SFA-AGR-794-07                                                                                                                                      21 OCT 2007

AT 34^TH SESSION OF UNESCO GENERAL CONFERENCE

RP SUPPORT FOR PROTECTING CULTURAL DIVERSITY RECOGNIZED

19 October 2007 PARIS – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo pushed for greater global support for efforts to protect cultural diversity and gained recognition for the Philippines’ advocacy for language protection and promotion at the 34^th Session of the UNESCO General Conference here.

Immediately after Secretary Romulo’s address, the Chair of the 34^th Session of the UNESCO General Conference cited Romulo for expressing the Philippines’ support for UNESCO’s action to protect linguistic diversity, including through the Internet, as a guarantee of cultural diversity.

The Chair pointed out to the General Conference that “language is important” and the support of the world’s peoples to keep languages alive through practice is crucial.

In his address, Secretary Romulo raised the protection of the languages as an integral part of efforts to preserve the world’s cultures.

Delivering his remarks on language in the Spanish language, Secretary Romulo said that harnessing all resources, particularly the internet, will “help safeguard the threatened knowledge systems of our indigenous peoples as a priceless intangible legacy of all humankind.”

Secretary Romulo stressed during his address to the 193-member UNESCO General Conference the importance of preserving languages to the Philippines, which has more than 171 native languages and dialects.

“Language is one of the important areas of cooperation between the Philippines and the UNESCO.  We are committed to work closely with our partners in the UNESCO to achieve greater peace and fuller development through intensified collaboration in education, science, culture, information and communication,” Secretary Romulo said.

“UNESCO remains exceptionally suited as an instrument of positive change,” said Secretary Romulo.

In his address, Secretary Romulo likewise highlighted the Philippines’ achievements in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, especially in reducing the incidence of extreme poverty from 20.4 % in 1990 to 10.2% in 2006. 

Romulo also rallied broader support for key Philippine advocacies in interfaith dialogue and debt-for development to achieve sustained global growth and development.

In support of UNESCO’s Education for All program, Secretary Romulo reiterated the Philippines proposal of a Centre for Lifelong Learning for Education for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia. END

/allan