UNESCO’s contribution to Gaza reconstruction and development – Director-General’s report – UNESCO decision

31 Report by the Director-General on the reconstruction and development of Gaza: Implementation of 182 EX/Decision 55 (184 EX/31 and Corr.; 184 EX/42 Add.)

The Executive Board,

1. Having examined item 31 of its agenda, as well as 184 EX/PX/DR.4 (text attached),

2. Requests the Director-General to report to it at its 185th session on this matter;

3. Expresses its commitment to exert its utmost efforts to resolve this issue at its 185th session;

4. Decides to include this item in the agenda of its forthcoming session (185th).

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Item 31 Report by the Director-General on the reconstruction and development of Gaza: Implementation of 182 EX/Decision 55 (184 EX/31)

The Executive Board,

1. Recalling the provisions of the four Geneva Conventions (1949), the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954) and the related Protocols, and the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), and the recommendations, resolutions and decisions of UNESCO on the protection of cultural heritage,

2. Having examined documents 184 EX/31 and Add.,

3. Having also examined documents 184 EX/30 and Add.,

4. Noting with deep concern the very heavy toll suffered by Palestinian civilians, the deaths and injuries inflicted on Israeli civilians during the escalation of violence and hostilities in December 2008 and January 2009,

5. Also noting with deep concern the destruction of infrastructure, the significant deterioration of basic services, and the damages to schools, universities and cultural heritage sites in the Gaza Strip caused by the escalation of violence and hostilities in December 2008 and January 2009, and recognizing that schools, universities and cultural heritage sites should not be involved in military conflicts,

6. Recalling the strong commitment made by the international community in favour of the Gaza Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan presented at the International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza (2 March 2009, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt),

7. Thanks the Director-General for strengthening the UNESCO project antenna in Gaza City and the initiatives that have already been implemented in the field of education, and for the safety of media professionals, as reflected in the six UNESCO projects retained in the United Nations Flash Appeal for Gaza;

8. Calls upon the Director-General to continue contributing to the United Nations humanitarian response in Gaza within the Organizations fields of competence;

9. Deplores in this regard the continuous blockade on the Gaza Strip which harmfully affects the free and sustained movement of personnel and humanitarian relief items for the successful implementation of the above-mentioned projects;

10. Calls upon the Director-General to continue her participation actively in the integrated United Nations response to the Gaza Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan developed by the Palestinian Authority, by focusing on UNESCO’s contribution to its educational and cultural heritage protection components;

11. Invites the Director-General to organize an information meeting to provide Member States with an update on the outcome of the projects conducted in the Gaza Strip;

12. Thanks Member States and donors for their generous financial contributions to the UNESCO projects retained in the United Nations Flash Appeal for Gaza, and invites them to further assist in this regard through extrabudgetary funding;

13. Decides to include this item in the agenda of the Executive Board at its 185th session, and invites the Director-GeneraI to submit to it a progress report thereon.

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* After the publication of the draft decision, the following Board Members added their signatures: Bangladesh, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger and Zimbabwe.