INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR COOPERATION WITH UNESCO
Co-operation between India and India is one of the founder members of the United Nations Educational,
Unesco Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) which was established with
headquarters in Paris in November, 1946. During the year under report,
India continued to play a leading role in matters relating to Unesco and
participated in the following major Unesco Conferences and hosted a Sub-
Regional meeting of the Unesco National Commissions of the Asian count-
ries:
Sub-Regional Meeting of Unesco Na- The Sub-Regional meeting of Unesco, National Commissions of the Asian
tional Commissions of the Asian countries, was convened by the Indian National Commission for Coopera-
Region tion with Unesco at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, from April 5-8, 1983. The
Conference was attended by the delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Besides the representatives of the Unesco National Commissions from
Australia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea
Mongolia and the USSR attended the meeting as observers. Mr. C. Bekri,
Assistant Director-General, Executive Office of Director-General of Unesco
and Mr. K. Clermont, Director, National Commissions Division, Unesco
Headquarters, Paris, attended the meeting as representatives of the Director
General of Unesco. Mr. C. Crellin, Educational Adviser, Unesco Regional
Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, and Dr. M.P. Der-
katch, Director a.i., Unesco Regional Office of Science and Technology in
South and Central Asia, New Delhi, also participated in the meeting. The
main purpose of the meeting was to bring about better understanding of
Unesco projects and activities undertaken in the sub-region and to exchange
views about strengthening sub-regional and regional cooperation by 'Unesco,
National Commissions. The Final Report of the meeting has been published
and distributed among all the National Commissions of Unesco.
Meetings of Inter-Departmental Unesco's Draft Programme and Budget for 1984-85 received from the
Working Groups Director General of Unesco, followed an inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral
approach which was a marked departure from the pattern of previous years.
In order to give best consideration to this document, 15 inter-departmental
working groups were set up to examine each Major Programme. The
Working Groups held their meetings in June and July, 1983 and their
reports were placed before the five Sub-Commissions of the National Com-
mission, which met in July and August, 1983.
Meetings of the Five Sub-Commis- For examining the Draft Programme and Budget of Unesco and to for-
sions of the Indian National com- mulate India's stand, the Indian National Commission convened the meet-
mission for Cooperation with ings of its five Sub-Commissions in July-August, 1983.
Unesco
Seventeenth Session of the Indian The meetings of the Sub-Commissions were followed by the Seventeenth
National Commission for Unesco. Session of the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco
which was held in New Delhi, on September 161, 1983. Smt. Sheila Kaul,
Minister for Education and Culture, who is also the President of the Com-
mission, presided over the Conference.
The main purpose of the meeting was to consider the Unesco Draft
Programme and Budget for the biennium 1984-1985. In addition, it
considered the draft resolutions and amendments proposed to be moved by
India at the Twenty-second Session of the General Conference of Unesco
which was to be held in Paris in October-November 1983. The meeting
was attended by 53 eminent personalities and experts who are members of
the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco.
Twenty-second Session of the Gene- A high-powered delegation led by Smt. Sheila Kaul, Minister of State
ral Conference of Unesco for Education, Culture and Social Welfare, attended the Twenty-second
Session of the General Conference of Unesco, held in Paris, from October
25 to November 26, 1983. The other members of the delegation were :
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Shri T. N. Kaul, Member, Executive Board of Unesco; Smt. Serla
Grewal, Education Secretary; Shri Kireet Joshi, Special Secretary, Ministry
of Education and Culture; Shri Narendra Singh, Ambassador of India to
France; Shri Chandrakar, M.P.; Smt. G.K. Brar, M.P,; Shri Inam Rahman,
Ambassdor and Permanent Representative of India to Unesco- Shri D.S.
Misra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture; Prof. Sanat
Biswas, Bengal Engineering College, Howrah; Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar,
Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs; Shri J.K. Bhattacharya, Join
Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Dr. Jawahar Dhar,
Director, Department of Science and Technology; Shri S. L. Kaushal, Direc-
tor, Ministry of Education and Culture; and Shri Baldev Mahajan, Deputy
Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture.
In her address to the General Conference, delivered on 31st October,
1983, Slut. Kaul observed that at a time when the contemporary world was
passing through a great crisis, the General Conference of Unesco provided
an opportunity to reflect on strategies and to plan in a concerted way prog-
rammes of action which are fundamental to the quest for peace, coopera-
tion, development and fulfilment. She stated that it was a paradox of the
present times that when science, and technology promised bright prospects
of universal peace and prosperity, nations were busy building up huge
stock piles of weapons which posed the threat of imminent destruction of
human civilisation. She, therefore, urged that in this critical hour, sincere
efforts -should be made to strengthen the capacity and role of Unesco to
foster regional and international cooperation in the fields of education,
culture, communication, science and technology.
