environmental degradation.

The countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic share the view that the right of human beings to live in peace is the cornerstone for all other rights. Peace being a human right, it behoves all of us to be peace-builders. To contribute to the building of a new vision of peace through the development of a culture of peace based on the universal values of democracy, respect for life, freedom, justice, solidarity, tolerance, human rights and equality between men and women is thus one of the most important tasks and challenges of our times.

It is the responsibility of all to become aware of the common destiny of humankind so as to promote the implementation of common policies to guarantee justice in relations among human beings, as well as support harmonious relationships between humankind and the environment and among States.

It is thus more important than ever today to build peace through science, culture, education, communication and solidarity, so as to effectively face up to the challenges of exclusion, discrimination, intolerance and violence, which threaten the cohesion of societies and inevitably lead to armed conflict.

I would like to conclude by reiterating the invitation of the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic to join together in building and consolidating a culture of peace. Now is the time to transform a culture of confrontation and violence into a culture of peace.

Ms. Khakamada (Russia)

I am speaking to the General Assembly today on behalf of the delegation of the Russian Federation in my capacity as Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and as one of the leaders of the Democratic Party in Russia. Furthermore, I was one of the people who personally communicated and negotiated with the terrorists who recently took more than 700 people hostage in the centre of Moscow. For that reason, my words today may seem harsh: I am not only aware of the new challenges to international security, but have actually looked them in the face. For me and for all those who have suffered from terrorist acts, the question of the culture of peace is not just empty words.

After 11 September 2001, it was generally admitted that the world had changed, but only now has the global crisis of foreign policy thinking become apparent. It is now clear that, in the 10 years since the break-up of the Soviet Union, the world's developed countries, headed by the United States, were preparing for illusory challenges and were thus unprepared to face the real threats.

When, following the tragedy in New York, emotions abated, it was clear that the crisis of decision-making on security policies had itself become one of the principal threats to the world today. It has even been said that conventional thinking on foreign policy has been revived. The question therefore arises as to whether there is a place for the culture of peace in modern politics. Can we speak about a compatibility between war -- that is, the war against terrorism -- and the culture of peace?

Many Western leaders have decided that peace enforcement is the most effective way to maintain security. If that idea is accepted, however, the emergence of quasi-colonialism is almost inevitable and will have unpredictable consequences.

Nobody would argue that it is not necessary to take prompt coercive measures against terrorist organizations and the financial structures that support them. But it is important in that respect to ensure that we have the information that we need in order to prevent acts of terrorism, since preventing them is much easier than dealing with their tragic consequences after they have claimed civilian victims.

It would be dangerous, however, to draw parallels between terror and the peculiarities of a given political regime.

After all, political dictatorship and terrorism are two different things, no matter how we regard them. That distinction is needed in order to block ideological support for international terrorism. Terrorism must not be associated with any particular State, nationality or religion. Terrorists should be considered worldwide as outlaws who exist independently of any political regime. Otherwise, international terrorism will use inter-ethnic and religious conflict as an ideological basis for its action aimed at breaking down civilization and will thereby gain additional resources. I believe it is necessary to effect radical and immediate reforms of the United Nations right away, rather than to think in terms of the clash of civilizations, which makes the international security system even more vulnerable.

On the other hand, we cannot accuse Western countries of pursuing a one-sided power policy. For them, the ideals of freedom and democracy do not sound a hollow note but are an actual integral part of their policies aimed at spreading the ideals of human rights and human values. At the same time, we cannot replace the struggle for human values with the struggle for national interests or to confuse national interests with the basic principles of international security.

We believe that, in these conditions, the world community needs to react much quicker. I think that there is no time for delay or for long-drawn-out decisions. Disproportionate response on the part of world terrorism is possible, and the threat of such a response remains. Such a situation is further complicated by the fact that the United Nations is losing its importance as a mechanism for making key political decisions.

In order to effectively cope with emerging challenges, it is necessary to improve the functioning of the United Nations institutions by adapting them to current realities. One way to do this, we believe, is to increase the number of permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, while investing it with wider or, if necessary, extraordinary powers in order to combat international extremism.

As a criterion for increasing membership, we have to consider the material, economic, political and human authority of the candidate countries within the context of the new challenges to international security. Moreover -- and this is directed related to today's agenda item on culture and peace -- the new agenda will have to give some thought as to what kind of a generation will be taking over and what they will come with. If they adopt the stereotypes of traditional political thinking, this would maintain the threat to the future of humankind. We cannot allow the existing political elite simply to reproduce itself and its own recipes for addressing political issues. Along with these recipes, terrorism will also be reproduced as a method of political struggle, only in a purer form, since the bipolar division of the world that held the current political elite in check no longer exists.

