Academic freedoms in the OPT – UNESCO Executive Board – Resolution (excerpts)

Records of the General Conference

Twenty-fourth Session Paris, 20 October to 20 November 1987

Volume 1

Resolutions

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25  Implementation of 23 C/Resolution 27

concerning educational and cultural institutions

in the occupied Arab territories

The General Conference,

Recalling the Geneva Convention (1949), the Hague Convention (1954), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

Considering that institutions of higher education should constitute free communities of intellectuals and students enjoying academic freedoms recognized worldwide,

Being of the opinion that the existence and the free functioning of such institutions constitute fundamental and essential elements of the affirmation and strengthening of the cultural identity of the Palestinian people,

Having considered the report by the Director-General (24 C/21 and Add.)

Noting that the report submitted by Father E. Bone, following the mission entrusted to him by the Director-General in accordance with 23 C/Resolution 27, makes reference, on the basis of observation or conclusions drawn from convincing and concordant testimonies, to several forms of violation of academic freedoms,

1. Reaffirms the previous decisions and resolutions of UNESCO concerning the cultural and educational institutions in the occupied Arab territories, in the form in which they were adopted;

2. Deeply deplores all violations of academic freedoms, in all their forms, as related in the report by Father Bone, and considers that these constitute a serious threat to the cultural identity of the Palestinian people and a violation of international legal instru­ments, in particular the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

3. Deplores the obstruction and the repression practised by the occupying authorities against educational and cultural institutions in the Palestinian territories and other occupied Arab territories, which could threaten the very existence of those institutions;

4. Asks the occupation authorities to respect the Geneva and Hague Conventions by cancelling all the measures taken, all the acts committed, all discrimination regarding taxes and customs duties on imported cultural, educational and scientific material, and all the military orders issued against educational and cultural institutions, and to preserve the academic freedoms of the universities and other educational and cultural institutions so that they may conduct their activities without let or hindrance;

5. Thanks the Director-General and his representative, Father Bone, for the efforts undertaken to ensure implementation of the decisions and resolutions of UNESCO concerning the aforesaid institutions and commends the high quality of the report submitted to it;

6. Recognizes that the cooperation given to enable Father Bone to carry out his mission impartially appears to offer a valuable opportunity for exploring new and constructive action under the auspices of UNESCO;

7. Invites the Director-General to explore with the relevant parties feasible means of engaging UNESCO in facilitating and increasing constructive cooperation to assist Palestinian educational institutions in playing their appropriate educational roles in the development of the areas in question, in their transmission of their cultural heritage and in the pursuit of knowledge in collaboration with other institutions;

8. Invites the Director-General to ask Father Bone to complement his mission by examining other educational and cultural institutions in the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and to submit his report to the Executive Board at its 130th session;

9. Invites the Director-General to renew his appeal to Member States and intergovernmental organizations, addressing also foundations and private individuals, for contributions to the Special Account opened within UNESCO to provide fellowships for students from the occupied territories;

10. Decides to include this item in the agenda of its twenty-fifth session with a view to taking an appropriate decision.

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