INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR COOPERATION WITH UNESCO
A : INC ACTIVITIES India has been a member of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation since its inception in 1946. In accordance with the requirement of article VII of the Constitution of Unesco, an interim Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco was set up in 1949 followed by a permanent Commission in 1951 which was last reconstituted in September, 1974. During the year the Commission continued to cooperate with Unesco in its efforts to promote international understanding and world peace through education, science, culture and communication.
Twelth Conference of the INC for Unesco.-Held at Vigyan Bhawan on August 21-22, 1976, the first plenary session of the conference was chaired by Dr. V. K. R. V. Rao, in the absence of the Education Minister who is the President of the Commission. After welcoming the delegates, the Secretary-General of the Commission read out the Education Minister's inaugural address.
The Education Minister drew attention to the powerful call for ushering in of a new International Economic Order free from exploitation and injustice. He spoke of the historic Summit Conference of Non-aligned Nations at Colombo where our Prime Minister had said : "Economic exploitation persists in old and new garbs. So do the technological disparties and psychological complexes bred by colonialism." Unesco, he went on to say, is deeply concerned, with these matters. Its Charter enjoins on it to work for peace and cooperation amongst all and to flight colonialism, racialism, imperialism and injustice.
The Education Minister noted that there was an increasing awareness among developing countries that they could do much
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by collaboration and cooperation among themselves. He referred to the Non-aligned News Agencies Pool as a concrete realisation of this desire and as representing a major break-through for the Third World in the sphere of communication.
Speaking of the spectacular developments in this country in building up a large and highly-trained pool of manpower in science and technology, the Education Minister stressed that the focus had rightly shifted in India to the use of science and technology for the solution of day-to-day problems, for bringing about radical improvements in the total quality of the life of people.
The Education Minister, however, cautioned that science alone would not solve the complex problems of society. There is increasing realisation of the need to advance on a broad front taking due account of the imperatives of social and cultural developments as a whole. In all these, matters, the programmes of Unesco are of particular interest to India and to other nations of the third world.
The Education Minister then spoke of the fundamental improvement in the climate of education in India and drew attention to the significant progress made in various spheres of education and youth programmes in the last two years.
During the same period, important changes have taken place in Unesco, including the appointment for the first time of a Director- General who hails from a developing country. He referred to Mr. M'Bow as 'a humanist devoted to the ideals for which Unesco stands'. He also spoke of the fresh initiatives taken by Unesco, on global problems in all the areas under its competence, especially in attempting to focus attention on the needs of developing countries.
After the plenary session, the four Sub-Commissions on Education, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and
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Culture and Communications met separately and considered the following items :
(1) Secretary-General's Report on the Activities of the Commission for 1974-76
(2) Draft Programme and Budget of Unesco for 1977-78
(3) Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Unesco
(4) Draft resolutions and amendments to the Programme Budget of Unesco for 1977-78 presented by India to the Director-General, Unesco.
The closing session, under the presidentship of the Education Minister, Prof. S. Nurul Hasan, adopted the reports of the Sub- Commission, which contained valuable recommendations on the items discussed. The meeting approved draft resolutions on physical education and sports, integrated rural development, science and technology, international conference on engineering and technical education, education for children, decentralisation in the functioning of Unesco, international economic order, paper shortage, national communication policies and performing arts for consideration at the 19th General Conference of Unesco. It also laid down guidlines for the Indian Delegation to the fourthcoming General Conference of Unesco.
The Conference made a few significant recommendations with regard to the role and functions of the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco. It emphasised the need for more frequent consultations with the expert members of the different Sub- Commissions, on all important matters pertaining to their sphere of specialisation. Towards this end, a recommendation was made that the conference of the National Commission should be convened at least once a year.
The Conference also recommended that suitable steps might be taken to promote the sale of Unesco publications including the Hindi Edition of 'The Unesco Courier'.
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The other recommendation was that Unesco Clubs movement in the country had to be strengthened. Although there were about 130 Unesco clubs, situated mostly in universities, they function more or less as information centres. The voluntary organisations functioning in the field of Unesco clubs should be encouraged.
The Conference also stressed the need for organising effective programmes all over the country to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Unesco. Details of the celebration are given later in the chapter.
Sub-Regional Meeting of Unesco National Commissions.The INC for Unesco, with the support of Unesco under its Participation Programme convened the Sub-Regional Meeting of the National Commissions for Unesco in Asian Countries at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on September 7- 10, 1976. Participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Iran, Nepal and Sri Lanka attended it. Unesco was also represented at the meeting. Shri K. N. Channa, Education Secretary and Secretary- General of the INC, was elected President of the meeting. It inter alia considered the following matters : (i) Preparation for the 19th session of the General Conference of Unesco on areas of common interest ; (ii) Implementation of the recommendations of the VI Regional Conference of National Commissions for Unesco in Asia and Oceania held in November, 1975 ; (iii) Decentralisation of Unesco activities ; (iv) Programe for the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Unesco ; (v) Review of Unesco projects in the sub-region ;and (vi) Giving special consideration to the needs of the least developed countries emphasising need for greater cooperation in the sub-region on social studies and need for development of studies on the status of women.
