General Assembly Session 57 meeting 43

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)

"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed." This statement, contained in the preamble of the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is the foundation for the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, adopted by the General Assembly three years ago.

Those two cardinal documents will continue to inspire the action of our respective States and Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other actors of civil society, all of which are equally eager to contribute to building the mythical planetary village, that shall reconcile wealthy residential areas and hopeless outlands. Failure to do so will hinder the global community's legitimate aspirations to quietude, well-being and a better future.

Since peace is not merely the absence of war, international action to promote a culture of peace and tolerance cannot be limited to countries in conflict, in situations of potential conflict or in post-conflict situations. As stipulated in article 2 of the Declaration,

"Progress in the fuller development of a culture of peace comes about through values, attitudes, modes of behaviour and ways of life conducive to the promotion of peace among individuals, groups and nations." (res. 53/243 A)

Thus, such progress must lead in particular to the promotion of the peaceful settlement of disputes and a culture of crisis prevention; the consolidation of democracy, universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as the principles of good governance; the full exercise of peoples of their right to self-determination, especially those under foreign occupation; and respect for the principles of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of States.

The Programme of Action sets out a panoply of measures to strengthen a culture of peace through education, to establish lasting economic and social development, to promote respect for all human rights and gender equality, to favour democratic participation and to guarantee the free flow of information and knowledge.

The report of the Director-General of UNESCO before us for consideration provides a good accounting of the progress made in the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action and of the goals of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 2001-2010.

Senegal welcomes the many and important initiatives taken by UNESCO and the personal commitment of its Director-General to implementing the agreed strategic goals. In this context, my delegation full adheres to the proposal of the Secretary-General to proclaim 21 September as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence. Senegal also endorses the priority themes of the International Decade for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005, which address respectively participatory communication, the free flow of information and knowledge and respect for human rights and gender equality.

The protection of children must be highlighted, and my delegation welcomes the initiatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on education for peace and encourages UNICEF and UNESCO to pursue and step up their cooperation in the implementation of the Programme of Action and the objectives of the Decade.

Senegal is more than ever determined to attach high priority to the dialogue among cultures and civilizations as a vector, vehicle and strategy for consolidating and expanding the bases of a culture of peace and of peace among the different cultures of the world. To that end, we must support the flourishing and complementarity of the very rich cultures of our planet and promote respect for diversity.

Consequently, we remain convinced that globalization must not be equated with cultural homogenization and a uniform pattern of thinking. Globalization, far from being limited exclusively to economics and trade exchanges, must fertilize dialogue and cultural exchanges among individuals, peoples, nations and States, with respect for the cultural, religious and civilizational identities of peoples -- all peoples.

In this connection, we must ensure strict respect for international legal human rights instruments, in particular the rights of ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, and intensify the struggle against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in conformity with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. Senegal therefore encourages the United Nations system, and UNESCO in particular, to develop their information and networking assets by providing up-to-date information on the best means of promoting the global movement for a culture of peace.

In this respect, my Government believes that the implementation of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity can contribute broadly to creating a global culture of understanding, tolerance, solidarity and non-violence. In this connection, we believe it to be of the highest importance better to involve the media, schools, universities, non-formal educators and the non-governmental organizations in disseminating that important Declaration and in promoting the social, ethnic and ethical values of peace and non-violence among children and youth.

It is indeed time to disarm history, as the Director-General of UNESCO is fond of recalling, and to move beyond the dialectical relationship between the tyranny of the dogmatic universalism of uniform thinking and the dictatorship of the unmitigated specificity of identity politics. It is high time to pacify history so as to teach our children the history not only of power and warfare, but also and above all of the marvellous conquests of knowledge and culture.

It will thus be clear why I wish to stress the extreme importance that my country, Senegal, attaches to cultural exception, a principle and ethic that must be respected as a sacred duty today more than ever before, when there is a growing and dangerous trend towards the merchandizing of culture and the objectification of cultural products. There is a great danger that, unless we are careful, we may see the transformation of myriad cultures into mere market products or, worse, the very negation of the essential elements of humankind's cultural patrimony.

The recent summit of the International Organization of la Francophonie (OIF), meeting in Beirut on the theme of "dialogue among cultures", drew attention to that trend, which is as pernicious as it is real and consequential. Here at the United Nations, we bear the collective responsibility of meeting the challenge and of ensuring that multilateral trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization take this fundamental fact duly into account.

