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What is international education? UNESCO answers;...
Transcript of What is international education? UNESCO answers;...
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Juan Ignacio Martínez de Morentin de Goñi
What is International Education? UNESCO Answers
Editorial
San Sebastian UNESCO Centre
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Cover photo: UNESCO Headquarters (32nd General Conference). © San Sebastian UNESCO Centre (06/10/03) Original title: ¿Qué es la educación internacional? Responde la UNESCO Translation: Paul Feith This book is not an official document of UNESCO. © Juan Ignacio Martínez de Morentin de Goñi © UNESCO Training Centre-Florida Eskola © San Sebastian UNESCO Centre 1st edition: July 2004 ISBN 84-88737-66-1 D.L.: SS-1546/04 Printed in San Sebastian (Grupo Delta)
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Index
Pag. Introduction .................................................... 5 I. Education for international understanding ....... 7 I.1. The first stage: education for international understanding .......................... 9 I.1.1. Evolution and development ........... 14
I.1.1.1. UNESCO´s international instruments........................................ 24
I.1.2. Towards a definition of education for international understanding 27 I.1.2.1. International cooperation, as a consequence of education for international understanding ............. 30
1.1.2.2. Peace, as a consequence of education for international understanding.................................... 34
II. The first stage of defining education for international understanding ................................. 37 II.1. Education for living in a world community .................................................... 37 II.1.1. The United Nations system .......... 45 II.2. Fundamental education ......................... 52 II.3. Human rights and fundamental liberties 56 III. International education for an international understanding �.��....................................... 67 III.1. The second stage .................................. 67 III.2. The objectives of international education .................................................... 86
III.2.1. The development of the human personality .............................................. 91 III.2.2. Human rights and fundamental liberties .................................................... 92
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III.2.3. Understanding, tolerance and friendship between nations...................... 93
III.2.4. Promoting peace.......................... 94 III.3. Contents of international education ..... 94 III.4. What is international education ........... 96
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Introduction UNESCO understands international education as a
process resulting from international understanding,
cooperation and peace .
This results from combining three
perspectives: the first, human rights -in a strict
sense- the second, fundamental liberties -stressing
its possibilities and requirements- and the third, the
United Nations system -understanding the way in
which it is committed to achieving peace.
International education is education for
international understanding. This understanding
must impregnate all of its educational system�s
actions and materials. It is not a separate course.
Instead, it must be present in all courses.
International education or education for
international understanding is the entire
programme, the motivation behind any teaching-
learning process.
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This book explains ideas and models that
UNESCO has worked with in order to clarify what
it aims for in education.
This is seen through the resolutions of the
general conferences and the Executive Board
decisions of 1946 to 2004, which are UNESCO´s
framework in defining international education.
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I
Education for international understanding
The year 1974 is the turning point for UNESCO´s
process in defining the concept of education for
international understanding.
The approval of the recommendation
concerning Education for International
Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and
Education relating to Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms -also known as the 1974
Recommendation- ordains and summarizes the
developments of the constitutional principles of
education oriented towards comprehension between
nations; in other words, education for international
understanding.
Then, a reflection is begun which would
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conclude in 1995 with the approval of the
Integrated Framework of Action on Education for
Peace, Human Rights and Democracy1.
This Plan does not underscore the 1974
Recommendation: it is considered
as an instrument which continues to inspire the
implementation of education for peace, human
rights and democracy2.
The reflection on international education as
the heart of Unesco�s education programme3 does
1 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Programme for 1996-1997. Major Programmes and Transdisciplinary Projects. Transdisciplinary projects and activities. Education for peace, human rights, democracy, international understanding and tolerance. Updating of the 1974 Recommendation on international education: Endorsement of the Declaration of the 44th session of the International Conference on Education and approval of the Draft Integrated Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy. Annex II. Integrated Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy�, resolution 28C/IV.5.41.II, Paris, 1995, pp. 63-67. 2 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 1, resolution 28C/IV.5.41.1, p. 62. 3 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Annexes. Report of the Programme Commission. Appendix II. Report of sub-commission I concerning the future
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not change, taking into consideration UNESCO´s
ethical, educational and intellectual mission4.