Therefore, it is the new generation that should become the main focus of attention with regard to a culture of peace. However paradoxical, this is a requirement for today, rather than for tomorrow. A new culture of peace in a new world and new times needs new ideas and new people. Therefore, let us try to combine our efforts today in order to combat new threats, and let us give further thought to how the United Nations, which brings together all cultures and all civilizations, can resist the new threats.

Mr. Moushoutas (Cyprus)

Given the state of world affairs as we observe the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, one cannot but think how necessary and timely the culture of peace appears today.

We would like to extend our appreciation to the delegation of Bangladesh for inscribing this item on our agenda and for introducing draft resolution A/57/L.9, which has our full support.

Governments of States Parties to the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declare in the preamble "That since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed". How true that is. We need to cultivate peace. Education contributes to knowledge and correct views. The question is one of whether education alone builds peace among men and nations.

Knowledge alone may lack the necessary elements to bring about peace. We must strive through spiritual uplifting to impute a sense of brotherhood and love among people. We are taught to love our neighbours as ourselves. Blessed be the peacemakers, is another of the lessons we are taught. The family, schools and places of worship are inseparable sine qua non ingredients in making a contribution to the building of a peaceful world. Of cardinal importance is the need to respect diversity, other religions and cultures. The beauty of integration and of unity in diversity must be inculcated and cultivated in our children's minds if we are to realize the objective and essence of a culture of peace.

The item entitled "Dialogue among civilizations", which was inscribed in the agenda of the General Assembly by the President of Iran and which has been debated in this Hall for the past few years, aims at advancing understanding and tolerance and contributes to peaceful symbiosis in diversity. Diversity must be made to be seen for what it is -- a part of a beautiful mosaic, not as a pretext for segregation among peoples and separatist movements. We have expanded our horizons and are continuously making strides in scientific knowledge. We have reached other parts of the cosmos. We have become, or should believe that we have become, a global village. At the same time, however, we are paradoxically experiencing partitions, divisions and violent separatist extremist movements. It is obvious that advances in science have not brought about peace. We still live in a state of conflict and terror. Knowledge has not brought about the much-desired result.

We have identified the causes of conflict in underdevelopment, poverty and oppression. We have tried to reverse the use of force in favour of dialogue by creating the United Nations, but we have had limited success. We still have a long and arduous way to go. Why? We believe that the answer lies in the fact that peace cannot exist without justice, which is the most substantive element of peace and one that is inseparably connected to it. Peace cannot thrive in a State without the presence of political, economic and social justice.

Irrespective of the grave difficulties that we face in this lofty endeavour of establishing a culture of peace, we owe it to our children to strive for a just world, a tolerant world, a world of brotherhood and diversity where justice prevails and the provisions of the United Nations Charter are indeed imbedded in their young minds and hearts.

Mr. Atta (Egypt)

At the outset, I would like to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his report entitled "International Decade of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World" (A/57/186), which contains a full description of the efforts made to implement the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. I would also like to commend the efforts made by Member States and the agencies of the United Nations system, in particular those of UNESCO and the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF). We wish to emphasize the importance of civil society's active participation in establishing the concept of the culture of peace.

The culture of peace is a very complex process characterized by various phases, objectives and means at every stage. We must first define what peace is so that it may be just and lasting. Thereafter, one of the most difficult stages is to agree to peace and to implement it, which is a test of our true belief in peace. After that, we will reach the stage we are all working towards, namely, the prevalence of a culture of peace and peaceful co-existence among future generations.

The Middle East, more than any other region, is in need of a culture of peace. The continuous cycle of violence and counter-violence prevailing in the Palestinian territories has led to the disappearance of hopes for peace, a phenomenon that accelerated in the course of the 1990s. We must also not forget that Palestinians are an occupied people who suffer daily from the practices of the Israeli occupying force. They are in fact living under siege and are being confronted with the threat of land confiscation. In fact, they are living under threat to their lives. In addition, Palestinians are also deprived of appropriate education and health care, which are the only means of developing human resources. That means that the future of Palestinian children is being buried alive.

As we speak of a culture of peace for children, I would like to refer to the conclusions recently reached by the Committee on the Rights of the Child with regard to the conditions of the rights of Palestinian children living under occupation.

First, the Committee has indicated its serious concern about the lack of information regarding the condition of children in occupied Palestinian territories. The Committee is also concerned about discrimination in the legal definition of an Israeli child, who is a person under 18 years of age. Under Israeli military order 132, a Palestinian child is a person under 16 years of age. The Committee has advised the Israeli Government to ensure that its law conforms to articles I and II of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Secondly, the Committee expressed its serious concern at complaints of Palestinian children tortured by Israeli police at detention centres. The Committee also recommended that the Israeli Government should investigate and prosecute every case of torture and provide compensation if such torture were proved. Thirdly, the Committee has expressed its serious concern about the serious deterioration of health care in the Palestinian territories, and has recommended that every Palestinian receive health care. Fourthly, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has recommended that the Israeli Government commit fully to international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, refrain from demolishing houses and provide requisite compensation to victims.

