World conference for UNESCO Clubs movement

UNESCO Club (Malta) chairman Albert V. Rutter has just returned from Paris where he attended the world conference for the UNESCO Clubs movement.

For the past two years Mr Rutter formed part of the Ad Hoc Committee formed by UNESCO to re-examine the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs Association's rationale and to identify its best way forward.

Nothwithstanding the various difficulties that faced WFUCA, it was through the initiative of UNESCO, the Ad Hoc Committee, under the chairmanship of Biji Hattori, and the UNESCO Secretariat, that a possible solution was reached and the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs could again resume to function within the scope of its creation.

Ahmed Sayyad, assistant director general for UNESCO External Relations and Co-operation, was instrumental in following the initiative of UNESCO and so was Marie Ange Theobald, chief - Section for UNESCO Club and New Partnerships.

About 300 representatives from 120 countries participated at this conference.

Mr Rutter took an active part in the Ad Hoc Committee meetings and was positive with his interventions during the world conference. He also spoke on the importance of having a representative of the UNESCO Clubs movement forming part of the National Commission for UNESCO; closer collaboration is essential to ascertain a better service to their respective country and UNESCO.

This conference has enabled on UNESCO Clubs movement to enter a new era. Delegates had the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on future collaboration in connection with better understanding, so important for world peace.

In his opening speech, UNESCO director general Koichiro Matsuura extended a warm welcome to all present, especially to representatives of the clubs movement from countries all over the world.

He said the United Nations is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Sixty years ago, 50 countries signed the United Nationals Charter in San Francisco. In November, UNESCO will celebrate its 60th anniversary, that of the adoption of the UNESCO constitution.

The organisation was created in the aftermath of World War II, to build peace in the minds of men and women through international co-operation in the fields of education, culture and science.

During those 60 years, while remaining true to its foundational values and ideals, the organisation has evolved considerably. For example, today there are 191 members states, compared with 37 countries that were the initial signatories in London in November 1945.

The UNESCO Clubs movement has developed hand-in-hand with UNESCO since the establishment of the first club in Sendai, Japan, on July 19, 1947, on the initiative of a young man who deeply sympathised with UNESCO's ideals.

According to the results of the survey recently conducted by UNESCO, there are more than 3,600 UNESCO clubs, which are engaged in a range of activities in the fields of its competence in 89 member states. Over 1,400 clubs are to be found in the Asia-Pacific Region, 1,200 in Africa, over 600 in Europe and North American, 250 in Latin America and the Caribbean, and over 70 in the Arab States.

Mr Matsuura also stated that collaboration between UN system organisations and civil society partners is growing day by day, as was recognised in last year's report by the "Cardoso Panel", the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations Civil Society Relations, set up by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

"UNESCO has long been in advance of most other UN agencies when it comes to building relations with civil society but there is no room for complacency: We readily acknowledge that we must do more. Since becoming director-general six years ago, I have recognised how crucial such partnerships are for international organisations like UNESCO to fulfil its mandate and achieve its goals; UNESCO cannot confine itself to dealings with political leaders, policy makers and technical counterparts.

"Its messages must also reach out to civil society and its members, whose beliefs, attitudes, behaviour and choices are the basis of peace, development and justice in the world. But how are we to do this? We cannot hope to contact the millions of people directly and therefore we must rely on the component organised with civil society - community groups, voluntary associations, clubs, and various other organisation and networks.

The UNESCO Clubs movement must be seen in this light. As one of UNESCO's most important partners in civil society, the UNESCO Clubs are a distinctive, indeed unique, asset within the UN system.

"This reflects the fact that, at meetings of our governing bodies over the years, member states have reaffirmed their interest in and support for this movement. Indeed, on the occasion of the 171st session of the UNESCO executive board (last April), in my response to the general debate, I explained to the board when discussing the visibility of the organisation that, while the fact that the organisation's director-general happens to be Japanese may be of some help, the visibility of UNESCO is very high in Japan basically because there is an extensive and active network of about 300 UNESCO Clubs in that country.

"The involvement of the clubs would be of great value in a range of priority programme areas of the organisation. For example, the UN decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), for which UNESCO is the lead agency, is currently being rolled out through launches at regional and national levels across the Globe. "Partnerships and Networks" is one of the seven interlinked strategies proposed for the decade. ESD is for everyone because everyone is a stakeholder.

"I see potential roles of UNESCO clubs, complementary to those of governments, non-governmental organisations and other civil society organisations at national, regional and international levels, as crucial in achieving the goals of the decade, and this is just one example."

Mr Matsuura said he found it very timely that this conference would discuss the future of the UNESCO Clubs movement. "I am very pleased to see about 300 representatives from 120 countries gather here this morning. As director-general, it is reassuring to know that the ideals of the organisations are shared and supported by friends of UNESCO like you.

"The world Federation of UNESCO clubs was officially founded in 1981. This came three years after the leaders of the UNESCO Clubs movement met at UNESCO headquarters and agreed that a federation would help to enhance the co-ordination and promotion of the movement. In subsequent years, UNESCO worked well with this NGO, whose activities it supported.

"Sadly, for a variety of reasons and in conformity with the organisation's directives on relations with NGOs, I proposed to the 169th session of the executive board in April, 2004, that UNESCO's formal associate relations with the NGO should be suspended, on an interim basis.

The executive board agreed to this action and I called on to report back to it on this matter at its 172nd session in September.

"I would like to reiterate that UNESCO is committed to continuing its support for its clubs movement. In this connection, I believe that at the international level, the role of WFUCA is becoming increasingly vital for mobilising and unifying UNESCO clubs effectively. It is a fact of some significance that WFUCA is the only NGO that has the organisation's name in its designation.

"Therefore, as I stated in my remarks last December to the second meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee for the renewal of WFUCA, I supported the purpose and task of this committee, namely to re-examine WFUCA's rationale and to identify its best way forward. I also welcomed the organisation of this special international conference for the UNESCO Club movement."

In conclusion, the director general of UNESCO thanked the members of the Ad Hoc Committee, especially the chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, and also all of those who supported the committee's work.