Closing Session Speeches
Mr. Pierre Sané, Assistant Director-General, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear colleagues,
The, question of how to ensure that cities and communities — in their economic, social, cultural, political and other dimensions — adapt to, and include, their culturally diverse dwellers is one of the major challenges of today.
UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was founded, 60 years ago, on 16 November 1945. For this specialized United Nations agency, Education, Social and Natural Science, Culture and Communication are the means to an ambitious goal: to build peace in the minds of men.
UNESCO is working to create the conditions for genuine dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture. The world urgently requires global visions of sustainable development based upon observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which lie at the heart of UNESCO's mission and activities. UNESCO has set itself a number of tasks that should help reduce the gap between what is and what should be.
In recent years, respect for cultural diversity has been a topic of lively debate around the world, leading to the development of a UNESCO declaration and, last October, to the adoption of the 'Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions', by the General Conference of UNESCO, introducing international guidelines to guarantee respect for cultural diversity.
- Why Cities?
The city is a complex place where the confrontation of cultural differences sometimes gives rise to irrational fears and encourages the development of ideologies and practices of discrimination. But it also is a laboratory for learning to live together, a place for an
exchange of beliefs, attitudes and styles of life, which can contribute to new forms of democratic citizenship.
The city can facilitate the shift from rhetoric to practical actions through the implementation of national and international instruments adopted by higher levels of government. Local authorities often have the autonomy of decision-making, the means of intervention and the networks of support that can facilitate innovative and effective initiatives.
- In UNESCO, Cities and Urban Issues are addressed under the focus of 'Humanising the City'
30 years ago, your city Vancouver, hosted the first UN Conference on human settlements, and 20 years later, Istanbul hosted the second one, HABITAT II. The 1996 conference focused on solutions rather than just problems. This created a forward-looking, proactive and optimistic atmosphere that was reflected in the Istanbul Declaration. UNESCO's work on cities builds upon the spirit of this declaration within its specific mandate. All UNESCO programmes and projects about cities and urban issues are taking into account the 'UN Millennium Development Goals', the 'Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions', and the 'UNESCO Strategy on Human Rights'.
Throughout history, cities have been cradles of civilisation. Cities have always been and still are living laboratories for intercultural dialogue in which the richest possible cultural mixes occur. Initiatives such as the 'Creative Cities', 'Cities for Peace database', 'Culture in the Neighbourhoods' and the 'World Heritage Cities Programme' illustrate UNESCO's attempt to promote pluralistic policies supportive of the rich diversity of cultural identities and expressions at the local level.
Under the World Heritage Cities Programme, several cities' networks were created, such as the Organisation of World Heritage Cities, coordinated by the city of Quebec. The Vienna Memorandum on World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture as well as the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes have been drawn up recently, both are addressing the problem of integrating contemporary architecture within urban historic landscapes, providing guidelines for Mayors to adapt their historic urban areas to contemporary needs.
- With reference to Urban Growth and the Environment,...
Water is becoming an increasingly fragile resource. It must be protected through efficient consumption and distribution.
UNESCO'S Division of Water Sciences seeks to improve knowledge of hydrological processes and to develop ways to assess and manage water resources. It is currently promoting research on methods of controlling water runoff and flooding in urban areas. Recent publications on 'Urban Water Conflicts' and, above all, the 'World Water
Assessment Report' demonstrate UNESCO's major worry about this vital issue for Sustainability of cities.
Urban sprawl and pollution very often adversely affect the natural environment and biodiversity both inside and outside cities. To minimize their effects, UNESCO's Division of Ecological Sciences (ECO), within the framework of its Man and the Biosphere programme (MAB), upholds the integrated ecosystem approach to urban management, applying the biosphere reserve concept to the city and its hinterland. Cities working along the lines include Cape Town, Chicago, Rome, Seoul, Sao Paulo and Stockholm.
As lead agency for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), UNESCO views cities as the chief centres of thought and action when it comes to education and learning about sustainable development. Education for sustainable development seeks to contribute to preparing citizens to face the challenges of the present and the future, and decision-makers who will act responsibly to create a sustainable world. It is a complex and evolving concept. Thus, five kinds of fundamental learning must be enhanced: learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, learning to live together, and learning to transform oneself and society.
UNESCO perceives youth as a priority. The project 'Growing up in Cities', for example, opens a platform for children and city professionals in view of increasing the empowerment of children in reshaping their urban existence and to improve Mayors' awareness of children's participation in urban management. The Growing Up In Cities Network of Canada's strong participation in the Youth Urban Forum has proved how much Canadian municipalities care about children and youth involvement in the upgrading of the urban quality of life.
- UNESCO's inclusive approach to city management is focusing on cities as arenas of democracy
The Social and Human Sciences Sector of UNESCO has a vital role to play in helping to understand and interpret the social, cultural and economic environment of cities. It provides research, identifies and analyzes trends and proposes paths of action. The city is an essential link between individual and state, between citizenship and democracy: UNESCO' Social and Human Sciences Programmes promote democracy, tolerance, human rights and full participation of citizens in social, cultural, political and economic life through projects such as the 'International Coalition of Cities Against Racism'. The Coalition of Canadian Cities against Racism was enthusiastically supported yesterday during the Networking Event coordinated by Barbara Hall, Chief Commissioner, Ontario Human Rights Commission.
During this 3rd Session of the World Urban Forum, the UN-HABITAT and UNESCO joint international research project on 'Urban Policies and the Right to the City' has been presented to a large spectrum of city stakeholders. All participants to the session agreed
that time has now come for governments to shift from a needs-based approach to a rights-based approach. In a rapidly urbanizing world, such an approach means that all citizens should benefit from what cities have to offer in terms of access to income generating opportunities, land and housing, water and sanitation, education and health care. A rights-based approach can help generate the political will and create a culture of resource allocation that places the interests of the poor on an equal footing with those better off, as it has equally been pointed out during the Dialogue on Slum upgrading and affordable housing.
We would like to express our gratitude to the National Secretary of Urban Programmes of the Ministry of Cities of Brazil, presenting the best practice of the City Statute of Brazil; as well as to the Mayor of Montreal, a promoting the rights-based approach to urban management included in the Montreal Charter of Rights and Responsibilities, and to the various experts presenting other existing initiatives.
- Conclusion
• As a conclusion, we may say that most issues raised during this forum were aiming at answering one question: "in which cities do we want to live?" These issues are including a cross-cutting approach, including in particular, social, environmental, cultural matters as well as the various levels of interventions at political level.
• In March 2005, UN-HABITAT and UNESCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their cooperation in mutual fields of interest, in particular for sharing best practices about urban diversity, urban heritage and diversity and rights-based approaches to urban management and development.
• This 3rd Session of the World Urban Forum has given UNESCO large opportunities to establish contacts and exchange information at the international level with other UN agencies but as well at local regional level with Mayors, academics and major cities and local governments NGO's
• I especially would like to thank the City of Vancouver for its impressive welcome throughout this week, but above all for its efficient and pleasant hospitality allowing the participants to fully enjoy this event. As UNESCO, we will of course do our utmost to be in contact with our Chinese networks and partners in preparation of the next WUF4 in Nanjing.
• In the name of the Director-General of UNESCO, I would like to express our congratulations to Ms Anna Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, for the impressive steps taken from the last session of the WUF in Barcelona, in particular for the high mobilization of city stakeholders gathered here today.