Education Minister at UNESCO Conference: Enacting Educational rules to differentiate between resistance and terrorism.

PARIS,(ST)_ Minister of Education , Dr Hezwan  al-Waz,  head of Syrian delegation to the  37th  session  of UNESCO General Conference , held in Paris  stressed  yesterday that the crisis in Syria has  faced  for  more than two and a half year hampered development plans and inflected human and material losses due to incitement and external support for terrorist  and takfiri groups represented by Qaeda  affiliated al-Nusra Front. 

In his speech before the Leaders’ Forum , held yesterday on the sidelines of the session with the participation of heads of delegations to discuss UNESCO general policy , the minister said that  armed terrorist groups threatened Syria ‘s  heritage and  its infrastructure , including 4 thousand schools , and  the deaths of more than 500 students and teachers ,  calling on UNESCO to make serious efforts to encourage States to enact educational and scientific  rules  to prevent  interference in its internal affairs ,  and differentiate between resistance and terrorism. 

He called for efforts  to promote world peace and maintain the security and safety of journalists and hold  biased  media responsible  in  creating a crisis and raising dissension and fueling the hotbeds of terrorism , stressing the need to promote media freedom and to ensure constructive  freedom of expression that avails  sustainable and equitable development for  societies and man  alike

The minister noted the necessity of activating media code of honor and ethics of journalism and the development of a sense of responsibility , saying that UNESCO is more than ever responsible to stand with its  Member States and to help develop a realistic vision to ensure media professionalism.

 The minister concluded his intervention by saying ” we should leave  to our children and grandchildren  what is better than what we  had inherited “, adding that  UNESCO to contribute for the  year 2015 and beyond  a human edifice , abundant with cultural diversity  rooted in our civilizations , history, heritage , which has be always  renewed  through education, science and culture as  pillars of peace and sustainable security and to resort to  dialogue and collective solutions ,  which renounce violence ,extremism and conflicts.

The  Syrian delegation participating in UNESCO conference included  Ambassador Lamia Shakkour , Syria’s permanent representative to UNESCO , Dr. Farah Suleiman Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Abdul Munir Najm  Deputy Minister of Higher Education Maher Azar, Deputy Minister of Culture and Dr. Nidal Hassan , secretary of  the Syrian National Commission for UNESCO and Mazen Nafa Director of Media development  at  the Ministry of Information. 

T. Fateh