Anguilla is now an Associate Member of the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The Hon Chief Minister, Mr Hubert Hughes, in a message to the UN body during the island’s membership acceptance, stated that Anguilla“is deeply committed tomaking a positive and constructive contribution to the work of UNESCO”. Anguilla stands to benefit from several of the UN body’s medium term initiatives. The Organisation’s Director General, Mrs Irina Bokova, said she looked forward to the new opportunity presented by Anguilla’s membership and thanked the Government and people of the island in the spirit of the National Song.
Following is a press release issued by the Project Management Unit of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Commerce and Tourism in Anguilla:
On Tuesday 5th November 2013, Anguilla became the 2nd British Territory to join the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), as an Associate Member.The status was conferred at the 37th General Conference of UNESCO at its headquarters in Paris, France, with the unanimous agreement of some 3000 delegates from all One hundred and ninety five (195) UNESCO Member Statesincluding Ministers of Governments.
UNESCO, established in 1945, is a specialized agency of the United Nations. Its aim is to “to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty , sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, science, culture, communications and information”. With the support of a network of fifty (50) field offices, numerous institutes and partners worldwide ,UNESCO pursues its action through five (5) major programmes in education, natural science, social and human sciences, culture, communication and information.
The initiative to secure Associate Member Status for Anguilla was led by the Ministry of Tourism – Project Management Unit. According to Mr. Merwyn Foster Rogers, Permanent Secretary of Tourism,
“This has been a lengthy and fairly robust diplomatic process, which has been ongoing for almost two (2) years. The Ministry was fully supported by the Office of the H.E.The Governor and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office through Ambassador Matthew Sudders, the U.K. Ambassador to UNESCO. The Acting Chief of the UNESCO Office, for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr. Robert Parua also provided the Ministry with sterling guidance throughout the process”.
The delegation to the conference included Mrs. Blondel Cluff, Chief Executive of the West India Committee based in London and Ms Jasmin Garraway who represented the Ministry. In referring to Anguilla’s membership Mrs Cluff said “This marks a milestone, in the awareness of the significance of Anguillian Heritage both regionally and globally. The West India Committee will be working alongside Anguilla, in support of its position as an Associate Member of UNESCO”.
In his remarks which were delivered at the conference by Ms Garraway, the HonourableChief Minister said,
“Madam President Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it is a distinct privilege and honor for me to address you on behalf of the Government and People of Anguilla.
Anguilla is a small island of 35 square miles with a population of 15, 000 people, made up of races and cultures from the four (4) corners of the world, successfully fused together over the centuries.
Consistent with the UNESCO global values, here human interaction, cultural co-existence and spiritual tolerance have been the key to sustainable development and success. These fundamental values lie at the very heart of this small independently-minded country and continue to distinguish it in today’s globalized world.
There are few places other than Anguilla that are better equipped to demonstrate sustainable development by a delicate balance, to ensure man’ssuccessful co-existence with his natural environment.
Anguilla is deeply committed to making a positive and constructive contribution to the work of UNESCO, in its new capacity as an Associate Member, by supporting UNESCO to fulfill its mandate in education, science,culture, communication and information, and to broaden its scope and concept of culture for development.
Anguilla’s membership will also enhance the profile of the Caribbean and Latin American Country Grouping with its unique cultural heritage, natural heritage and important pre-columbian religious sites.
Anguilla thanks UNESCO and its global family of nations, for welcoming it as an Associate Member. We affirm our strong commitment to the mission ideals and goals of UNESCO.We look forward to working closely with the UNESCO Secretariat under the guidance and leadership of Mrs. Irina Bokova,to benefit from technical assistance and projects in conformity with its mandate in the United Nations system, and to advance the mission goals and its fundamental objectives for a sustainable future.”
In her address to the general conference ,on the occasion of the admission of Anguilla as an Associate member, the Director General of UNESCO, Mrs. Irina Bokova welcomed Anguilla saying ,
“President of the General Conference, Excellencies, Heads of Delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an honor to welcome Anguilla as an Associate member. This marks the opening of a new era of co-operation- building on our shared values of human dignity, equality and mutual respect, on our common objective to craft a more inclusive and effective multilateral order.
UNESCO stands ready to support the aspirations of the society of Anguilla – the drive to promote human rights to foster quality of education for all, to safeguard cultural heritage and the diversity of cultural expressions, including biological diversity, to mitigate the consequences of climate change.
Anguilla becomes an Associate Member of this Organisation at an important moment—as States push towards the Millenium Development Goals and the objectives of Education for All by 2015 and as we shape a new global sustainable development agenda to follow.
We are convinced that a particular attention should be paid to the challenges of the Small Island Developing States. In tackling these challenges,all States will benefit from the experience and the insights of Anguilla.
As Director General, I look forward to this new opportunity and I thank the authorities and people of Anguilla – in the spirit of the national song:
Noble and beauteous, She stands midst the sea, Oh land of the happy, haven we’ll make thee. Let truth and right our banner be, we’ll march ever on.”
Anguilla stands to benefit from several UNESCO initiatives in the medium term, including the “Participation Programme”, nominations to the “Memory of the World “, and the “Intangible Cultural Heritage” lists,and revisiting The Fountain Cavern as a potential “World Heritage Site.”
For more information contact:
Jasmin Garraway
Manager – Project Management Unit
Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Commerce
and Tourism
P O Box 60
The Valley, Anguilla
Tel: 1 264 497 2547 Ext 2227
Fax: 1264 497 3761
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
