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| | Second meeting of the Intersectoral Task Force on Iraq
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23-04-2003 - The Director-General brought together, for the second time, on Wednesday, 23 April 2003, the Intersectoral Task Force on Iraq which he established last March. |
Koïchiro Matsuura first welcomed the unanimous support expressed for him by the Executive Board of UNESCO during its 166th session through its endorsement of his statements and action in favour of Iraq, in UNESCO’s fields of competence, notably in regard to the safeguarding of cultural heritage. For the Director-General, the resolution adopted by the Executive Board is an encouragement to pursue the different initiatives that he has undertaken and will report on during the Board’s 167th session.
In the field of culture, a number of the six recommendations issued by the experts’ meeting held on 17 April at UNESCO Headquarters are already being implemented. Another meeting, to be held on 29 April in London, co-chaired by the British Museum and UNESCO, will consider how the museum community should respond to illicit trafficking in artworks. Furthermore, an evaluation mission composed of high-level international experts will be sent to Iraq, in early May, in order to make an inventory of the damage sustained by the main museums, historical monuments and archaeological sites, in particular in Baghdad, Ashur, Tikrit, Mosul and Ur. The results of this mission will be drawn on in setting up an international database which should help prevent fraudulent exportation of works of art belonging to the Iraqi cultural heritage, and in establishing an emergency plan of action for the safeguarding and rehabilitation of this heritage.
In the sphere of education, UNESCO is putting in place a global strategy to ensure the resumption of the Iraqi educational process at all levels and to identify the different needs. This strategy forms part of the measures that will be taken by the United Nations with a view to rapidly bringing institutions back into operation. To this end, UNESCO will mobilize international support for actions to meet urgent needs, such as the organization of exams, the provision of textbooks and the training of teachers. Following the resolution adopted by the Security Council of the United Nations on 28 March last, to resume “on an interim and exceptional basis” implementation of the Oil for Food programme, UNESCO is continuing with the programmes it has undertaken within this framework. In this connection the Director-General noted the desirability of fulfilling current contracts and of turning fully to account the experience of Iraqi national personnel.
He also stressed that emergency actions should be envisaged in the field of communication, particularly with a view to assisting in the establishment of independent media.
Within the framework of the United Nations system’s presence in Iraq, the Director-General reiterated his desire to strengthen UNESCO’s presence there, by opening an office in Baghdad. To this end a preparatory mission will be sent as soon as conditions permit.
Finally, to ensure the visibility of actions undertaken by the Organization, the Director-General expressed the wish that the communication policy now established be continued and in particular that UNESCO’s website on Iraq at www.unesco.org/bpi/iraq be built up.
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Office of the Spokeswoman
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