Press Release No. L/28/99

13 September 1999

UNESCO PROAP in cooperation with UN-ESCAP mark the launching of the International Year for the Culture of Peace (2000) on 14 September 1999 at the United Nations Conference Center, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, from 1000 to 1100 hours.

Thai Government ministries and officials, all heads of UN agencies, foreign diplomatic missions in Bangkok, NGOs working in promoting the ideals of peace, prominent Thai academics and intellectuals, as well as press and media, will be invited to attend this event. The function will be officially opened by the Executive Secretary of UN-ESCAP. Other speakers include the Director of UNESCO Bangkok, UNESCO's 1994 Peace Prize winner, the Venerable Phra Prayudh Payutto, and others.

The launching of the International Year for the Culture of Peace on the 14 September 1999 coincides with opening day of the last session of the United Nations General Assembly before the year 2000. This day has also been designated as the International Day of Peace.

On the recommendation of the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1997/47, the General Assembly of the United Nations in November 1997 by its resolution 52/15 proclaimed the year 2000 as the "International Year for the Culture of Peace". In view of these resolutions, the United Nations system and the member states were requested to prepare and develop activities and programmes in accordance with the main objectives of the International Year, which are to strengthen respect for cultural diversity and to promote tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, dialogue and reconciliation through activities at the national and international levels. UNESCO was designated the lead agency for the International Year towards mobilizing Member States and coordinating the organizational aspects of the programmes and activities of the United Nations system.

The Culture of Peace embodies values, attitudes and modes of behavior based on non-violence and respect for the fundamental rights and freedom of all people. It seeks to solve problems through dialogue, negotiation and mediation, so that ultimately war and violence are no longer possible. The Culture of Peace can only become a lasting reality through a universal commitment to its objectives and through awareness raising, mobilization, education, prevention and information at all levels of society and in all countries.

The Culture of Peace of peace in action; it is the respect of human rights on a daily basis; it is the power generated by the interactive triangle of peace, development and democracy. Federico Mayor, Director General of UNESCO has expressed the vision of the culture of Peace: "There cannot be sustainable peace without sustainable development. There cannot be development without life-long education. There cannot be development without democracy, without a more equitable sharing of resources, without the elimination of disparities which separate the most advanced countries from the least developed ones".

The Manifesto 2000 for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence, which was drafted by winners of the Nobel Prize for Peace, was made public on 4 March 1999. This event marked the start of a world wide public awareness campaign to promote the aims of the International Year for the Culture of Peace. The Manifesto seeks to obtain the personal commitment of individuals from all over the world to subscribe to, and translate into their daily actions, the values of peace, tolerance, sharing and solidarity which underpin the culture of peace.

In proclaiming the year 2000 the International Year for the Culture of Peace, the United Nations primary objective is to "mobilize public opinion at the national and international levels for the purpose of establishing and promoting a culture of peace and the central role that the United Nations system could play in this regard".

With all the symbolism related to a new millennium, the year 2000 offers an excellent opportunity to launch a World Movement for the Culture of Peace, based on individual commitment on a daily basis, with the involvement of institutions and organizations at all levels, from the international to the local.

On the occasion of the international Year for the Culture of Peace, UNESCO invites the world community to join in seeking ways of raising awareness of the importance and urgency of the vital task at the end of this century of making the transition from a culture of war to a culture of peace. We should find ways and means to alter the present values, attitudes, beliefs and behavior to a culture of peace.

Ever since its creation at the end of the Second World War, the UNESCO has always acted in accordance with the principles found in the preamble of its constitutive Act: "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed".