Request for the Admission of Palestine into UNESCO – UNESCO Gen. Conf. 25th session – Resolution

0.62 Request for the admission of Palestine to Unesco¹

The General Conference,

Recalling the ideals proclaimed in Unesco’s Constitution,

Recalling the provisions of Article II of the Constitution, concerning the admission of new Member States,

Recalling the communication sent to the Executive Board by the Director–General on 17 May 1989 (131 EX/45[Link] and 25 C/106), which transmitted the letter from President Yasser Arafat officially expressing the desire of Palestine to become a member of Unesco and the wish of the Palestinian people to play an active part, like all peace-loving peoples, in forging closer co–operative links between nations in the fields of education, science and culture,

Having regard to resolution 43/177, as adopted on 15 December 1988 by the United Nations General Assembly, in which it acknowledged the proclamation of the State of Palestine by the Palestine National Council and decided that the designation ‘Palestine’ should be used in place of the designation ‘Palestine Liberation Organization’ in the United Nations system, without prejudice to the observer status and functions of the Palestine Liberation Organization within the United Nations system, in conformity with relevant United Nations resolutions and practice,

Having examined the report which the Director-General submitted in pursuance of the decision of the Executive Board (132 EX/31 and 25 C/106),

Considering the importance of continuing to examine this question in a spirit of constructive co–operation and consensus, and taking into account the higher interests of the Organization,

1. Decides to provide for the closest possible participation of Palestine in the action of Unesco, in particular through its various programmes, participation in meetings convened by the Organization, full enjoyment of the benefits of the scholarship programmes, and access to the Participation Programme in accordance with 131 EX/Decision 9.4 of the Executive Board;

2. Endorses the proposals put forward in an illustrative way by the Director–General in paragraphs 14 to 34 of his report to the Executive Board (132 EX/31), which should not exclude the possibility of envisaging participation in other activities already provided for in the Programme and Budget that would be of particular importance in providing for the needs of the Palestinian people;

3. Decides that requests made under the Participation Programme shall henceforth be submitted directly by the Observer from Palestine;

4. Invites the Director–General to take appropriate measures to permit greater participation by Palestine in the activities of the Arab region;

5. Considers that the terms of this resolution are without prejudice to the observer status of Palestine;

6. Decides to include this question in the agenda of its twenty–sixth session, worded as follows:

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¹ Resolution adopted at the second plenary meeting, on 17 October 1989.

Source:  Records of the General Conference