LAURA BUSH JOINS SENIOR UN OFFICIALS IN CALL FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO BOOST GLOBAL LITERACY

Former United States First Lady Laura Bush has added her voice to a chorus of United Nations officials underscoring the importance of bolstering global efforts to increase the number of people who can read and write around the world.

"Literacy is at the core of sustainable solutions to the world's greatest challenges," stressed Ms. Bush, who is an Honorary Ambassador for the UN Literacy Decade (2003-2012).

"It provides the foundation for freedom and sustainable economic development," Ms. Bush told a UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=46396&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) gathering celebrating the International Day for Literacy at the agency's headquarters in Paris on 8 September.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura noted that while the "empowering role of literacy and its significance for development have been recognized worldwide, there are still 776 million illiterate adults in the world and 75 million children out of school whose rights and needs remain unfulfilled."

In his message marking the Day, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that in a "world of enormous wealth, in a world in which education and knowledge are the necessary passports to a better life, the scale of illiteracy is truly staggering."

A UNESCO report released last year noted that some 75 per cent of illiterate adults worldwide live in only 15 countries – including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India and Nigeria. And in some sub-Saharan African countries, the number of non-literate adults has increased in recent years by approximately 30 million.

Under such circumstances, three quarters of the 127 countries for which projections were calculated will miss the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving adult illiteracy rates by 2015.

In line with the UN Literacy Decade calendar, International Literacy Day put the spotlight this year on the empowering role of literacy and its importance for participation, citizenship and development.

The presentation of the 2009 UNESCO Literacy Prizes followed the opening when representatives of innovative educational projects based in India and Burkina Faso received the awards. Projects in Afghanistan and the Philippines were honoured with the awards of the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy, with a programme in Bhutan receiving an honourable mention.

UNESCO CHIEF VOICES ALARM AT ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS IN NORTH-WEST PAKISTAN

The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today condemned the recent killing of a television journalist in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP), and urged authorities to ensure the safety of media professionals in the South Asian nation.

Sadiq Bacha Khan, a correspondent of Aaj TV and former President of the Press Club of Mardan, was shot dead on his way to work on 14 August.

"This crime is a blow to freedom of expression and freedom of the press," said Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

"I urge the authorities to do everything in their power to put a stop to the killing of journalists, which has become particularly alarming in North West Frontier Province," he added.

Mr. Matsuura also paid tribute to Mr. Khan's "courage and commitment" both to his profession and to helping the inhabitants of NWFP, which has been the scene of a major displacement crisis prompted by the Government's military offensive against militants in the region.

According to the International Press Institute, 11 journalists have been killed in Pakistan over the last two years, six of them in NWFP.
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UNESCO CHIEF VOICES CONCERN AFTER MEDIA OUTLETS IN VENEZUELA LOSE LICENSES

The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom has voiced deep concern today over a recent order to revoke the licences of 34 radio and television broadcasters in Venezuela.

"I am deeply concerned over the reduction in the number of outlets through which citizens can exercise their right to receive information from diverse sources," said UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura.

"The people of Venezuela have the right to benefit from a diversity of perspectives in reports and analyses of events that concern them," stressed Mr. Matsuura.

He added that without a number of media outlets operating in the country, there can be no freedom of expression, or even democracy, and urged authorities "to reconsider their decision to take a great many broadcasters off air, and to protect media personnel from harassment."

According to an order issued in July, another 240 radio stations and 45 television channels are in danger of losing their licenses for alleged breaches of Telecommunication Law, in addition to the 32 radio and two television stations which have already lost the right to broadcast.

Mr. Matsuura also noted recent reports of an attack on the headquarters of Globovisión by 30 individuals, led by Lina Ron, head of the Venezuelan Popular Unity party (UPV), who forced their way into the building, throwing teargas which reportedly affected four people.

NEW UN PARTNERSHIP SEEKS TO BOOST INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN ARAB REGION

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has teamed up with a Jordanian-based business services company to promote information and communication technology (ICT) to support education, science and culture in the Arab region.

