UNESCO has unique role in promoting media freedom globally - Mangala

"WHILE congratulating Mr. Matsvra for being elected overwhelmingly for a second term as Director-General. I would also like to thank him for his comprehensive report.

We the members of this august body, set yet another mammoth task for the Director-General in adjusting the budget to a ceiling of 610 million representing a zero nominal growth, while maintaining a near totality of the programmes, which define our existence and give hope to our future generations.

The Director-General has risen to our challenge and presented us with a comprehensive set of proposals, which include specific themes for the 25 million voluntary extra budgetary resources," said Minister of Ports and Aviation and Deputy Minister of Education Mangala Samaraweera at the Ex-Co Member of UNESCO at the 172nd Executive Committee session in Paris on September 19.

Minister Samaraweera said: Sri Lanka is indeed pleased to see that there has been heightened focus on prevention and mitigation of natural disasters, which appear to be devastating all corners of the globe causing needless havoc to human lives and property.

Sri Lanka expresses its solidarity with the victims of hurricane Katrina; we recognize only too well, the wrath of nature and its overwhelming power.

However it is during dark times such as these that we also see the most generous and compassionate nature of the human heart, which brings us together to work towards common goals.

Sri Lanka commends UNESCO's increased involvement through the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) in the Indian Ocean Tsunami warning and mitigation system and also the Global Tsunami warning system.

Mr. Chairman, the world's progress in the field of science should mean that today in the 21st century it is imperative that we are adequately equipped in the prevention and mitigation of natural disasters.

We are most encouraged to see that at least 15 of the 25 million voluntary extra budget resources is to be allocated towards the strengthening of the education for all programme.

This body gave a clear message in its last session as regards to the management of the EFA programme and the direction it wished UNESCO moves in implementing it, in order to maximize benefits, particularly with regard to the roles and strategy of international EFA stakeholders.

We look forward to further discussing the EFA joint action plan during the forthcoming General Conference and also at the EFA high-level group meeting in Beijing later this year, Minister Samaraweera said.

"Despite considerable hardships, the Government of Sri Lanka continues to spend 10% of its budget on education and 6% of its budget on health. The Government of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has recognized the importance of these two sectors in influencing the overall improvement of our human development index by doubling the budgetary allocation.

"With an impressive Human Development Index of 0.751 Sri Lanka ranks 93rd among 177 countries and 1st among the SAARC countries. The pace of progress towards achieving Education for all and Millennium Development Goals has also been significant during the past ten years.

The Adult Literacy has increased from 90.1 in 1994 to 92.5 in 2004 with a parallel improvement in Gender Party in Literacy has increased from 0.950 in 1994 to 0.959 in 2004.

The net enrolment ratio in the primary and secondary education has also improved to 95% and 77.6% respectively. While the education system enrolls 97.5% of the children who reach the official entry age to grade one, 97.6 of those enrolled in grade one is retained up to grade five.

When considering the gender party in those three areas Sri Lanka ranks first among the SAARC countries. In respect of Under Five Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Rate Sri Lanka has outperformed all the SAARC countries and a few countries in the East Asia."

"Sri Lanka is now engaged in introducing comprehensive reforms to education. The new education reform introduced in 1998 has brought about a unique departure from the traditional education policy and practice.

A major shift has been made from the culture of rote learning and teaching of rudimentary to an approach of acquiring appropriate knowledge, competencies and values to empower the future generations so as to cope with the complex nature of the challenges in the rapidly changing global environment.

The curriculum content of learning, art of teaching, provision of learning materials including text books, learning environment, layout and appearance of the school and the classrooms, language of learning, method of assessment of student attainment, school governance and financing of education have all now taken an innovative turn towards improvement", he said.

"We welcome the Co-operation between UNESCO and the OECD in drafting guidelines on Quality Provision in cross Boarder Higher Education. This unitiative, if to bear fruit, has to be made available and adhered to by a large number of member States.

We are convinced that this will contribute to capacity building particularly in countries such as my own, where the lack of capacity is proving to be an impediment to our development process.

Sri Lanka has been selected as the venue for the World Press Freedom Day celebration in 2006. UNESCO has a unique role in promoting media freedom globally, especially at a time when freedom of expression is under threat not only from dictatorial regimes but also from certain sections of the media itself who tend to ignore the high standard of ethics and the need to maintain the level of impartiality expected of truly free and responsible media culture.

UNESCO can help member countries to formulate standard setting guidelines and codes of conduct for the media," Minister Samaraweera said. He said the preliminary Draft Convention on the Protection of Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions, or the Convention on Cultural Diversity, as it is referred to, is indeed a monumental achievement of this organization.

The 3rd intergovernmental meeting of experts has now emerged with a document, which has been successful in encapsulating the main elements which can be concluded as being acceptable to a large number of countries if not a complete consensus.

Perfection is indeed an ideal we strive to achieve, in a subject as complex as culture, contending with a plethora of issues where definitions and understandings often tend to differ from country to country, I would like to commend the Director-General and also the intergovernmental experts for the document we have before us. Sri Lanka looks forward to the swift adoption of this convention in a few weeks from now".

"Sri Lanka also expresses solidarity with the global fight against terrorism. My country has had to grapple with this global menace for over two decades. September 12 was the one-month commemoration of my dear friend and distinguished colleague, Lakshman Kadirgamar, our Minister of Foreign Affairs for 10 years who fell victim to the ruthless terrorist bullet.

This organization is well placed through its unique mandate to address this issue and encourage those, especially the youth to renounce violence and utilize the processes of democracy available to them.

As UNESCO celebrates its 60th Anniversary, we in Sri Lanka join in readily in the celebrations that are to be carried out over the 60 weeks, indeed this celebration coincides with the 50th Anniversary of our membership in the UN.

We intend to organize programmes, particularly in rural areas targeting children to increase awareness on the activities carried out by UNESCO and also to engage communities directly in the multitude of programmes carried out by UNESCO.

It is through increased interaction with the end user that we are able to obtain maximum benefits from the programmes," Minister Samaraweera said.