The leader of the Indian delegation was elected as one of the Vice-
Presidents of the General Conference. India was also elected as a member
of the Drafting and Negotiating Group established by the Conference. In
addition, India was elected as a member of the following intergovernmental
bodies :
(1) Council of the International Bureau of Education;
(2) International Coordinating Council of the Programme on Man
and Biosphere; and
(3) Interim inter-governmental Committee on Informatics.
Apart from the active participation of the Indian delegation in the dis-
cussions held in the plenary sessions, programme commissions and adminis-
trative commission, the Indian Delegation submitted 15 draft amendments
and resolutions to emphasise, the point of view of India and other develop-
ing countries and to highlight certain priorities and programmes for Unesco's
work. India fully supported the adoption of the budgetary ceiling of US
Dollars 374,410,000 for the biennium 1984-1985, together with Unesco's
programme for the two-year period which comprised a series of 14 major
programmes, put into operational terms of publications, meetings, confe-
rences, regional and inter-regional and world-wide projects based on the
Medium-Term Plan of Unesco for the next six years.
Contribution to Unesco's Budget India's contribution to the Unesco Budget covering the period 1981-
1983 was fixed at 0.59 per cent of the total Budget of Unesco as adopted
at the Twenty-first Session of General Conference of Unesco held in Sep-
tember-October, 1980. Accordingly, India's share of contribution to
Unesco Budget for the three-year period ending on December 31, 1983,
amounted to US $ 35,25,132 a sum of Rs. 1,17,73,900 was to be paid to
Unesco in 1983 as a part of this contribution.
Executive Board of Unesco Shri T. N. Kaul, India's representative on Unesco's Executive Board,
participated in the 116th, 117th and 118th sessions of the Executive Board
and the Special Committee meetings of the Board held during the year.
Preparation for holding the Twenty-second Session of the General Confe-
rence of Unesco in October-November 1983 and adoption of Programme
and Budget of Unesco for the biennium 1984-85 were some of the Important
items which were discussed at the meetings of the Executive Board.
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Visit of the Director-General After his last visit to India for attending the inaugural session of the
of Unesco seventh non-aligned summit meeting in March, 1983, the Director General
of UNESCO, Mr. Amadou Mahtar M'Bow, accompanied by Mrs. M'Bow,
visited India again from December 8-11, 1983. During his stay in India,
he inaugurated the NAMEDIA Conference held in New Delhi from Decem-
ber 9 to 12, 1983. He visited Lucknow where the University of Lucknow
conferred on him the Degree, of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa).
Besides, Mr. M'Bow called on the Prime Minister, the Minister for Infor-
mation and Broadcasting and the Minister of State for Education, Culture
and Social Welfare. In addition to addressing a Press Conference, he
attended a meeting of the Auroville International Advisory Council as well.
First Conference of Ministers of The First Conference of Ministers of Education and Culture of NAM
Education and Culture of NAM and and other Developing Countries was held from September 24 to 28, 1983
Other Developing Countries in Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The meeting was
convened to review the situation of education and culture in the non-aligned
and other developing countries and to discuss strategy for the development
of education and culture and to consider ways and means for strengthening
cooperation among these countries in these fields.
The five-member Indian delegation to this Conference was led by Smt.
Sheila Kaul, Minister of State for Education, Culture and Social Welfare.
The Indian delegation carried a message from the Prime Minister, who is the
Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement. The leader of the Indian dele-
gation, Smt. Sheila Kaul, presided over the inaugural session of the con-
ference and delivered the inaugural address. She called upon the non-
aligned and other developing nations to evolve a system of education which
would ]ad to a change of consciousness which could alone Sustain and lead
humanity in its passage, from the old world order of tension and conflict to a
new world of peace and cooperation.
Apart from its active participation, in the deliberations of the Education
and Culture Commissions, Indian delegation was called upon to Shoulder
the onerous responsibility of finalising the Declaration of the Conference
which provided the general framework, embodying principles and guidelines
for cooperation between non-aligned and other developing countries in the
fields of education and culture.