The agreement signed today in Paris between UNESCO and the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) seeks to increase access to and measure the use of ICT in different sectors of society, enhance teacher training, and promote multilingualism and internationalized Internet Domain Names.

"UNESCO relies upon and welcomes partners such as TAG-Org to realize the vision of knowledge societies," stated Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO.

The agency and TAG-Org are planning to create a knowledge society portal on which data in Arabic and English on the state of Arab countries on ICT in education, science, culture, communication and commerce – collected through digital surveys, digital reporting, and digital resources – will be made available.

Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Founder and Chairman of TAG-Org, said availability of such data will assist local governments, institutions, and international organizations to understand gaps in ICT and to take a leading role in developing ICT infrastructure and building ICT capacity.

Under the new agreement, UNESCO and TAG-Org will develop an immediate action plan for that project, prepare a strategy to enhance multilingualism and Internet Domain Names in the Arabic script, and work together to increase the availability of Arabic content on the Internet, among other things.
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UNESCO CHIEF URGES CULPRITS IN MURDER OF FILIPINO JOURNALIST BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE

The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom has condemned the latest murder of a journalist in the Philippines and called for the perpetrators of the crime to be brought to justice.

Radio journalist Godofredo Linao was shot on 27 July by two unidentified men near the offices of Radyo Natin, where he worked as a commentator, in Surigao del Sol province on southern Mindanao Island.

"Journalists in the Philippines have been made to pay an intolerably heavy price to exercise the basic human right of freedom of expression and to inform all Philippines citizens of events affecting their society," Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said in a news release.

"I trust that the authorities will spare no effort in bringing to justice the culprits of these crimes, which undermine the rights and freedoms of all the citizens of the Philippines," he added.

The manager of Radyo Natin reportedly said that Mr. Linao may have been targeted for his political broadcasts. He was involved in local politics and was due to run as a candidate in the 2010 elections.

The attack follows a similar incident in early June in which Crispin Perez, a journalist who hosted a morning programme on Radio DWDO in the central Philippine province of Western Mindoro, died near his home in San Jose after being stabbed by an unknown attacker.
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ALL-FEMALE NEWSPAPER AMONG WINNERS OF UN AWARDS FOR INNOVATIVE LITERACY PROJECTS

A newspaper produced entirely by women in rural India is among the four winners of this year's Literacy Prizes awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in recognition of innovative programmes designed to teach women, adolescents and other marginalized populations how to read and write.

The fortnightly newspaper – distributed to more than 20,000 readers in Uttar Pradesh, northern India – is entirely created and marketed by newly literate "low caste" women who are training as journalists.

The other prizes went to the Tin Tau's reading skills programme in Burkina Faso, which focuses on gender and community development; the Pashai Language Development Project in Afghanistan, which provides literacy, livelihood, public health and nutrition education to about 1,000 ethnic minority Pashai men and women annually; and a continuing education programme in the Philippines, which attempts to eliminate illiteracy in the 49 villages of the Agoo municipality.

An honourable mention also went to a programme in Bhutan for its holistic approach to literacy and its success in reaching remote areas, with an emphasis on literacy as an integral part of the country's "Gross National Happiness," as well as its focus on adults and out-of-school youth, particularly women and girls.

The theme for this year's awards was "Literacy and Empowerment," and the laureates were proclaimed by the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, on the recommendation of an international jury.

The award ceremony will be held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 8 September to coincide with International Literacy Day.
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INVEST MORE IN HIGHER EDUCATION, SAY PARTICIPANTS AT UN FORUM

Over 1,000 participants at a United Nations forum have called on governments to increase investment in higher education, and stressed the need for enhanced teacher training and greater regional cooperation in areas such as recognizing qualifications.

The World Conference on Higher Education, hosted by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, discussed a wide range of issues over the course of its four-day meeting, including the impact of globalization on higher education, social responsibility, academic freedom, research and financing.

