Bokova pledges UNESCO support to Sri Lanka

By Charnika Imbulana

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova making reference to President Maithripala Sirisena’s speech last September, before the United Nations General Assembly, said that the President announced that his understanding is not to have sectorally or group-wise isolated development but to have an inclusive model of development that is capable of uplifting development standards globally.

She said what the President called a “universal approach” is what she sees as a definition of the new ‘soft power’ the world needs today to respond to complex challenges that cross all borders.

“These are, indeed, turbulent times. Globalisation is opening vast opportunities for positive change, for trade and prosperity, for cooperation and dialogue. At the same time, we live in an increasingly fragmented world. Climate change is accelerating. Poverty remains enduring, revealing deep inequalities in and between countries. Conflicts remain aflame, tearing at the fabric of societies, causing humanitarian tragedies. We see the rise of extremism and violence across the world with barbaric attacks in Paris, in Brussels, in Tunisia, in Indonesia, in Istanbul and in Iraq,” said Bokova, who was speaking on ‘Soft Power for Peace and Development – UNESCO and the SDGs’ at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategy on the invitation of Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. 

Bokova pledged UNESCO’s support to Sri Lanka in all its efforts to consolidate gains and to catalyse new progress. “This starts with Sustainable Development Goal 4, ‘to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,’ which UNESCO did so much to shape,” she added.

“I look forward to deepening UNESCO’s partnership with Sri Lanka – especially in advancing education for peace and human rights, education for global citizenship, education for sustainable development, to bolster reconciliation through new skills for dialogue and solidarity. Empowering girls and women must be a special priority,” she emphasised.

In reference to Sri Lanka’s eight sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage, she said it testifies to the wealth of the country’s heritage, the rich tapestry of its traditions and beliefs. “This heritage has special meaning for the people of Sri Lanka – it carries outstanding universal value for all women and men, as part of the ties that draw humanity together. I am convinced we can deepen our partnership here, to make the most of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage and diversity, tangible and living – on the world stage, and as forces for reconciliation and dialogue.”

Importance of values and sustainability

She referred to justice, peace, prosperity and sustainability as values that have deep roots in Sri Lanka, that are interlinked and can only be taken forward together, and this would requires a new, comprehensive approach to human development and sustainability, she opined.

“I see this vision guiding the Government of Sri Lanka today. Today, perhaps more than ever, we must be guided by the values we share, our commitment to humanity as a single family. This is essential to taking forward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Climate Change Agreement. I am convinced these must be seen as a single agenda. An agenda for human rights and dignity. An agenda for poverty eradication and sustainability. In the words of its Declaration, this is an agenda “of the people, by the people and for the people.

“No one must be left behind, especially the most vulnerable, the most marginalised. No society stands alone. We stand together, on the same planet, and we share a single destiny. The promises of the new agenda embody a new transformative vision for peace and the planet.”

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were developed in a process that involved all States, drawing on the key lesson of the Millennium Development Goals – that success requires national ownership, and that ownership means capacities.

“Very often we hear the appeal for a ‘paradigm shift,’ and I agree. It is a paradigm shift in its commitment to inclusion and ownership. It is a paradigm shift in its global vision, bringing all countries together, developed and developing, middle income with Small Island Developing States. Taking this forward calls for connected action across sectors, from education to water management to empowering girls and women, linking progress in human development with effective measures against climate change.”

Bokova said that she believes the commitment of Sri Lanka to the 2030 Agenda will guide Sri Lanka’s unity Government. “We see this in the commitment to Yahapalanaya (good governance) that underpins public policy. We see this in measures to promote reconciliation on the basis of dialogue and justice, to provide opportunities for a better future to all.”

Sustainability

Sustainability she said would depend on the capacity of governments to place science and innovation at the heart of national strategies – it is UNESCO’s role to support them at every level, through policy frameworks, through capacity building, through scientific cooperation.

“I pledged UNESCO’s support for the launching of a National Science Centre in Colombo. Sri Lanka is a founding member of the South and Central Asian Man and the Biosphere Network – SACAM – hosting four UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as platforms for biodiversity, conservation and sustainability in action. Science education and education for sustainable development are core parts of our cooperation – building capacity also to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity.”