The discussion on the items led to a wide-ranging exchange of views and the meeting adopted several recommendations of great importance directed towards closer cooperation between the National Commissions, on the one hand, and the Unesco Secretariat, on the other.
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The participants expressed their: appreciation of the measures taken by the Director-General in formulating a comprehensive Draft Programme and Budget for 1977-78 in close consultation with the member-States and introducing for the first time a detailed Draft Medium-Term Plan (1977-1982) in which essential and critical problems of global concern were analysed and, objectives identified. This would facilitate perspective planning and adjustment of plans and programmes to the changing needs and priorities of member-States.
The meeting symbolised the increasing involvement of National Commissions in the planning and formulation Unesco's biennial as well as medium-term plans. Unesco's desire to gear its future programmes to the solution of problems of real concern to the member-States in general and the developing countries in particular was noted with appreciation. At the same time, it was felt that this programme of action still fell short of the expectations especially of the developing countries. It was necessary to formulate programmes corresponding to the specific needs and situations obtaining at the regional and sub-regional level. This was particularly relevant to this region considering its social needs and priorities. The meeting therefore desired that a critical examination be undertaken of the activities and projects envisaged by Unesco.
Education for International Understanding.-The INC continued to operate the Associated Schools Project in Education for International Cooperation and Peace. The primary aim of the Associated Schools Project is to encourage experiments in education for international understanding. Apart from 33 educational institutions which are in direct contact with the Unesco, Secretariat, the Commission continued to promote this project in 926 primary, secondary and teachers' training institutions under its expanded programme.
Thirtieth Anniversary of Unesco.- The Thirtieth Anniversary of Unesco which fell due on November 4, 1976 was celebrated throughout the country. The celebrations recalled the
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work accomplished by Unesco, in the broad field of ethical action, intellectual cooperation and aid to development during the three decades of its existence in the service of the international com- munity. This stock-taking was the starting point for serious con- sideration concerning the form gad substance of the Organisation's future activities. The INC brought out a brochure entitled, 'Thirtieth Anniversary of Unesco' which threw light on the activities and programmes of the institutions in India originally started with the help of Unesco.
Unesco Clubs.-The National Commission has been promoting the establishment of Unesco clubs in various centres including universities, libraries and educational and cultural institutions. So far 130 such clubs have been established throughout the country. These clubs undertake activities to disseminate information about the aims and the policies of Unesco, UN and similar bodies and arrange various programmes in education, science, culture, etc. to promote international understanding, cooperation and' world peace. The clubs were asked to take up action programmes of utility to the surrounding communities. The Commission has been sending publications, periodicals and other materials received from Unesco or brought out by the Commission itself to all the clubs regularly. Special kits of material are sent to the clubs to enable them to celebrate UN Day and Human Rights Day in a befitting manner.
The Unesco Courier.-The INC for Unesco continued to get the Hindi and Tamil editions of 'The Unesco Courier' published through the National Book Trust, India, Publication Section of the Ministry of Education, and Social Welfare, Central Hindi Directorate and the Southern Languages Book Trust, Madras, respectively.
Unesco Coupons.-The Commission continued to operate the Unesco International Coupons Scheme designed to assist institutions and individuals working in the fields of education, science, culture and communication to import educational and scientific material from foreign countries on payment in Indian
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rupees. Coupons worth $ 1,36,246.41 were sold during the period between January and November, 1976.
Newsletter and World in the Classroom.-The Commission continued to bring out the quarterly 'Newsletter' to publicise information about the activities of the Commission and Unesco in India, and 'World in the Classroom', a special bulletin. The Library and Documentation Unit of the Commission continued to make available copies of the Unesco publications/periodicals including 'World in the Classroom and 'Newsletter' to educational and research institutions/organisations all over India and abroad. Distribution of literature on a special basis was undertaken on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Unesco. The Unit continued to bring out a monthly annotated list (Current Awareness) of publications/periodicals/reports, received from Unesco headquarters/regional offices and other Unesco's research and planning institutions in member-States.
