Date: 07/12/2005
Source: Department of Education
Title: Hindle on behalf of N Pandor: Inauguration of the new national commission
Address by the Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, MP, delivered on her behalf by the Director-General, Mr Duncan Hindle, at the inauguration of the new national commission for the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) South Africa, Sheraton Hotel, Pretoria
It is a pleasure to be here today to inaugurate a new commission in the year UNESCO celebrates its 60th anniversary and the year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Charter.
Overshadowing the anniversaries – or perhaps because of them – earlier this year Nelson Mandela was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
UNESCO is an organ of the United Nations that we hold dear and in whose projects we have participated keenly since re-admission in 1994. Part of that participation is the hosting of a national commission under national ministerial leadership.
The national commission that we host facilitates not only working together with mother UNESCO in Paris but also with the family of United Nations (UN) organisations – the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – and in particular working towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and to achieving Education For All (EFA) by 2015.
Last week I was in Beijing where I attended a high-level EFA group working on developing a joint action plan to ensure that we meet the goals we have set ourselves. UNESCO is concerned that most countries failed to meet the goal of gender parity and we spent time considering ways in which to develop momentum towards funding an action plan to achieve the six EFA goals through a global compact. We have to build on the momentum created by the commitments made by the G8 leaders at Gleneagles in July, by the MDG conference in October, and the UNESCO general conference in October.
Under Professor Leila Patel, who became chair in 2001, our national commission has gone from strength to strength.
Thank you in particular for the clear manner in which you committed the commission to playing a major role in promoting the priorities of our national education project.
A strong team went to the 33rd general conference in October where we signalled our commitment to cultural diversity. A follow-up regional conference will be held next year in conjunction with the Department of Arts and Culture.
Under your leadership, you prepared the way for schools to become involved in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet), a network of 8 000 specialised schools throughout the world. The network enables member states to expose learners, particularly female children and young people, to global debates around cultural diversity in learning approaches. South Africa has an ASPnet national co-ordinator and about 45 schools as part of the global ASPnet.
Together with the Department of Education the national commission launched the UN Literacy Decade and more recently the UN Decade for Education on Sustainable Development.
A special mention should be made of the PhD L’OREAL awards for women in science. The awards are in their second year and I am told that they are receiving growing recognition.
We regret to see you go Prof Leila Patel and thank you for your contribution. We may still come back to you for more direction and support in future.
I am proud to announce the appointment of Prof Neo Mathabe (pro vice-chancellor of UNISA) as the new chairperson of the commission.
Thank you, Professor, for your willingness to serve your country in this regard.
We look forward to a national commission that is vibrant and visible, even more vibrant and visible than before, under your leadership.
The national commission needs to ensure that UNESCO’s policies reflect the priorities of South Africa and that of the African continent.
If South Africa is to influence the global agenda in UNESCO’s field of competencies, we should ensure that our intellectuals are involved in the affairs of UNESCO in South Africa.
South Africa should advocate a strengthened focus by UNESCO on human rights education, respect for cultural heritage and practices and diversity in language and religious practices.
Moreover, the national commission works extensively with non-government organisations (NGOs0 on a number of projects. Although we would like to have as many NGOs as possible participating as co-operating organisations, we are unable to work with as many as we would like.
Today, I would like to congratulate 47 organisations that will participate in UNESCO activities in the future.
I am pleased to give you certificates in recognition of your efforts in this regard.
Congratulations and together let’s all make South Africa a better place for all.
Issued by: Department of Education
7 December 2005
Source: Department of Education
Title: Hindle on behalf of N Pandor: Inauguration of the new national commission
Address by the Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, MP, delivered on her behalf by the Director-General, Mr Duncan Hindle, at the inauguration of the new national commission for the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) South Africa, Sheraton Hotel, Pretoria
It is a pleasure to be here today to inaugurate a new commission in the year UNESCO celebrates its 60th anniversary and the year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Charter.
Overshadowing the anniversaries – or perhaps because of them – earlier this year Nelson Mandela was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
UNESCO is an organ of the United Nations that we hold dear and in whose projects we have participated keenly since re-admission in 1994. Part of that participation is the hosting of a national commission under national ministerial leadership.
The national commission that we host facilitates not only working together with mother UNESCO in Paris but also with the family of United Nations (UN) organisations – the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – and in particular working towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and to achieving Education For All (EFA) by 2015.
Last week I was in Beijing where I attended a high-level EFA group working on developing a joint action plan to ensure that we meet the goals we have set ourselves. UNESCO is concerned that most countries failed to meet the goal of gender parity and we spent time considering ways in which to develop momentum towards funding an action plan to achieve the six EFA goals through a global compact. We have to build on the momentum created by the commitments made by the G8 leaders at Gleneagles in July, by the MDG conference in October, and the UNESCO general conference in October.
Under Professor Leila Patel, who became chair in 2001, our national commission has gone from strength to strength.
Thank you in particular for the clear manner in which you committed the commission to playing a major role in promoting the priorities of our national education project.
A strong team went to the 33rd general conference in October where we signalled our commitment to cultural diversity. A follow-up regional conference will be held next year in conjunction with the Department of Arts and Culture.
Under your leadership, you prepared the way for schools to become involved in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet), a network of 8 000 specialised schools throughout the world. The network enables member states to expose learners, particularly female children and young people, to global debates around cultural diversity in learning approaches. South Africa has an ASPnet national co-ordinator and about 45 schools as part of the global ASPnet.
Together with the Department of Education the national commission launched the UN Literacy Decade and more recently the UN Decade for Education on Sustainable Development.
A special mention should be made of the PhD L’OREAL awards for women in science. The awards are in their second year and I am told that they are receiving growing recognition.
We regret to see you go Prof Leila Patel and thank you for your contribution. We may still come back to you for more direction and support in future.
I am proud to announce the appointment of Prof Neo Mathabe (pro vice-chancellor of UNISA) as the new chairperson of the commission.
Thank you, Professor, for your willingness to serve your country in this regard.
We look forward to a national commission that is vibrant and visible, even more vibrant and visible than before, under your leadership.
The national commission needs to ensure that UNESCO’s policies reflect the priorities of South Africa and that of the African continent.
If South Africa is to influence the global agenda in UNESCO’s field of competencies, we should ensure that our intellectuals are involved in the affairs of UNESCO in South Africa.
South Africa should advocate a strengthened focus by UNESCO on human rights education, respect for cultural heritage and practices and diversity in language and religious practices.
Moreover, the national commission works extensively with non-government organisations (NGOs0 on a number of projects. Although we would like to have as many NGOs as possible participating as co-operating organisations, we are unable to work with as many as we would like.
Today, I would like to congratulate 47 organisations that will participate in UNESCO activities in the future.
I am pleased to give you certificates in recognition of your efforts in this regard.
Congratulations and together let’s all make South Africa a better place for all.
Issued by: Department of Education
7 December 2005
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