(Paris) – UAE cherishes the role of United Nation’s culture, education and development in achieving positive interaction between civilisations to attain peace and curb conflicts worldwide, the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has stressed. “Wisdom is our way to achieve prosperity, spread peace, justice and tolerance worldwide,” Sheikh Khalifa said in a speech read on at the 37th General Conference of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). The speech was read on his behalf by H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development.
Sheikh Nahyan conveyed the regards of Sheikh Khalifa to the participants, wishing them success at the conference. He underlined the role of Unesco in strengthening cooperation in the areas of education, culture and the sciences.
“This event evokes major challenges facing the world in the areas of economy, environment, water, food, energy, extremism, terrorism, conflicts and demographic changes. All these challenges require us to specify the role of culture in tackling these issues and problems through identifying the responsibility of Unesco, which will help to fill gaps in education, health, women’s rights, IT and the economy,” the President said.
“We are proud in the UAE that our civilisation has provided an integral system of authentic heritage values that constitute the framework of our life and encourage understanding between us and the peoples of the world. Our culture is universal and reinforces our sense of belonging to the world,” he added.
Sheikh Khalifa said that as the UAE looks forward to working with Unesco, it would like to focus on the role of culture derived from the country’s experience.
Sheikh Nahyan also met a number of ambassadors, Arab and foreign permanent representatives accredited to the Unesco, in addition to Irina Bokova, Director-General of the Unesco, and a number senior staff. Over 1,000 participants from 195 countries, including presidents, ministers and representatives, attended the conference. They discussed the Unesco’s contribution, mechanisms and dynamics of development after 2015.