"At no time in history has it been more important to invest in higher education as a major force in building an inclusive and diverse knowledge society and to advance research, innovation and creativity," says the final communiqué adopted by the conference, which gathered participants from some 150 countries.

The communiqué notes the need to better integrate information and communications technologies throughout higher education to meet increasing student demand and share the results of scientific research.

It also emphasizes the need for strengthened regional cooperation regarding the recognition of qualifications, quality assurance, governance, research and innovation, and highlights the importance of establishing regional higher education and research areas.

In addition, participants called for measures to boost higher education in Africa – a special focus of the conference – including efforts to meet rapidly increasing demand; more attention to areas such as agriculture, the environment and natural resource extraction; and the mobilization of private financing.

Highlighting the global teacher shortage, the communiqué also calls for higher education "to scale up pre-service and in-service teacher training with curricula that equip teachers to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills they need in the 21st century."
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TWO LATIN AMERICAN SITES ADDED TO UNESCO'S DANGER LIST

Threats to Belize's barrier reef reserve and Colombia's Los Katios National Park from deforestation, illegal fishing and "excessive development" have led the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to inscribe the sites on its List of World Heritage in Danger.

The agency's World Heritage Committee, which is currently meeting in Seville, said the main problem with the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System concerns mangrove cutting and excessive development in the property which was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1996.

The Committee requested stricter control of development on the site -- the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere -- as well as the reinstatement of the moratorium on mangrove cutting on the site which expired in 2008.

Los Katios National Park was placed on the Danger List at the request of Colombia so as t
o help mobilize international support for the preservation of the property which is threatened by deforestation, as a result of the illegal extraction of timber.

Inscribed in 1994 for its exceptional biological diversity, the site is also suffering from illegal fishing and hunting

Also today, the 21-member Committee inscribed the Stoclet House, a private residence in Brussels that dates back to 1911, on the World Heritage List.

When banker and art collector Adolphe Stoclet commissioned this house from one of the leading architects of the Vienna Secession movement, Josef Hoffmann, in 1905, he imposed neither aesthetic nor financial restrictions on the project.

The Committee noted that the "austere geometry" of the house and garden, commissioned by banker and art collector Adolphe Stoclet, "marked a turning point in Art Nouveau, foreshadowing Art Deco and the Modern Movement in architecture."

Also added to the World Heritage List was a Spanish lighthouse dating back to antiquit
y, the Tower of Hercules in La Coruña, and the watch manufacturing towns of La Chaux-de--Fonds/Le Locle watch-making town-planning in Switzerland.

Many legends from the Middle Ages to the 19th century surround the Tower of Hercules, which is unique as it is the only lighthouse of Greco-Roman antiquity to have retained a measure of structural integrity and functional continuity.

Planned in the early 19th century, after extensive fires, the towns of La Chaux-de--Fonds/Le Locle in the Swiss Jura mountains owe their existence to watch-making. Their layout along an open-ended scheme of parallel strips on which residential housing and workshops are intermingled reflects the needs of the local watch-making culture that dates to the 17th century and is still alive today.

The World Heritage Committee will continue its current session until 30 June.

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DRESDEN DROPPED FROM UN WORLD HERITAGE LIST OWING TO NEW BRIDGE

The United Nations cultural agency today removed Germany's Dresden Elbe Valley from its World Heritage List due to the building of a four-lane bridge in the heart of the cultural landscape, marking only the second time that it has ever delisted a site.

The building of the Waldschlösschen Bridge meant that the property "failed to keep its 'outstanding universal value as inscribed,'" the World Heritage Committee of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a news release.

It added that Germany could present a new nomination in the future relating to Dresden, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004, but was then put on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2006 because of the planned bridge.

The only other time the Committee has ever removed a property from the World Heritage List was in 2007 when it delisted the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman for what it deemed as the country's failure to fulfil its conservation obligations with regard to the site.

The 21-member Committee, meeting in the Spanish city of Seville until 30 June, is reviewing the state of conservation of properties inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, as well as nominations for new additions of cultural and natural sites.

