India plays proactive role in UNESCO General Conference

New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) India has played a proactive role in deliberations in the recent UNESCO General Conference held in Paris, successfully raising issues relevant to the country and the developing world.

The country has been elected to the Executive Board of UNESCO and for the first time in 60 years since 1947, it has chaired a commission of the General Conference.

The Indian delegation was also instrumental in adoption of three standard setting texts. While the International Convention against Doping in Sports and Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights were adopted by acclamation, the convention on Cultural Diversity was adopted after debate.

Besides, the proposal for Regional Center for Bio-Technology Training and Education in India under the auspices of UNESCO was approved.

It was on India's initiative that a Draft Resolution on the protection of Rights of Broadcasting Organisation was introduced.

Two Ministerial Round Table Meetings were held during the 33rd Session of the General Conference of UNESCO. Union Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh chaired the first session of the Education For All (EFA) ministerial round table entitled 'Five years after Dakar: Overview of Progress and Challenges in EFA. Kapil Sibal, Minister for Science and Technology, participated in the second ministerial round table meeting titled The Basic Sciences: The Scientific Lever for Development.

India also contributed its share of information on the Progress on establishment of Tsunami Warning System.

India National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO was briefed about the country's role in the confernece by Mr Singh at a meeting held yesterday, an official release said.

This meeting was held to apprise the members of the Commission with the decisions arrived at during the 33rd General Conference of UNESCO held in Paris from October 3-21, 2005 and follow up to these decisions including the matters taken up during the 174th and 175th session of the Executive Board held in April and September this year respectively.

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