B. UNESCO ACTIVITIES ABROAD First Conference of Ministers and Senior officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sports: In response to an invitation from Unesco, India participated in the Conference which was held at Paris on April 5-10, 1976. The 4-member Indian delegation was led by the Education Minister, Prof. S. Nurul Hasan and included President, Indian Olympic Association, Air Chief Marshal O.P. Mehra, Secretary of the INC for Unesco, Shri Tarun Roy and Director of the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, Shri R. L. Anand.
19th Session of the General Conference of Unesco : The 19th Session of the General Conference of Unesco, was held at Nairobi (Kenya) on 26th October to 30th November, 1976. The Indian delegation was led by the Education, Minister, Prof. S. Nurul Hasan and the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Shri Vidya Charan Shukla and the Chairman, Policy Planning Committee of the Minister of External Affairs, Shri G. Parthasarathi, acted as the Alternate Leader. The Delegation comprised two
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more members, namely, Dr. S. Gopal, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Shri K. N. Channa, Union Education Secretary, while the alternate delegates numbered five with nine advisers.
The Education Minister of Kenya was elected President of the General Conference.
India was not elected one of the 21 Vice-Presidents of the Bureau of the General Conference, at her own instance and she offered to withdraw in favour of Sri Lanka. However, India was elected to the 25-member Drafting and Negotiation Group, which was a new innovation. As far as the Unesco, General Conference is concerned, it proved to be one of the crucial committees. The main task of this Group was to examine controversial issues that confronted the session and to find a solution on the basis of consensus. The work of this group was praised immensely at the closing session of the Conference.
While participating in the General Policy Debate, the leader of the Indian delegation, Professor S. Nurul Hasan said : "A world of interdependence postulates a world based on equality, equity and justice. Unfortunately some influential and vociferous elements have started accusing this Organisation of getting improperly involved with political issues and when decisions are taken which are not to their liking, they do not hesitate to indulge in pressurisation to bend this great Organisation to their own will. I would like to submit respectfully that this Organisation constitutes a forum in which argument has to be met by argument and the veracity of all opinions tested by clear and fearless debate. The vision of a better world must never be blurred or dimmed."
The Education Minister condemned the intolerable practices of the apartheid and racial discrimination and hoped that the last vestiges of colonialism would be eliminated once for all and the people of Africa would receive the justice that had been their due for many years. The Education Minister cautioned the member-States to guard against the subtle and insidious nature
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of cultural dominance and intellectual infiltration. He said, "Peace is not merely the absence of war, but active cooperation to work for survival and progress, to keep alive and provide opportunities for the unfolding of the human personality"
The Indian delegation moved a number of resolutions during the Conference pertaining to education, culture, natural sciences, communication and the administrative structure of Unesco.
The Indian resolution on Science and Technology for Development received considerable support and was combined with a similar resolution from the Soviet Union. It was adopted unanimously and dominated the discussion in the Commission on Natural Science.
In the field of Education, an Indian resolution on devising educational material for children evoked considerable interest. It was noted by the Commission but bad the effect of initiating the UNESCO Secretariat into thinking of setting up a separate unit to deal with this subject.
The Indian resolution on Sports and Physical Education, re- iterating, inter alia, the need for international competitions to be held on a basis of equality was noted by the General Conference and included in its Work Plans. The Indian resolutions elicited widespread support in the working session and many developed and developing countries, including the United States, Iran and Nepal supported the resolution.
The General Conference adopted the Indian resolution on Decentralisation of UNESCO's Activities. This resolution called upon UNESCO to assign some of the Organisation's activities to member- States, National Commissions and competent non-governmental organisations, entailing more staff transfers from UNESCO Headquarters to Regional Offices and giving adequate responsibilities and authority to take decisions to Regional Offices and National Commissions.
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Regional Groups.-Israel was formally admitted as a member of the European Regional Group of UNESCO thus ending a controversial issue pending before the Organisation since the last General Conference. The refusal of the last General Conference held in Paris in 1974 to admit Israel to the European Group led to the United States withholding its financial contribution to UNESCO. The Arab countries did not oppose the move because they wanted the Nairobi Conference to succeed. In fact this Nairobi spirit was in evidence throughout the Conference and the African and Arab countries saw to it that nothing was done or said to mar the Conference.
Excavations in Jerusalem.-The General Conference condemned Israel's excavation and building projects in Jerusalem which would alter the historic character of the city. Israel's educational and cultural policies in occupied territory were also condemned because they amounted to 'cultural assimilation'.
UNESCO decided to block financial assistance for Israel. The Organisation will continue the 'no cash' policy approved at the last General Conference in, 1974. 25 countries voted against the resolution.
Press Agencies Pool of Non-Aligned Nations.-UNESCO approved a resolution laying the foundation for a Third-World News Agency Pool which would serve non-aligned nations. This would help to redress the imbalance in the flow of information from rich and poor countries.