Also today, the Committee removed the Walled City of Baku from its List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing the efforts of Azerbaijan in improving the preservation of the ancient site.

The site, which sustained damage during a November 2000 earthquake, was inscribed on the List in 2003. "The site was then also noted to be negatively affected by the pressure of urban development, the absence of conservation policies and by dubious restoration efforts," said the Committee.

"Improvements in its management have since allowed for the site to secure the outstanding universal value for which it was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000," it added.

The Walled City of Baku is built on a site inhabited since the Paleolithic period, and reveals evidence of Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian presence.

It encompasses the Inner City (Icheri Sheher), the 12th century Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy), and the 15th century Shirvanshahs' Palace, which is one of the "pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture," according to UNESCO.
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FRESH HOSTILITIES PUTTING SOMALI WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT RISK, WARNS UNICEF

A new wave of aggression and hostilities against humanitarian operations in Somalia is putting at risk the lives of the strife-torn nation's children and women, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today.

The agency cited in particular the take-over and month-long occupation of its compound in the Central Somali town of Jowhar by militiamen after the town came under the control of the Al-Shabaab group last month.

The Jowhar compound is the biggest operational hub for UNICEF's support to about 200 feeding centres, and the subsequent looting and destruction of vital humanitarian items during the attack on 17 May have seriously affected its ability to assist the most vulnerable children and women.

"Perpetrators of these unacceptable and irresponsible actions must understand that their actions have serious consequences on their own children and women, their own communities and people," said Hannan Suleiman, acting UNICEF Representative to Somalia.

"We are talking about over a million children under five years of age. We're talking about 40,000 children under three years old who are malnourished that will not be provided with feeding products. We are talking about over 700,000 women that will not be provided with tetanus shots, vaccinations and other services," she said in an interview with UN Radio.

UNICEF is demanding that its facilities in Jowhar town be vacated by the militiamen and that all of its looted supplies and equipment be returned.

Fighting broke out in early May between Government troops and the opposition Al-Shabaab and Hisb-ul-Islam groups, driving around 100,000 people from their homes in the capital, Mogadishu.

In a related development, the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has condemned an attack in Mogadishu that left one journalist dead and another seriously injured.

Two unidentified men opened fire on Muktar Mohamed Hirabe, the director of Radio Shabelle, and Ahmed Omar Hashi, Radio Shabelle's news editor, as they were walking in Bakara Market on 7 June.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura said the killing of Mr. Hirabe and the wounding of Mr. Hashi constitute "an intolerable breach" of the basic human right of freedom of expression and of citizens' right to be informed.

"It is essential for the return of peace and democracy to Somalia that those in positions of authority do all they can to end these unacceptable attacks on media personnel. It is also essential that measures be taken to punish the culprits of these crimes," he stated.

The 48-year-old radio director is the fifth journalist assassinated in Somalia this year, according to UNESCO.
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FRENCH VOYAGER NAMED UNESCO SPOKESPERSON FOR THE OCEANS

FRENCH VOYAGER NAMED UNESCO SPOKESPERSON FOR THE OCEANS
New York, Jun 5 2009 6:00PM
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=45638&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) has named the renowned French seafarer, Maud Fontenoy, as its Spokesperson for the Oceans, ahead of the first UN World Oceans Day on 8 June.

Ms. Fontenoy, 31, famed for single-handedly rowing across the Atlantic in 2003 and the Pacific two years later, is tasked with raising awareness of the need to protect the ocean environment against major threats such as climate change, pollution and unchecked urban development of the world's coastal areas.

From 2006-2007, the navigator – who will serve as the new spokesperson for UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and the World Ocean Network, a non-governmental organization – also sailed solo around the Southern hemisphere against the current.

"When you sail around the world, you realize that the planet is not that big and that most of it is ocean," said Ms. Fontenoy at a press conference held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris earlier this week. "You also see how much damage is being done to the ocean and understand how urgent it has become to protect it."

<"http://ioc-unesco.org/">UNESCO-IOC was created in 1960 to promote international cooperation and coordinate programmes in research, sustainable development and the protection of the marine environment.
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UN TEAMS UP WITH CARTOON SHOW TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT UNDERWATER HERITAGE

UN TEAMS UP WITH CARTOON SHOW TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT UNDERWATER HERITAGE
New York, Jun 4 2009 6:00PM
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has teamed up with a popular animated television show about submarines – "Dive Olly Dive!" – to teach children about the world's underwater cultural heritage.

UNESCO will use characters from the show on its website and in printed materials distributed to classrooms worldwide in a continuing campaign to protect underwater archaeological heritage, the agency said in a news release.

'"Dive Olly Dive!' has done a wonderful job introducing children to the importance of caring for the environment and submerged archaeological sites and we look forward to working with them on stories about shipwrecks and the ancient ruins that make up our underwater cultural heritage," <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=45646&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO said.

"The characters are friendly and engaging, and they will be a great aid in our efforts to reach children in an entertaining and easily understood way in every corner of the globe."

The high-definition, 3D computer-generated animation show follows underwater escapades of two young research submarines-in-training, who live in a deep-sea research centre. Its stories educate children on the delicate nature of the ecosystems and submerged archaeological sites beneath the oceans. As part of the agreement, UNESCO is serving as a consultant to the show, as the series begins production on its second season.

"We are honoured that UNESCO has chosen the characters to be an integral part of their educational mission," said Cynthia Money, of the Los Angeles-based Mike Young Productions/MoonScoop Group that produces the show.

"Through our meetings, everyone involved in producing the series has learned much more about underwater archaeological sites. UNESCO has presented incredible story ideas based on actual underwater discoveries, and we look forward to translating them into exciting storylines in season two."

The show airs on PBS Sprout in the United States, Disney Channel and France 5 in France, KI.KA in Germany, TVE in Spain and dozens more channels worldwide.

The UN agency said the agreement was part of its education programme in the framework of UNESCO's Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. The Convention was adopted in 2001 to improve the safeguarding of such heritage, which includes ancient shipwrecks, submerged ruins and underwater caves containing archaeological vestiges.
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UN AND CHILE LAUNCH SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INITIATIVE FOR EASTER ISLAND

UN AND CHILE LAUNCH SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INITIATIVE FOR EASTER ISLAND
New York, May 29 2009 11:00AM
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Chile today embarked on a new programme to develop sustainable tourism on Easter Island, which receives some 60,000 visitors every year.

"The project aims to develop tourism strategies that respect the outstanding universal value of the Rapa Nui National Park," UNESCO said in a news release. The programme, financed by the Japanese Government, will promote training and involvement of the local communities on the island in sustainable ecotourism.

"It is expected that the project will alleviate the growing pressure on the island's fragile ecosystem resulting from tourism," UNESCO said.

Easter Island is located over 3,500 kilometres west of continental Chile. UNESCO inscribed Rapa Nui National Park, which contains giant Polynesian stone figures known as moai, on its World Heritage List in 1995.

UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura said the project will "reduce the negative impact of tourism […] by finding a balance between the needs for the preservation of the site and the development of the island community."

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who was present at the signing of the agreement in Paris, said the programme is a "remarkable initiative intended to give the local community a leading role in the enhancement and promotion of their own heritage."

"A society capable of preserving its heritage is capable of preserving its history and its identity," the President stated.

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UNESCO NAMES 22 NEW SITES TO GLOBAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE NETWORK

UNESCO NAMES 22 NEW SITES TO GLOBAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE NETWORK
New York, May 26 2009 7:00PM
A tiger reserve in India and a former military training area in Germany are among the 22 new sites from 17 countries added by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today to its World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Today's additions brings the total number of sites on the list to 553 sites in 107 countries, <"http://portal.unesco.org/science/en/ev.php-URL_ID=7661&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO, whose International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC) is meeting on the Island of Jeju in the Republic of Korea (ROK), announced.

