norrek,simplipal and panchmarhi in world network of biosphere reserves

UNESCO General Conference:

Shri Kapil Sibal thanks UNESCO for Including Nokrek , Simplipal and Panchmarhi in World Network of Biosphere Reserves
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10 oCT 2009

Shri Kapil Sibal has thanked the international Coordinating Committee of the Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO for inclusion of three biosphere reserves , Nokrek (Meghalaya), Simplipal (Orissa) and Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh) in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves during 2009. He was speaking during the “General Policy Debate” at the 35th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris today. He informed the gathering that India would be bringing to the General Conference at its next session its proposal for the establishment of a UNESCO Category II Centre for Heritage Conservation and Management using the existing facilities at the Wildlife Institute at Dehradun India.

UNESCO would commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Mother Teresa in 2010 and the 150th Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in 2011, both initiatives brought by India, he added.

Shri Sibal said that India has fully supported the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development based on the premise that Education must become a tool for ushering in a sustainable lifestyle pattern so that developing countries can leapfrog to a sustainable developed economy based on respect for the environment, international understanding, harmony and peace. He said, “We in India believe that the global community must rededicate itself to building a society free from conflict and adopt and adapt to sustainable lifestyles. At the heart of a global community free from conflict is the spirit of non-violence and the message of the Mahatma…. India, all Member States and the global community should advocate for a more inclusive structure for global economic governance as reiterated by our Prime Minister.”

The HRD Minister said that as the Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the South-South Cooperation Programme/Fund, India looks forward to the early implementation of Fund Raising Strategy and raising the profile of the unique South-South Fund in the field of education through successful celebration of South-South Cooperation Day on 15th December, 2009. He said that India welcomes the operationalization of the South-South Cooperation Programme/ Fund for Education pilot projects for the different regions of G-77 & China being implemented.

Shri Sibal offered sharing the e-learning materials prepared by India under the National Mission for ICT by the Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs) so that all those around who wish to access quality knowledge can do so freely. He stated that India is shortly going to initiate a special project aimed at preservation of the endangered languages in India. He said, “India has also been playing a proactive role in promoting use of multilingualism in cyberspace. To enable wide proliferation of ICT in Indian languages, a major initiative has been taken to make available software tools and fonts in various Indian languages freely to the general public. As a result, software tools and fonts are now available in about 16 Indian languages.”

Shri Sibal made a request to UNESCO to consider reviving the Regional Office for Information and Communications which was earlier located in New Delhi, in order to share the benefits of the development of science and technology with the countries of the Asia Pacific Region. He made this request especially in the context of India having operational zed in October 2007 a state-of-the art Tsunami Early Warning System, set up at a cost of approximately US $ 31 million, which is of benefit to the entire region. India has expressed its readiness to assume the responsibility of RTW Provider for the Indian Ocean region and has offered to set up an integrated multi-hazard Warning Centre.

Shri Sibal expressed pride that Professor Yash Pal from India and Prof. Trinh Xuan Thuan from Vietnam will be jointly awarded the UNESCO-Kalinga Prize for popularization of Science 2009. UNESCO- Kalinga Prize is the oldest prize of UNESCO and we are pleased that it would be awarded again after a gap of 3 years, he added.

Shri Sibal, on the occasion, paid tributes to Mr. Koichiro Matsuura who will be relinquishing the charge of Director- General, UNESCO after devoting 10 years of his career to the organisation. During his tenure, Shri Matsuura brought in significant reforms and introduced modern management in UNESCO, he added, He also congratulated the Ambassador of Bulgaria to UNESCO, Ambassador Bokova on her election by the Executive Board as DG-designate of UNESCO.

PIB

( Editorial: Sikkim should also urge with Unesco to get it in the world network of Biosphere Reserves)