OPENING STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS IT COMMEMORATES YEAR OF TOLERANCE
Press Release
GA/9005
OPENING STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS IT COMMEMORATES YEAR OF TOLERANCE
19951120 Following is the text of the statement by General Assembly President Diego Freitas Do Amaral (Portugal) on the United Nations Year of Tolerance, read on his behalf by Acting President Pibulsonggram (Thailand):By its resolution 48/126 of 20 December 1993, the General Assembly proclaimed 1995 the United Nations Year for Tolerance, a year which happens to coincide with our Organization's fiftieth anniversary. Today, as the Year draws to its end, it is my honour and privilege to preside over this special event of the fiftieth session of the General Assembly.
International years and other commemorative landmarks come and go, carrying with them messages of hope and great expectations. As a general rule they have in common that they deal with more or less quantifiable and measurable objectives such as literacy, communication, shelter for the homeless and many others, or that they address specific target groups such as women, refugees, disabled persons, youth.
But the Year for Tolerance, while sharing the lofty ideals with its sister Years, has this particularity that it addresses an issue that is very difficult to measure by any yardstick. We are dealing here with a complex human phenomenon where prejudice, feelings, impulses, social hierarchies and irrational fear of the "other" bring their forces together to make it difficult to design clear strategies of action. Yet we, who speak on behalf of our peoples and nations in this and other forums of the international community, have the duty at least to address issues that are in our power, notably by creating the climate favourable to tolerance through the construction of democratic institutions, and the curbing of acts of intolerance, violence, discrimination and exclusion.
And it is precisely here that international codes of conduct, monitoring and denunciation are significant and call for the strengthening of the international networks and organizations protecting human rights in the broad sense of the term (including civil, political, social, cultural and global rights). For we shall not forget that our Charter binds us, we, the peoples of the United Nations, and I quote, to " ... reaffirm faith in the fundamental
human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person ... and for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours".
It is likewise imperative to keep constantly present in our minds and hearts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which affirms that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the freedom of opinion and expression and which, most significantly, stipulates in article 26 that education "shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups".
I am informed that the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to whose wisdom we owe this initiative, has just adopted a few days ago at its twenty-eighth session a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and that in conformity with General Assembly resolution 49/213, this instrument, together with a follow-up plan of action, will be submitted to this Assembly at its fifty-first session. On your behalf, I would like to express to UNESCO our appreciation for its system-wide action to coordinate the Year's activities.
Beyond any given time-frame, let us all transcend our differences to renew our determined commitment to the promotion of the concept of tolerance as a prerequisite for a peaceful and non-violent world. Let us all hope that the rich intellectual contribution of the Year of Tolerance shall be reflected in the everyday life of our peoples in full recognition of and respect for what could be the source of a fascinating richness: diversity.
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