CHAPTER XII COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION
A. INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR COOPERATION WITH UNESCO The Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco con- tinued to make steady progress during the year. New dimensions were added to its programme of activities to increase their usefulness and effectiveness.
2. Dissemination of Information about Unesco In fulfilment of the Commission's function to disseminate infor- mation about the principles and purposes of Unesco, the Commission distributed publications and information materials supplied by Unesco to educational, scientific and cultural organisations in the country. Steps were taken to promote the use of priced publications of Unesco which make valuable contributions to the advance of education, science and culture. A special campaign was launched to popularise the Unesco Courier, an educative and informative journal. To meet the growing demand for Unesco publications the Commission obtained a sales agency of Unesco, publications in 1962. The programme of translation and publication into Hindi and other regional languages of selected Unesco works was continued to provide Unesco literature in Indian languages. The publication of a quarterly Newsletter was started in September 1962 to provide regular information about the manifold activities of Unesco and the Commission. An exhibition of publications and visual material produced by Unesco and allied organizations was assembled and displayed in New Delhi, Bombay and Madras to project the varied work of Unesco. The establishment of Unesco Centres at Chandigarh and Bombay and a Unesco Club at Madras showed the growing interest in the work of Unesco.
3. The Major Project on Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and
Western Cultural Values The implementation of this project entered a significant phase in India, with the establishment, at the India International Centre, of the Research Council for Regional Cultural Studies. A meeting of scholars at the national level in April 1962, followed by an interna- tional meeting of experts in November 1962 laid the basis for the development of a programme of studies and research by the Research Council.
3.2. The India International Centre, in cooperation with the Commission, organised a symposium in New Delhi on January 14-15, 1963 to discuss the statements of Traditional Values on American Life and Traditional Values in Indian Life.
3.3. A special committee consisting of the representatives of the University Grants Commission, India International Centre and Inter- University Board of India was constituted to develop a programme of activities, specially aimed at the universities, in furtherance of the Major Project.
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3.4. With financial assistance from the Commission, Unesco con- tinued to bring out in English and French literary classics of India in the Unesco Collection of Representative Works. Among these clas- sics, 'A Tagore Reader' and 'Kabir's Poems' were published in English and 'Gora', 'Balaka', 'Kabir's Poems' and 'Shillappadikaram' in French.
3.5. The plans for the establishment of a Gallery of Western Art at the National Museum, New Delhi made progress. The National Museum acquired audio-visual materials relating to Western art and a chemist of the Museum proceeded to Europe on a Unesco grant to study the techniques of preservation of art. Unesco issued an appeal to Western countries to make available collections of art to the Museum.
3.6. The Indian Adult Education Association, with assistance from Unesco and the Commission, assembled a travelling exhibition of read- ing materials for the new reading public on the theme 'international understanding' and circulated it in the country.
4. Associated Schools Project for Education in International
UnderstandingThe implementation of the East-West Major Project in the school sector is carried out through the Unesco Associated Schools Project in-which twenty secondary schools and teachers training colleges from India continued to take part. As its contribution to the project, the Commission with the cooperation of the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity assembled a study kit of audio-visual materials depicting India, its land and people, art and culture, etc. This kit was displayed in New Delhi in September 1962.
4.2. To extend the scope and impact of Associated Schools Project, the Commission. launched a programme for promoting experimen- tal activities in education for international understanding in 400 to 500 secondary schools and teachers training institutions throughout the country. This programme aims at promoting learning about people and their culture in other countries, respect for human rights and fundamental freedom and teaching about the United Nations and the specialised agencies. To develop this programme, Unesco lent the services of Dr. Herbert J. Abraham, Chief of the Division of Promoting Human Rights and Education in International Understanding, who joined the Commission in October, 1962.
5. Teachig about the U.N.
The 19th Regional Seminar on Teaching about the United Nations was organised in New Delhi on October 21-November 3, 1962 by the World Federation of UN Associations, in cooperation with the Indian Federa- tion of UN Associations and with financial assistance from Unesco and the Commission. The Seminar was attended by representatives of coun- tries in South Asia and educational personnel of different States in India.
5.2. The Commission extended financial assistance to the All India UN Committee for organising the celebrations of the UN Day 1962.
The Commission consisting of five Sub-Commissions-Education, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Cultural Activities and Humanities, and Mass Communication, held its fifth conference in New Delhi on Septem- ber 26-27, 1962. Dr. K.L. Shrimali, Union Minister of Education, presided
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over the Conference and Mr. Rene Maheu, the then acting Director- General of Unesco, attended the Conference by special invitation. Meeting on the eve of the General Conference of Unesco due to commence in Paris in November 1962, the Commission examined the proposed pro- gramme and budget of Unesco for 1963 and 1964 and made a number of recommendations for the development of activities by Unesco in differ- ent fields. The Commission also approved the future programme of work of the Commission and adopted rules for admission of non-governmental organizations as associate members.