By 1947, the Executive Board was asking
itself if education, science and culture would help
in promoting and maintaining peace and security5.
I.1. The first stage: education for international understanding
With respect to education for international
understanding, it had become necessary to have a
document specifying content methods, resources
and activities.
These requests were discussed in the 1974
Recommendation.
Programme in the field of education. Other suggested priorities�, resolution 14C/B..II.Appendix II.17, Paris, 1966, p. 262. 4 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 2. 5 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Record of decisions (of the Executive Board at its second session, 1947), �Item 8 - Programme. I Part. General Projects and Activities. Fundamental Education�, decision 2EX/8.B.3.(a), Paris, April 15th, 1947, p. 4.
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In this document motivations and objectives
are highlighted, and the Recommendation is a
result
of the responsibility incumbent on States to
achieve through education the aims set forth in
the Charter of the United Nations, the
Constitution of Unesco, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva
Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War
of 12 August 1949, in order to promote
international understanding, co-operation and
peace and respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms;
of the
responsibility which is incumbent on Unesco to
encourage and support in Member States any
activity designed to ensure the education of all
for the advancement of justice, freedom, human
rights and peace;
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and of the wide disparity between proclaimed
ideals, declared intentions and the actual
situation6.
Moreover; the Recommendation defines
education for international understanding by stating
that
the terms �international understanding�, �co-
operation� and �peace� are to be considered as
an indivisible whole based on the principle of
friendly relations between peoples and States
having different social and political systems and
on the respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms. In the text of this
recommendation, the different connotations of
these terms are sometimes gathered together in
a concise expression, �international education�.
The terms international education and peace 6 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Recommendations. Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms�, resolution 18C/X.38, preface, Paris, 1974, p. 147.
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that are used as synonyms for international
understanding form part of the indivisible whole,
and are united to create one objective for an
educational process which must be understood as
the entire process of social life by means of
which individuals and social groups learn to
develop consciously within, and for the benefit
of, the national and international communities,
the whole of their personal capacities, attitudes,
aptitudes and knowledge7.
However, international education was not
limited to achieving international cooperation and
peace or the combination of these terms in the
realm of teaching and learning aimed at reaching an
environment favouring respect, justice, liberty and
the reverence of nations and cultures.
Human rights and fundamental liberties, as
well as the United Nation�s actions were also
considered as topics in relation to international 7 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 6, �Significance of terms�, resolution 18C/X.38.1.(a), p. 148.
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education, and thus recommended as elements
worth adjoining to this sphere.
According to the 1974 Recommendation,
the �human rights� and �fundamental
freedoms� are those defined in the United
Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and the International Covenants
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and
on Civil and Political Rights8.
This Recommendation can be considered as
a synthesis of the operative guide to the UNESCO
constitutional mandate on international education
material.
Years after the proclamation, what was the
precursor on education for international
understanding would be known as the
Recommendation on International Education9.
8 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 7, resolution 18C/X.38.1.(c). 9 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Programme for 1994-1995. Major Programme
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I.1.1. Evolution and development
Three times throughout its history -until 2003- a
General Conference had forgotten to refer to
international understanding as a result of a genuine
educational process.
This is a recurring concept that even
summarizes UNESCO´s ultimate aim as expressed
in its Constitution�s preamble:
that since wars begin in the minds of men, it is
in the minds of men that the defences of peace
must be constructed10.
The Executive Board immediately assumes
this by dedicating a section on education for
international understanding in a document from
Areas. Social and human sciences: contribution to development, peace, human rights and democracy. 1974 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms�, resolution 27C/III.5.7, Paris, 1993, p. 63. 10 UNESCO, Constitution, preface.
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their second session.
This decision takes the International Studies
Centres into consideration, and establishes that they
must continue to form part of the �Education for
International Understanding� project11.