My country calls on the forces for peace in Israel to entrench the culture of peace and to break the cycle of violence and counter-violence stemming from the practices of the Israeli occupying forces in the occupied Arab territories.

The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization stipulates in its preamble that culture should be regarded as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a society or a social group, and that it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs. The Declaration emphasizes respect for the diversity of cultures, tolerance, dialogue, understanding and mutual trust as a means of establishing international peace and security. We would like to point out that religion is one of the main elements on which cultural diversity is based. It should be regarded as a means of promoting cultural dialogue in a common international endeavour, and should not be used to foment political confrontation or ideological conflict.

We express our serious concern at the use of religion as a basis for discrimination and at the lack of tolerance and mutual understanding among individuals. This destroys human rights and fundamental freedoms and obstructs the spread of a culture of peace.

Mr. Andrabi (Pakistan)

The past century was marred by conflicting ideologies and by the glorification of might and its ruthless application. Twice mankind was plunged into world wars. The ensuing suffering and destruction constituted an affront to the basic canons of humanity. As time progressed, peoples and States devised, refined and perfected mechanisms and instruments to help mankind create better social environments and conditions. The Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were the cardinal instruments that evolved and introduced the fundamental values of humankind: freedom, equality, justice and tolerance.

The end of the cold war unfolded possibilities for a new world order based on those fundamental values of mankind. The Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, adopted on 13 September 1999, inspired adherence to the principles of freedom, tolerance, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among all nations. The concept of a culture of peace is enshrined in the Charter. Article 28 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls for a world in which all rights are fully realized. That article pronounces that "Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration can be fully realized". The culture of peace is firmly embedded in that article.

The advent of the new millennium gave us fresh hope. But the traumatic events of 11 September 2001 dealt a serious blow to those hopes, intervening in our journey to the envisioned goal. While the international community has shown unity in combating the abominable phenomenon of terrorism, efforts have, regrettably, been under way to pit religion against religion, culture against culture and civilization against civilization. Samuel Huntington's theory of the clash of civilizations is being vigorously pursued by certain interested quarters.

No doubt, the winds that have blown across the globe since the terrorist attacks of last year have borne seeds of both clash and cooperation. It is for us to decide which seed to protect and nurture for germination.

The concept of the clash of civilizations was among several paradigms of the shifting character of world politics presented after the end of the cold war. Its author's contention that different civilizations and religions, embodying different world views, will be at the heart of future wars lacks universal acceptability and is antithetical to the concept of the culture of peace. The culture of peace is a more rational and saner alternative for mankind. It accepts plurality and diversity among cultures and asserts that a harmonious form can emerge through the assimilation and coexistence of different cultures.

Religion and culture are two interrelated strands of any society. The significance of religion stems from the need of a human being to satisfy spiritual needs through specific religious pursuits. Religions hold great potential. They can play an important role in reconciling differences, promoting a universal ethical code and working together to create a climate in which morality and justice prevail. Religion has been a powerful force throughout human history. All religions espouse the dignity of the individual and social justice. Through their teachings, religions affirm the values of tolerance, non-discrimination and respect for human rights. Religious leaders and institutions have often been the impetus for reconciliation and healing within communities where there is tension. Despite that, however, acts of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief are common. Many acts of violence have been committed in the name of religion.

Violence is an affront to human dignity. Peace, on the other hand, is not merely the absence of conflict. The culture of peace is a positive and dynamic process, in which participatory interaction is encouraged and in which conflicts are resolved in a spirit of mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation. Crucial to that process is awareness, knowledge and understanding of the existence of others. The Holy Koran evokes the culture of understanding when it says: "O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other" (The Holy Koran, XLIX:13).

Knowing each other is related to the quest for knowledge about different ideologies and cultures. Understanding of one another leads to tolerance, acceptance, respect, harmony and participation, which culminates in a culture of peace.

We appreciate the efforts of the delegation of Bangladesh and other delegations for their positive contribution in realizing culture of peace. We support draft resolution A/57/L.9/Rev.1, on a culture of peace, introduced by Bangladesh.

The Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace encourages Member States to take action to promote a culture of peace at the national level, as well as at the regional and international levels. It also calls upon the United Nations system to strengthen its ongoing efforts in promoting a culture of peace.

Accordingly, it is the intention of the delegation of Pakistan to introduce, during the next few days, under agenda item 24, entitled "Culture of peace", a draft resolution containing a draft declaration on religious and cultural understanding, harmony and cooperation. We are certain that the proposed declaration would contribute to promoting and strengthening a culture of peace in the new millennium.

Mr. Fall (Senegal)

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