Participation by India in other Con- Unesco organised the international conference of States with a view to
ferences/Meetings sponsored by adoption of the regional convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas
Unesco and Degrees in Asia and the Pacific at Bangkok from December 12 to 16,
1983. India, was represented by Shri M. R. Kolhatkar, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Education and Culture. It is hoped that this conference will
pave the way for a greater exchange of ideas, scientific and technological
experience, and provide for greater mobility of teachers, students and
research Workers in the region.
Shri Kireet Joshi, Special Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture,
attended Unesco's Inter-governmental Conference, on Education for Inter-
national Understanding, Cooperation, Peace and Education relating to
Rights and Fundamental Freedom convened at Paris from April 12-17,
1983.
Shri D. S. Misra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture,
and Miss Kamal Vasudeva, Principal, Teachers Training Institute, Delhi,
participated in the International Congress on the occasion of the Thirtieth
anniversary of the Associated Schools Project held at Sofia, Bulgaria, from
September 12-16, 1983.
In addition to the above meetings, the Indian National Commission
nominated' experts to participate in about 46 national, regional and interna-
tional meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences, etc., convened by or
under the auspices of UNESCO.
Contribution to Safeguard Mohen- India has contributed US$25,000 (Rs. 2,515,00) to the Unesco's
jodaro International Campaign to safeguard Mohenjodaro in response to the
second appeal by the Director General of Unesco. The international cam-
paign to safeguard the important cultural site of Mohenjodaro was initia-
83
ted by Unesco in 1978 in response to the initiative taken by India. In
1980, a sum of US$50,000 was contributed by India towards this cam-
paign. Thus the total contribution by India at present stands at US$
75,000.
Unesco Clubs With a view to disseminating and promoting information among people
about United Nations and its specialised agencies, the Indian National
Commission for Cooperation with Unesco has been encouraging Unesco
Clubs movement in the country. The main activities of these clubs include
observance of UN Day, Human Rights Day, Unesco Week, etc.and
organisation of or participation in exhibitions of Unesco publications,
symposia seminars and lecture-programmes. At present there are 133
Unesco Clubs functioning throughout the country majority of them being
located in Universities and Public Libraries.
Unesco Coupons The Commission continued to operate the Unesco Internationl Cou-
pons Scheme designed to help educational and research institutions, and
also individuals working in the fields of education, science and culture
to import their bonafide requirements of educational publications, scientific
equipments and educational films from abroad without undergoing
the foreign exchange and import control formalities. The total sale of
Unesco Coupons during 1983-84 will amount to Rs. 4 lakhs approxi-
mately.
Unesco Courier The Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco conti-
nues to get the Hindi and Tamil Editions of "The Unesco Courier" pub-
lished through the Central Hindi Directorate and the Southern Languages
Book Trust, Madras, respectively. The present number of each language
issue is 3,000 copies.
Newsletter The Commission brings out a quarterly "Newsletter" to publicise in-
formation about the activities of the Commission and Unesco in India. In
all, 3,000 copies are printed and are distributed among National Com-
missions Abroad, Education Departments of States, Universities and
other educational institutions, including Unesco Associated Schools, in
the country and abroad.
Associated Schools Project The Indian National Commission participates in Unesco's Associated
Schools Project which promotes understanding of the aims and activities
of Unesco among the People of India. The Secretariat of the Commission
continued to sanction grants-in-aid to voluntary organisations in spreading
the message of Unesco.
Strengthening the Activities of the In order to enable the Indian National Commission for Unesco to di-
Indian National Commission charge its functions and responsibilities in an adequate manner, a plan
scheme for strengthening the activities of the Commission with a total
outlay of Rs. 25 lakhs has been included in the Sixth Five-Year Plan.
Out of the total outlay, a provision of Rs. 15.50 lakhs has been included
in the budget estimates for 1984-85. A proposal is under consideration
to set up under the aegis of the Indian National Commission, a Unesco
House in New Delhi for the execution of Unesco, activities in this country,
such as organising exhibitions, coordinating the work of Unesco Clubs.
publishing literature relating to Unesco Clubs for wide circulation in order
to create a better awareness of world problems amongst the younth of
the country. In addition, a proposal to construct a building to house offi-
ces of UNESCO functioning in New Delhi. is under active considera-
tion. The Ministry of Works and Housing has earmarked a plot of land
measuring one acre for constructing the proposed UNESCO House
building.
Auroville The management of the Auroville, an international cultural town-
ship, was taken over by the Government of India in 1980 under the
Auroville (Eemergency Provision) Act, 1980. Initially, the take-
over was for a period of two years. The term of management has been
extended now up to November, 1984.