6.2. Following the Conference, the Commission organised a Sympo- sium on Education and Traditional Values on September 28, 1962 which was inaugurated by the Vice-President, Dr. Zakir Husain.
The Commission continued to develop and strengthen its relations with other National Commissions for Unesco and international organiza- tions. Special mention may be made of the participation of Indian schools in a project for an international collection of children's art sponsored by the Unesco Institute of Education, Hamburg and the pre- sentation of materials on India to the Canadian Broadcasting Corpora- tion for a programme on the life and culture of the Eastern peoples,
Educational and cultural leaders from several countries visited India on Unesco awards for studies, training and observation in their respective fields of interests.
The Commission operated this scheme and sold coupons worth Rs. 1.50 lakh.
B. GOVERNMENT'S RELATIONS WITH UNESCO
As a member of Unesco, the Government lent all possible support to the Organization in the international action promoted by it in different fields and received its financial and technical assistance for developing national and regional activities coming within its purview.
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Member of Parliament, led the Indian dele- gation to the twelfth session of the General Conference of Unesco held in Paris from November 9 to December 12, 1962.
Unesco has agreed to provide technical assistance for the devel- opment and improvement of science education at the secondary level and for postgraduate education and research in natural sciences at the university level. This assistance would be given under the U.N. Expanded Technical Assistance Programme and a major part of it will come from the U.S.S.R. contribution to the programme. For the imple- mentation of these projects equipment worth $500,000 will be provided under the 1962 programme and expert services, training fellowships and equipment worth $384,000 will
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be given under the 1963-64 programme. Besides, allocation for additional equipment worth $500,000 is also expected for these projects during 1963-64.
3.2. In addition, technical assistance worth about one million dollars will be provided by Unesco during the years 1963-64 for the Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Department of Chemical Technology, Madras Univer- sity, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, Postgradute Studies in Engi- neering and Technology, etc.
Shri P. N. Kirpal, Education Secretary led the Indian Delegation to the meeting of Asian Ministers of Education convened by Unesco in Tokyo in April 1962. India also participated in the 25th Internation- al Conference on Public Education held in Geneva in July 1962 and in the International Educational Building Conference organised in London in July-August 1962.
4.2. The Government is participating in the Unesco emergency pro- gramme for assistance to Member-States in Africa for educational development. In addition to a financial contribution of Rs. 10 lakh already offered to Unesco, Government has instituted 33 fellowships at a cost of Rs. 5 lakh for the training of African university personnel in India.
4.3. In the field, of Natural Sciences, assistance amounting to Rs. 2,14,000 was received for the development of the International Biological Research Station at Cochin and of the Physical Oceanography Centre at Waltair to promote the Indian participation in the Interna- tional Indian Ocean Expedition. The Films Division, with the assist- ance of Unesco and under the technical direction of Dr. N. K. Panik- kar, Director of Oceanography, is producing a documentary on the Expedition.
4.4. India's participation in the Arid Zone Research, Humid Tropics and other Unesco programmes in Natural Sciences continued. Indian scientists took advantage of the various seminars and training courses organised by the Unesco South Asia Science Cooperation Office.
4.5. In the field of Social Sciences, the Government made a contribution of Rs. 1,66,670 to the Unesco Research Centre on Social and Economic Development in Southern Asia for its operation during 1963.
4.6. The Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi, with the assistance of Unesco, completed a study on some of the factors that influence the choice and effectiveness of foreign aid programmes as part of a series of such studies sponsored by Unesco in different countries.
4.7. In the field of Cultural Activities, India participated in the Regional, Project for Promotion of Reading Materials in South Asia operated by the Unesco Regional Centre at Karachi. Unesco assistance was obtained for various activities for the preparation and dissemina- tion of literature for the new reading public.
4.8. As its contribution to Unesco's International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia, the Government sent an archaeological team to carry out excavations on a site allotted to India in the Egyptian Nubia that would be submerged as a result of construction of the Aswan High Dam.
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The team completed its work in early 1962 and returned to India with finds of great archaeological interest.
4.9. In the field of Mass Communication, a Unesco fellowship was obtained for an Indian educator to attend the Regional Seminar on Educational Television in Tokyo in September 1962 organised by the Japanese National Commission for Unesco in collaboration with Unesco. A report on the evaluation of the use of television for community and social education, based on the experimental. programmes broadcast by the Television Unit of All India Radio, was completed by the National Fundamental Education Centre, and the Indian Adult Education Associa- tion, New Delhi and transmitted to Unesco.