Ten of the sites are in Asia, with Europe getting six and the rest divided among Australia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.

Biosphere reserves are areas designated to serve as places to test different approaches to integrated management of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine resources and biodiversity. As a result, they are sites for experimenting with and learning about sustainable development.

Sites added to the list this year include Great Sandy, a terrestrial, coastal, marine area in Australia which is home to the largest rainforest stand on sand in the world.

Similipal, India, is a tiger reserve in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, which used to be the hunting ground of the Maharajah of Mayurbhanj, while Swabian Alb, in Germany, is covered by beech forests and orchards and housed a military training area that was closed to the public for over 100 years until recently.

Other approved sites include Giam Siak Kecil – Bukit Batu, Indonesia, a peat land area in Sumatra featuring sustainable timber production and two wildlife reserves which are home to the Sumatran tiger, elephant, tapir, and sun bear, and Tasik Chini, the first site in Malaysia designated as a UNESCO designated biosphere reserve, which is a sanctuary for many freshwater species.

The other new sites are: Lagunas de Montebello (Mexico), Flores Island (Portugal), Geres-Xures (Portugal and Spain), Shinan Dadohae (ROK), Altaisky (Russia), Vhembe (South Africa), Fuerteventura (Spain), Lajat Biosphere Reserve (Syria), Desnianskyi (Ukraine), Delta del Orinoco (Venezuela), Cu Lao Cham – Hoi An (Viet Nam), Mui Ca Mau (Viet Nam), Mount Myohyang (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), Biosphare Bliesgau (Germany), Pachmarhi (India), Nokrek (India), and Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve (Lebanon).
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UNESCO CHIEF HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON WORLD DAY

UNESCO CHIEF HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON WORLD DAY
New York, May 21 2009 3:00PM
Cultural diversity offers a wealth of opportunities for mutual exchanges and borrowings, the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=45470&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) said today, calling for nations to boost efforts to foster dialogue among cultures.

In a statement marking the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura underscored his agency's belief that cultures are interdependent, not monolithic, and that diversity is a source of strength and unity.

"Yet we see daily evidence of the destabilizing forces of ignorance and mistrust and of the magnitude of the task ahead of us," he said. "The management of cultural diversity is undoubtedly one of the central challenges facing many societies today as they work to build inclusive and pluralistic knowledge societies."

Two renowned calligraphers from different traditions – China and Iran – intertwined their writing to celebrate the Day at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Master Fan Zeng and Jassan Makaremi provided a poetic illustration on learning how to learn about others and live together.

The agency's International Festival of Cultural Diversity, running from 11-22 May, has been commemorated worldwide, seeking to raise awareness of the messages of diversity, freedom and human dignity.
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RUSSIAN TENNIS STAR PARTNERS WITH UNESCO TO SERVE NOTICE ON GENDER INEQUALITY

RUSSIAN TENNIS STAR PARTNERS WITH UNESCO TO SERVE NOTICE ON GENDER INEQUALITY
New York, May 20 2009 1:00PM
Russian tennis ace, Olympic bronze medallist and Grand Slam champion Vera Zvonareva was named today as a Promoter of Gender Equality by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=45489&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO).

Ms. Zvonareva, who at 24 is currently ranked number 6 in the world, has been appointed to call attention to gender equality issues at the national and global levels, and take part in women's leadership programmes through the UNESCO-Sony Ericsson WTA Tour partnership.

"I am very happy to announce today that Ms. Vera Zvonareva is being designated as the fourth UNESCO Promoter of Gender Equality," said the agency's Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura.

Ms. Zvonareva joins other distinguished Promoters of Gender Equality, including current Tour stars Venus Williams of the United States, Tatiana Golovin of France and Zheng Jie of China, as well as Tour founder and pioneering tennis player Billie Jean King, who was appointed Global Mentor for Gender Equality last year.

Mr. Matsuura stressed that as global role models, "these formidable athletes and successful women are a source of inspiration in their deeds both on and off the court, driving the message that gender equality is a goal that can and must be realized in order for us to achieve peace and sustainable development."

