Educational and cultural institutions in the OATs – UNESCO decision (excerpts)

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Hundred and sixty-seventh Session

167 EX/Decisions

PARIS, 14 November 2003

DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

AT ITS 167th SESSION

(Paris, 15 September-15 October 2003)

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3.6.1 Jerusalem and the implementation of 166 EX/Decision 3.4.1 (167 EX/10 and 167 EX/56 Part II)

The Executive Board,

1. Recalling 31 C/Resolution 31 and 166 EX/Decision 3.4.1, as well as the provisions of the fourth Geneva Convention (1949) and its additional Protocols, of The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954) and the related Protocol and of the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), the inscription of the Old City of Jerusalem on the World Heritage List and on the List of World Heritage in Danger, the recommendations, resolutions and decisions of UNESCO on the protection of the cultural heritage, and the relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council on the status of Jerusalem,

2. Taking note of document 167 EX/10 concerning Jerusalem and drawing attention to the obstacles to the implementation of 166 EX/Decision 3.4.1,

3. Noting that:

(a) despite the sustained and praiseworthy efforts of the Director-General to implement the numerous resolutions of the General Conference and the decisions of the Executive Board on the safeguarding of Jerusalem, no progress has been observed concerning respect, by the occupying power, of all the relevant resolutions and decisions relating to Jerusalem in all matters pertaining to its cultural, architectural, historical and demographic components as well as to restoration work,

(b) major infrastructural works are continuing and in some cases being speeded up, causing damage to monuments and the violation of historic sites, in a spiritual, cultural and demographic context that, because of both its diversity and its harmonious complementarity, constitutes the unique character of Jerusalem as a symbol of the heritage of humanity as a whole,

(c) serious dangers constantly imperil the cultural property of the Old City of Jerusalem (al-Quds),

(d) the mission entrusted to Professor Oleg Grabar to draw up a report on the present situation is still refused by Israel,

4. Reaffirming all its previous decisions on the subject and inviting the Director-General to pursue his efforts to obtain their implementation,

5. Reiterates its support for the initiative taken by the Director-General to prepare a comprehensive plan of action to safeguard the Old City of Jerusalem and, in that connection, decides to establish, as soon as possible, a committee of experts to be entrusted with proposing, on a scientific and technical basis the guidelines for this plan of action and the modalities for its implementation;

6. Reiterates its appeal to States, organizations, institutions, legal entities and private individuals to contribute financially to the Special Account for the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of the Holy City, while at the same time thanking Italy for its contribution;

7. Requests the beginning of work to consolidate, restore and rehabilitate the interior of the al-Hƒoaram ash-Sharif (Esplanade of the Mosques), in particular the Ashrafiya Madrasa and the centre for the conservation of historic manuscripts, projects for which the final plans are ready and funding available thanks to a generous contribution by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;

8. Once again invites the Director-General to continue his steps to ensure the implementation of the decision relating to the mission to Jerusalem of Professor Oleg Grabar;

9. Urges that the Israeli authorities take all requisite measures to enable this mission to proceed smoothly;

10. Calls upon governmental and non-governmental organizations and institutions to authorize no measure or activity that contravenes the resolutions of the General Conference and the decisions of the Executive Board relating to Jerusalem and to do nothing incompatible with the status of Jerusalem;

11. Decides to include this item on the agenda of its 169th session.

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9.1 Application of 166 EX/Decision 10.1 concerning educational and cultural institutions in the occupied Arab territories (167 EX/44 and 167 EX/56 Part II)

The Executive Board,

1. Having examined the report of the Director-General (167 EX/44),

2. Recalling Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with regard to the right to education and Articles 4 and 94 of the fourth Geneva Convention with regard to the denial of the right of children to education,

3. Also recalling the role that UNESCO is called upon to play in the exercise of the right to education for all and in the protection of the cultural, historic and natural heritage of humanity,

4. Considering that the critical situation facing the Palestinian territories gravely prejudices the right to education in Palestine, because of the continued sealing off of these territories and the continuing curfews,

5. Deeply concerned by the destruction of monuments, works of art, manuscripts, books and other cultural property to be protected in the event of armed conflict, in accordance with the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) and The Hague Convention (1954) and its additional protocols,

6. Deeply concerned, likewise, by the disastrous consequences of the “Separation Wall” that Israel is building, which affects the functioning of the Palestinian educational institutions;

7. Highly appreciative of the efforts of the international community to halt the violence and safeguard the peace process, which is seriously threatened by tragic events,

8. Affirms the urgent need for the Israelo-Palestinian peace negotiations to be resumed and for a just and comprehensive peace to be speedily brought about, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council;

9. Recalls paragraph 32 of the Medium-Term Strategy (31 C/4 Approved), defining a “road map for a revitalized UNESCO: principles of action and programming”, and paragraph 12 of 31 C/Resolution 43;

10. Supports the efforts of the Director-General to secure implementation of 166 EX/Decision 10.1;

11. Deplores the fact that obstacles and delays persist as regards the implementation of the resolutions and decisions of UNESCO, and requests the Director-General to take all necessary steps to ensure that the said decisions and resolutions are fully implemented;

12. Urgently appeals to the Israeli authorities to facilitate safe access of Palestinian children to their schools and to allow the functioning of educational establishments;

13. Expresses its profound regret that the implementation of the third phase of the UNESCO Programme for Palestine (UPP) has been effectively suspended because of the present situation;

14. Urges the Director-General to ensure the application of the aforesaid resolutions by incorporating it, as a priority, in the Draft Programme and Budget for 2004-2005 (32 C/5) and to strengthen the plan of action of the intersectoral coordination team with a view to implementing the UNESCO Programme for Palestine;

15. Invites the Director-General to continue the financial assistance for Palestinian students so that they can pursue their studies;

16. Renews its appeal to donor agencies to make generous contributions to fund the reconstruction of Palestinian educational and cultural institutions;

17. Expresses the hope that the Arabo-Israeli peace negotiations will be resumed and that a just and comprehensive peace will speedily be brought about in accordance with the United Nations resolutions, to which UNESCO adheres by 166 EX/Decision 10.1, particularly Security Council resolutions 242 and 338;

18. Also invites the Director-General:

(a) to continue the efforts he is making vis-à-vis the Israeli authorities with a view to preserving the human and social fabric and safeguarding the Arab cultural identity of the occupied Syrian Golan, in accordance with the relevant resolutions adopted in this regard;

(b) to continue his efforts vis-à-vis the Israeli authorities so that they cease imposing Israeli curricula on the students of the occupied Syrian Golan, to offer more grants to those students and to provide special assistance to the educational institutions of the Golan;

19. Reiterates all its previous decisions relating to the occupied Syrian Golan;

20. Decides to include this item in the agenda of the 169th session of the Executive Board.

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