Kulturminister Åse Kleveland

Speech at Unesco's General Conference

Paris, October 30, 1995

Mr. President, Fellow Delegates, Mr. Director General,

It is a pleasure to congratulate a Nordic cousin as President of the General Conference.

This is the third time I have the privilege of addressing UNESCO's general Conference. This year is nevertheless special, since almost half a century has passed in the life of this organization. But it is not the roles and rigour of anniversary rituals alone that makes me reconfirm Norway's profound commitment to the UN - and to UNESCO. From the years when UNESCO was on the drawing board, and the world war still raging, Norway has endeavoured to be an active member of this organization.

I believe we have all come here to express our allegiance to UNESCO's constitution. Our doing so remains the backbone of the organization. UNESCO would collapse without our outspoken support.

We believe in its basic vision, its messages and its working hypotheses for a better world. A UN system for the future is inconceivable without the functions covered by UNESCO's mandate.

But what can we, rightly, expect of UNESCO at this stage?

To be fair, we can only expect in proportion to what we collectively grant and give the organization. It is totally unreasonable and unacceptable that member states expect UNESCO to cope with its mandate, when they are not paying their fees to the organization. It is a necessary reality-check for all to determine at this General Conference that arrears must be settled for full membership rights to be maintained.

For reasons of economy and efficiency, there is a need to slim the size and cost of governing organs throughout the UN system. Norway regrets that UNESCO's Executive Board again settled for an expansion of its membership. We would consider it appropriate that this expansion be covered within the pesent allocation to the Executive Board. UNESCO's status and credibility in the world depend on the relevance and the quality of its mandate and action, not on the privileges it grants its officials.

We cannot expect UNESCO to achieve, if we as member states are not doing our part. What really counts is our will, strength, even courage to stand up for the very same visions and messages in our respective countries. Intellectuals and artists, scientists, leaders, and students can only enhance UNESCO by interacting with and via the organization. Under-utilised, UNESCO will be marginalized.

Norway takes pride in being a member state of UNESCO when the Director General firmly protests an attack on the freedom of expression, and when he mbilizes financial support for free and independent media. The freedom of expression is basic. It is intolerable that the fatwa against Salman Rushdie has not been lifted, that Wole Soyinga cannot live in freedom in his own country, that Yasar Kemal these days must defend his work in court, and that journalists in increasing numbers write at the peril of their lives.

The crucial challenge is to see the Rushdie affair as the acid-test of our ability to keep two ideas in our minds at the same time; democracy is neutral with respect to religions and ideologies, but not neutral with respect to values. Neutrality is not the same thing as spinelessnes. Democratic relativism does not mean that we cannot hold strong beliefs, it merely means that we allow those with differing views the same rights as we allow ourselves. That we defend the right of others to say somtething with which we disagree, to paraphrase Voltaire's classic maxim.

I wish to emphasize that in our struggle for the freedom of expression we also have to fight against polarization. The line of confrontation is not between the Muslim world and other civilizations. The frontline runs across the societies of the socalled Western world - and across those of the Muslim world. At times it even runs within each one of us. Fundamentalism, oversimplification, polarization must be countered at all levels, and by all of us. In this endeavour we shall need UNESCOs action for tolerance, and UNESCO as a forum for dialogues across civilizations and cultures, and between individuals.

To harness violence and to institutionalize non-violent resolution of conflicts are basic themes of human society and history. The complexity of this issue is appalling, and its urgency is compelling at a time of continued testing of weapons of mass destruction and proliferation of conflicts. At a time when the entire UN system is dedicated to reaching agreements and establishing norms that can make this planet more safe, the renewed and repeated testing of nuclear weapons sends wrong signals in all directions. The Norwegian Government is deeplys disappointed by the fact that two countries are responsible for nuclear tests this year.

The potential of total tragedy is clear to all. Yet, - and under the pretence that they only reflect reality, and demonstrate the freedom of expression, cultural industries increasingly produce and disseminate entertainment that is violent, and largely make entertainment violent. UNESCO, as well as many individual member states now approach this issue, which is related to work for a Culture of Peace. Norway har elaborated a plan of action to combat violence on the screen and would welcome cooperation via UNESCO in this area. This challenge rests particularly with those directly responsible for production and distribution of material that glorifies violence.

The preservation of the cultural and natural heritage of humankind is an area where nobody can dispute UNESCO's pioneering role. To maintain this momentum, young people must be allowed to understand the intrinsic and universal value of the heritage in their neighbourhood - and beyond, and their role as custodians of it. To this end Norway has embarked upon a cooperative venture with UNESCO, starting with a World Youth Heritage Forum this June, and continuing with a World Heritage Office for the Nordic countries in Oslo with the aim of securing a future for the past via involving also the younger generations, educational and media institutions more systematically. Archives are another and ideed vulnerable part of our heritage. Next year we are organizing with UNESCO a conference in Norway, dedicated to the "Memory of the World".

Our future is largely shaped by the advances of sciences. Solutions - as well as new problems are generated by science. Norway strongly supports UNESCO's action concerning ethics in science, and the access to science and technology for all. It is nevertheless our firm belief that basic education for all is even more important to achieve development and justice. UNESCO must therefore continue to inspire, guide and monitor all member states' achievement in providing all citizens - including girls and women, with equal and meaningful educational opportunities. None but the state itself can shoulder this enormous task.

Finally, let me express gratitude - and som relief - that it has been possible for the World Commission for Culture and Development to complete its task within the time frame we so a ambitiously set for its independent members. Intra national conflicts on all continents increasingly demonstrate the salience of cultural dimensions. Developments strategies and nation building that overlook cultural identities and cultural rights, are bound to fail. The World Report on Culture and Development, reguested by the UN as a whole, will open for much needed reflection and new initiatives within and between member states, and by the UN, system wide. Norway wants to play an active role also in the follow up to the work of "the Perez de Cuellar Commission". Their report and its proposals will soon be there for all of us to study and utilize. Using the reportw we hope to see more clearly the trends we are on as regards culture and development, and most important the action needed to make human society more truly human.

Thank you.