Since its 2006 launch, the UNESCO-Tour collaboration has raised substantial funds; initiated a series of programmes promoting gender equality and women's leadership; developed a global TV and print advertising campaign. Also, Sony Ericsson tournaments have kicked off advocacy, awareness and fund-raising activities on behalf of the Partnership.

Some of the resulting activities include a women-only night school programme in Liberia; a project to create a group of successful female politicians, business women and athletes in Cameroon; a project to raise the percentage of rural women involved in local affairs in China; and legal rights workshops to empower women in Jordan.
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MYANMAR: UNESCO CHIEF DEPLORES ARREST OF PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER

MYANMAR: UNESCO CHIEF DEPLORES ARREST OF PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER
New York, May 20 2009 10:00AM
The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) has expressed his grave concern over the arrest and trial of opposition leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, coinciding with when her house arrest was due to end, to the leader ofruling military junta.

In a letter sent today to General Than Shwe, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura did not pass judgment on the validity of the charges against her, but underscored that Aung San Suu Kyi – who received the 2002 UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence – plays a very important role in the country's national reconciliation process.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who leads the National League for Democracy (NLD) and two aides were taken by security forces on 14 May to Insein Prison, where they were charged by a special court. They are said to have been charged with violating the terms of her house arrest, after an uninvited United States citizen gained access to their home, and her trial is currently under way.

Mr. Matsuura added his voice to the chorus of UN officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in calling for her immediate and unconditional release.

Last week, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay emphasized that "her continued detention, and now this latest trial, breach international standards of due process and fair trial."

It had been hoped that Aung San Suu Kyi would be released when her current detention order, which has already continued for one year longer than the maximum of five years permitted under Myanmar's laws, expires at the end of this month.

"The Myanmar authorities might claim Aung San Suu Kyi has breached the conditions of her detention, but they have broken both their own laws and their international human rights obligations," Ms. Pillay stressed. "She should not be detained in the first place."

Ms. Suu Kyi has spent over 12 years under house arrest. On 30 May 2003, she was re-arrested under a law which states that a person "suspected of having committed or believed to be about to commit, any act which endangers the sovereignty and security of the state" can be detained.

In May 2007, the Government extended her arrest for another year, bringing her detention to the five-year limit, and her detention was prolonged for sixth year last May.
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NEW AFGHAN LAW COULD CURTAILS RIGHTS TO EDUCATION, GENDER EQUALITY – UNESCO HEAD

A new law that could be adopted by Afghanistan's Parliament on the status of Shiites in the South Asian nation undermines the right to education, the principle of gender equality and the rights of the child, the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said today.

In a letter to Afghan President Hamid Karzai today, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura expressed concern that the draft legislation contravenes principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, calling on the country's leader to prevent the law from entering into force.

UNESCO's constitution promotes universal respect for rights and fundamental freedoms "without distinction of race, sex, language or religion," and calls for education for all "without regard to race, sex or any distinctions, economic or social."

Further, the agency ensures that the rights and specific needs of women are taken into consideration in all of its programmes, stressing the importance of unrestricted access to education by girls and women as a precondition to social and economic development, Mr. Matsuura said.

In his letter, Mr. Matsuura welcomed the strides Afghanistan's Government has made in many areas, including education, which is recognized as a right in the country's constitution.

Earlier this month, the top UN human rights official called for the repeal of another new law in the country which she said seriously curtails women's rights, even explicitly permitting marital rape, and is a "huge step in the wrong direction."

The law regulates the personal status of the country's minority Shi'a community members, including relations between men and women, divorce and property rights.

It denies Afghan Shi'a women the right to leave their homes except for 'legitimate' purposes; forbids them from working or receiving education without their husbands' express permission; weakens mothers' rights in the event of a divorce; and makes it impossible for wives to inherit houses and land from their husbands, even if husbands can inherit property from their wives.