In this regard, the OIF -- which recently chose Mr. Abdou Diouf, former head of State of Senegal, as its leader -- proposed the drafting and adoption of an international convention on cultural diversity, which endorses, inter alia, respect for the principle of multilingualism. Such a proposal should be disseminated and widely supported in the interest of preserving and defending the cultures of the world -- all the cultures of the world -- their synergy and necessary complementarities: in a word, their symbiosis. In an indictment rightfully stigmatizing the steam-rolling globalization of cultures, French President Jacques Chirac wondered "whether the West did not feel it was imposing a dominant culture, essentially materialistic, which is perceived as aggressive since most of mankind encounters and observes it without having access to it."

After all is said and done, and under the influence of recent terrorist events which the world is still copying with, we must do everything to prevent, avert and contain the clash of civilizations that is promoted by the prophets of doom and their allies, by fanaticism of all stripes, by implacable enemies of freedom who in their hideous apocalyptic madness wish to bring about a confrontation of cultures, traditions and religions to pit people against people, culture against culture, and religion against religion. This clash of cultures, beliefs and civilizations can only provoke hatred and chaos, then the crumbling of mankind's cultural heritage, the decline of a culture of peace, mutual understanding and tolerance, and the disintegration of that humanism which, according to UNESCO, is meant to be an ethnical development centred on sharing by all.

First, mankind must be freed and restored to its primordial humanity, made aware of the values of civilization, without ignoring the creative diversity of prior realities and present constraints. We must practice dialogue, exchanges and sharing in all areas, but basically in the area of culture which is the vital source and the ultimate goal of all human activity.

Mankind, situated at the beginning and the end of development, must be everywhere in the progression of cultures towards a "Civilization of the Universe", as noted in the poems of Lépold Sédar Senghor, or in the advent of the "Millennium of Lights" declaimed by Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal.

In a constantly changing globalized world, which loses all its points of reference, Good loses its nobility and Evil loses its horror, spreading insecurity, fear, hostility and confrontation. On this globalized Earth -- always one but always divided -- between disintegration and reconstruction of a fragmented planet, the universal fight for the sacredness of the supreme values of liberty, justice and peace is indissolubly joined with the crusade/jihad of humanity for a world constantly better.

With all that is beautiful and true in this world, with sublime hopes and idealized illusions, let us dream -- but in practical terms and all together -- of a peaceful world in which the impulse towards the other to know him better and to know one's self better through him, will allow us to weave an enduring fabric of pan-human solidarity, the sine qua non for the redemption of the veritable humanist culture which underlies the much-desired emergence of a new planetary citizenship. A fruitful dialogue of cultures can accomplish this.

The President

In accordance with resolution 48/265 of 24 August 1994, I now call on the Observer of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Mr. Linati-Bosch (Sovereign Military Order of Malta)

Thank you very much, Mr. President, for giving me the floor on behalf of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. This is the first time that I am addressing the General Assembly at its current session. Allow me to add my voice to the congratulations which have preceded me. I have already witnessed the expertise with which you have conducted the debates. I am confident that under your presidency, the present session of this body will set new standards for the quality of its debates.

Culture is a very broad concept. It comprises developing intellectual and moral faculties, especially through education. It supposes an integrated pattern of human behaviour and, at the same time, customary beliefs, social forms and material trades of a racial, religious or social group.

The first reason for the existence of the United Nations is to maintain peace and security. The Order of Malta commends the efforts of the United Nations to accomplish this aim, but we are aware that we are living in a convulsed and difficult world. There is no peace when armed conflicts exist. There is no peace when violence, ignorance, poverty, genocide and discrimination continue to affect our daily lives.

Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed. That idea from the Preamble of the UNESCO Constitution forms the basis for the concept of a culture of peace. The essence of constructing a culture of peace is the prevention of violence and conflict, both outwardly and in our hearts and minds. We believe that an international society founded on a culture of peace must be based on tolerance, justice and human rights.

In 1999, the General Assembly proclaimed the Declaration on a Culture of Peace (resolution 53/243), which stated that Governments, international organizations and civil society may be guided in their activity by provisions of the Declaration to promote and strengthen a culture of peace in the new millennium. Article 1 of the Declaration states that a culture of peace is a set of values, attitudes, traditions and modes of behaviour and ways of life based on respect for life, ending violence and promotion and practice of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation. These are the essential principles that must receive special attention in education and awareness-raising on every level.

A culture of peace cannot be considered as a separate notion. On the contrary, it is part of a framework that includes economic and social problems strongly tied to human development. A culture of peace must not be a milestone but a cornerstone of progress and benefit to mankind. Through a culture of peace the world must become even more aware of the importance of values, attitudes and traditions that respect human beings and their rights. Freedom, justice, tolerance and solidarity are values that frame the goal of the total rejection of violence.

The Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace involve the international community in a firm determination to eliminate violence through dialogue. Among the actions to promote international peace and security the Programme of Action includes promoting initiatives in conflict situations such as days of tranquillity to carry out immunization and medicine distribution campaigns, corridors of peace to ensure delivery of humanitarian supplies and sanctuaries of peace to respect the central role of health and medical institutions such as hospitals and clinics. The Order of Malta regards this as a very important clause. Our hospitals and clinics have borne the brunt of war.

We firmly believe that there exists a collective responsibility to uphold human dignity and equality and, indeed, to ensure as far as possible that globalization becomes a positive force for the world's people. Without such joint and broad endeavours, the likelihood of peace is faint and distant.

Development is important to stability but faces formidable obstacles. They include external debt problems, barriers to market access, lack of infrastructure, clean water shortages and diseases. Yes, it is true that war, disease, hunger and death are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Today they continue to threaten human progress. Practical measures must be adopted, setting goals that can be brought to realization. Words must be translated into action.

To conclude, allow me to thank the Secretary-General and all Members of the General Assembly for their constructive approach to a culture of peace. The Order of Malta is conscious of its responsibility and wishes to collaborate with the international community to achieve a truly effective culture of peace.

The President

I have been informed that Israel has asked for the right of reply. I give the floor to the representative of Israel.

Mr. Schacham (Israel)

I would like to reply to the statement made today by the representative of Egypt. I agree fully with my Egyptian colleague's introduction to his statement regarding the importance of achieving signed peace agreements, which remain the best foundation for the development of a culture of peace between two nations that were hitherto in conflict.

That is, indeed, what our two States, Israel and Egypt, have done. Egypt was and is a pioneer among the Arab States in this regard. And its late President, Anwar Sadat, who signed a peace treaty with Israel, was a true man of courage. Since the signing of that treaty, Israel and Egypt have tried to build upon it. Although our relationship can still be cold at times, the effort made by Egypt to promote peace between Israel and the rest of our Arab neighbours has been unrelenting.

I am therefore puzzled by the rest of the Egyptian representative's statement this morning. The representative of Egypt has, unfortunately, used this vital discussion of a most serious issue to launch an extraneous attack against my country.

The unprecedented and one-sided diatribe by the Egyptian representative refers solely to the situation of one specific group of children and runs contrary to the universal spirit of the two draft resolutions before us. In that connection, Israel welcomed the assessment issued by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in its Recommendations of its thirty-first session that amidst continuing acts of terror, especially the deliberate and indiscriminate targeting and killing of Israeli civilians, including children, by Palestinian suicide bombers, the Committee recognized the climate of fear that persisted and the State party's right to live in peace and security.

Israel also welcomed the Committee's recommendation that other non-State actors fully respect the rights of children and refrain from using or targeting children in the armed conflict. Israel also welcomes the Committee's strong urging that immediate and all necessary measures be taken to end the violence and to ensure that children were not recruited nor participate in the conflict.

Unfortunately, the representative of Egypt completely ignored the cynical abuse of children in the Palestinian campaign of violence and terrorism, the direct participation of Palestinian children in acts of terrorism, including suicide bombings, and the unbridled incitement to violence by the Palestinian educational system and in the official Palestinian media. All those practices have been condemned by the majority of Member States.

The Egyptian statement is also devoid of any reference to the destructive effects that the Palestinian resort to terrorism has had on the Israeli side, which has lost more than 650 civilians, including more than 100 children. Approximately 900 Israeli children have been injured in terrorist attacks. A number of Palestinian terrorist attacks have been deliberately directed at children, including attacks on school buses, discotheques, pizza parlours and other locations where large numbers of children are known to gather.

Unfortunately, the Egyptian statement fails to reflect the fact that the central threat to the well-being of Palestinian children is the terrorists themselves.

In the interest of brevity, I will not exercise again my right of reply on this agenda item.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt in exercise of the right of reply.

Ms. Khalil (Egypt)

As the representative of Israel has just said, Egypt was the first in the Middle East to extend the hand of peace to Israel out of its conviction that peace is the only way to settle the dispute in the Middle East. Violence and counter-violence are a direct result of the oppressive Israeli measures and the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory. The only way to break the cycle of violence is the withdrawal of Israel from the occupied Palestinian territories in conformity with the relevant Security Council resolutions.

Egypt strongly condemns all acts of violence against civilians, whether Israelis or Palestinians. The Government of Israel is ignoring the fact that violence and counter-violence are a direct result of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. The only solution is Israel's complete withdrawal from the Palestinian territories.

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/57/L.9/Rev.1, entitled "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 2001-2010."

Before preceding to take action on the draft resolution, I should like to announce that, since the introduction of the draft resolution, the following countries have become co-sponsors of A/57/L.9/Rev.1: Belarus, Burundi, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Honduras and Kuwait.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/57/L.9/Rev.1?

The President

We have thus concluded this stage of our consideration of agenda item 24.