“A similar holistic approach guides our work to advance mangrove conservation, through awareness-raising, education and research, community livelihood activities, especially for women. All this seeks to bolster the resilience of societies, to give them every chance to meet goals they set for themselves.

“This must start with respect for human rights, as the compass direction for all action. I know the importance this message carries in Sri Lanka – this is especially important for reconciliation and dialogue. In this context, deepening social inclusion and cohesion has never been so important, especially for young people shouldering the heaviest burdens of change, including for migrants and displaced people. This matters at the national level – it matters also at the city and community level, and I know there five Sri Lankan cities in the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities.”

Sustainable Development Goal 16 sets the bar high – to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”

The Director General emphasised that the rule of law, good governance, democratic practices are essential for healthy society and sustainable development.

Gender equality in and through media

The Director General commended the Government for Sri Lanka for its commitment to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists: “Let me underline the importance of Sri Lanka’s recent Right to Information Act, which provides access to public information to all women and men. UNESCO has worked with Sri Lanka, to support media ethics and self-regulation, to promote gender equality in and through the media, to build capacity to report on poverty, to promote the right to information. I see these as ‘soft power’ drivers for resilience and peace. This is the importance also of promoting cultural heritage and diversity – as enablers and drivers of sustainable development, as platforms for dialogue and reconciliation.”

Prevention measures to destruction of heritage

After her speech the floor was open for questions during which the Daily FT posed a question to the UNESCO Director General: “Destruction of heritage by extremists particularly in Iraq and Syria is unanimously denounced by all peace-loving people, God forbid any such recurrences anywhere in the world. However being conscious of the realities and the unpredictability of extremists, what do you foresee as prevention measures that need to be taken by governments and civil society of South Asian countries in general and by Sri Lanka, in particular? 

She responded: “You raised an important issue which is linked to the role of heritage overall in development and you mentioned the destruction of heritage which unfortunately we see nowadays on the rise. I would take two sides of your question – on one side is our deeper understanding of why extremists are targeting heritage sites and why extremists want to destroy our common history, because when we speak about heritage we always have in mind our heritage convention we always have in mind our understanding about heritage belonging to all humanity. 

“The new logic, the new value that we have put within heritage in the last more than 40 years with UNESCO’s very active involvement, I believe what we see now is a deliberate systematic destruction not just collateral damage in the conflict about heritage as a new very alarming tendency which wants to destroy our vision of the world belonging to common humanity. Extremists want to destroy the very feeling that we can share a common values, that we can share a notion of a dialogue that we can talk to each other that we understand the different cultures and they want to isolate these cultures once again. 

“I always say that today there is no clash of civilisation and there is no clash of cultures. There is a clash between those who don’t believe we can live together there are those who believe that we can live together who are the predominant majority people in the world. In order to understand we have to take very strong preventive measures, we have to pass this message we have to teach new generations. We at UNESCO convened the first meeting of ministers of education on preventing violence extremism through education, we have to teach young people human rights, respect we have to teach them history and their own culture and culture of the others. Vast tasks that we have to do in all parts of the world, this is where one of the targets of the goal number four in the SDGs stand for – education for global citizenship. This is where I think we want to bring our young people to become global citizens with respect, with tolerance and tolerance to others, responsible citizens of their communities and their countries.

“Our task now, our responsibility, is to do everything to translate promises into realities. To ensure no one is left behind, to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, to build more lasting peace. Tackling complex challenges requires determination and cooperation. It requires leadership most of all. This is the true test of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.”

She thanked Sri Lanka for its leadership including in the UNESCO in which Sri Lanka is a prominent member. In conclusion the UNESCO Director General once again referred to President Sirisena’s speech at the UN last September where he said “our new vision involves achieving the twin objectives of sustainable development and reconciliation a fundamental requirement in this context is dealing with the past, honestly and building a modern Sri Lankan nation”. 

In response she pledged: “Rest assured UNESCO will work with you every step of this important mission, in this rebuilding of the country’s future.”

Pix by Shehan Gunasekera