UNESCO-ISESCO: More than 20 Years of Cooperation 15-05-2006 - On 15 May 2006, the Director-General of ISESCO, Abdulaziz Othoman Altwaijri, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, signed in Paris a new programme of cooperation for 2006-2007.

This cooperation agreement is the outcome of the ninth ISESCO-UNESCO Joint Meeting which was held for the first time at ISESCO’s new Headquarters in Rabat, Morocco. It falls within the framework of an official agreement signed between the two Organizations in 1984.

After signing the agreement, which concerns 89 projects in education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, communication and external relations, the Director-General of UNESCO expressed his “great pleasure” at the growing cooperation with ISESCO stating that past agreements are “producing important results.”

He also recalled his recent participation in Sri Lanka at the Award Ceremony of the 2006 UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize awarded to the Lebanese journalist Ms May Chidiac. Press Freedom is “at the heart of UNESCO’s international mandate” he reiterated, particularly in the Arab World.

Dialogue among Civilizations and respect for religion also forms an important part of the Organization’s work, stated Mr Matsuura in his closing remarks. Pursuant to the decision taken by the 174th Session of the Board on “Respect for freedom of expression and respect for sacred beliefs and values and religious and cultural symbols” the Director-General of UNESCO underscored his intentions to pursue actions aimed at furthering mutual understanding, promoting peace and tolerance.

The Director-General of ISESCO for his part thanked Mr. Matsuura for his “wise and courageous leadership” and expressed his satisfaction with the bi-lateral relations of the two organizations. “We have come a long way since 1985,” he said, “and we will continue working for the betterment of life together.”

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Source	Flash info n°074-2006