"This is another clear indication that the human rights situation in Afghanistan is getting worse, not better," said Navi Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights. "Respect for women's rights – and human rights in general – is of paramount importance to Afghanistan's future security and development."
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FIJI: UNESCO CHIEF VOICES CONCERN OVER RESTRICTIONS ON PRESS FREEDOM

The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today voiced grave concern over the crackdown on the media in Fiji after the country's leadership scrapped its Constitution and declared a state of emergency last week.

According to new regulations in the South Pacific archipelago nation, editors are not allowed to publish or broadcast any material that shows the military in an unfavourable light, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a press release.

UNESCO said that sensitive stories must also be approved by Government officials, and publication and media organizations ignoring these directives may be shut down.

"I am gravely concerned about press freedom in Fiji," said UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura, echoing earlier remarks made by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.

Urging the authorities to allow open debate to find lasting solutions to the country's difficulties, Mr. Matsuura stressed that the basic right to "freedom of expression, which underpins press freedom, is essential for democracy, good governance and rule of law."

He warned that "depriving people of news and information about events that affect them only breeds fear and suspicions. Such measures will not promote a solution to the nation's social and political problems."

A state of emergency was issued by President Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda on 10 April. As a result, all judges and magistrates were removed, along with others who had been appointed under the Constitution.

The move came on the heels of the 9 April Court of Appeals ruling that the appointment of the Interim Government by the President following the 2006 coup was illegal. In its decision, the Court also advised Mr. Iloilovatu Uluivuda to appoint a neutral caretaker as Prime Minister to aid in holding parliamentary elections.
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FINANCIAL TURMOIL COULD TRIGGER DEVELOPMENT CATASTROPHE, UN CAUTIONS

As leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) nations gear up for their meeting tomorrow, the United Nations is warning that the current global economic crisis threatens to unleash a human development catastrophe in the world's poorest nations.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will press participants at the London gathering for urgent collective action to boost development and allow people to keep their faith in their future, spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters today.

Mr. Ban, who held bilateral meetings with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, is expected to warn the leaders tomorrow that the global recession hurts everyone, but especially the poor, who in some countries spend up to 80 per cent of their incomes on food.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has also called on the heads of the G-20 nations to recognize that those most vulnerable to the crisis – which is not exclusive to Europe or the United States – are living outside the spotlight.

Those attending tomorrow's event "should recognize the human development calamity facing the people of the poorest countries and commit the resources to bail them out," said Ad Melkert, UNDP Associate Administrator.

Remittances have slumped, trade has collapsed and commodity prices continue to be volatile, plunging more families into extreme poverty and increasing mortality as a result, UNDP said. A 3 per cent drop in gross domestic product (GDP) for developing countries leads to between 47 and 120 more infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

The crisis is a "matter of life or death for many people in the poorest countries," Mr. Melkert said.

"While the economic recovery may start in 2010, the damage to human development will be severe and social recovery may take us several more years," he noted, adding that the impacts may be felt as far away as 2020.

The official also pointed out that in past recessions, poorer nations have suffered disproportionately compared to their wealthier counterparts, witnessing falls in health and education indicators. Life expectancy, school enrollment and graduation rates all drop, and in low-income countries, women, children and society's poorest segments are most likely to bear the brunt of the economic collapse.

Also warning about the impact of the financial crisis on schooling was Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), who called for greater investment in education.

According to research, extending the average period spent at school by one year will boost per capita GDP by 4-6 per cent, he said. "By injecting resources into education now, not only would we stimulate economic recovery, but we would also contribute to stronger growth in the future and guarantee global stability in the long term."

For its part, the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has called on governments to accelerate agricultural development, with the financial downturn pushing millions of people – especially poor rural people – into abject poverty.

"We ignore the world's poor farmers at our peril," said IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze. "As we strive to recover from the current turmoil, these farmers can be part of the solution."

Given the necessary support, they can drive economic growth and help the world to avert food crises, like the one that shook the world in 2008, he said.
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