The Executive Board would go on to
confirm that education for international
understanding is part of UNESCO´s identity.
The Executive Board would compel the
UNESCO action on educational material in Japan
to have the same educational perspective of
UNESCO, and that it be explicitly noted12.
Months later, the Executive Board would
again highlight that the methods used to reach
peace are supported by education for international
understanding.
Furthermore, the Executive Board would 11 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 5, �Education for International Understanding� decision 2EX/8.C. Note 1. 12 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its nineteenth session from 13 to 25 February 1950, �Programme. Programme to be submitted to the fifth session of the General Conference. Draft resolution regarding Unesco's activities in Japan in 1951�, decision 19EX/5.I.5.(e), Paris, 2 March 1950, p. 3.
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express that it is convinced that the UNESCO
methods also serve the United Nations system�s
objectives for peace13.
In this same line, in 1951, the Executive
Board would approve a settlement in relation to
education for international understanding14.
And in 1952, it
recommends that Member States, and
accredited Non-Governmental Organizations
make more specific use of the facilities and
machinery available in Unesco for the planning
and administration of international fellowships
and Exchange of Persons Programme, which
include, inter alia, [...] advisory services for the
assistance of governments in determining the
13 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its twenty-third session, 26 August to 2 September 1950), �Contribution of Unesco to the action of the United Nations and specialized agencies following the aggression against Korea�, 23EX/4.A.I, Paris, 8 September 1950, p. 4. 14 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 13, �Programme for 1951: Execution of resolution 9.112 adopted by the fifth session of the General Conference. Education. Education for International Understanding�, decision 23EX/8.I.3, p. 9.
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effectiveness of international training schemes
as a means of technical instruction and
promotion of international understanding15.
Always in line with the earlier desire
to prepare for consideration at the 1948
Conference a draft convention under the term of
which the Member States may agree, within the
limitations and powers of their respective
constitutional and legal provisions regarding
the control and administration of education to
direct the programmes of their respective
educational systems at all levels to the end of
international peace and security16,
15 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its thirtieth session, 26 May-6 June 1952, �Other Programme questions. Exchange of Persons. Report by the Bureau on the Exchange of Persons Programme�, decision 30EX/7.5.2.�(5.(f), Paris, 4 July 1952, p. 6. 16 UNESCO, Resolutions adopted by the General Conference during its second session, �Resolutions adopted on the report of the Programme and Budget Commission. The Programme of Unesco in 1948. Chapter 3. - Education�, resolution 2C/VIII.A.3.13.1, Paris, 1947, p. 21.
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by 1947 UNESCO would already have requested it,
and in 1948 would again insist on it.17
The next time the topic is approached, they
would no longer be discussing a Convention, but
instead a regulation on education for international
understanding, cooperation and peace:
The General Conference, [�] considers it
desirable that an international instrument
should be drawn up for this purpose; Decides
that this instrument: should take the form of a
recommendation to Member States within the
meaning of Article IV, paragraph 4, of the
Constitution; should also cover education
relating to human rights and fundamental
freedoms18.
17 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Resolutions adopted on the report of the Programme and Budget Commission. The Programme of Unesco: Chapter 2. - Education. Schools and Youth�, resolution 3C/IX.2.514, Paris, 1948, p. 19. 18 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, Recommendations, �Programme. Resolutions concerning the programme for 1973-74 and Recommendations concerning future programme. Education. Curriculum, structures and methods of education. Curricula
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However, they hoped that it would
influence the States´ legislations and practical
educational procedures.
Yet, it would be necessary to look further
into
education for peace and international
understanding; aims, programmes and
methods19,
so that the same does not happen as was reported to
have occurred in the Report of the International
Commission on the Development of Education and
comments by the Director-General:
the Commission did not deal in depth with
education for international understanding and and structures�, resolution 17C/II.1.222.1.2.(a) and (b), Paris, 1972, p. 24. 19 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 90th session (Paris, 25 September to 21 November 1972), �Methods of work of the Organization. Report of the Executive Board�s Special Committee: Topics to be studied in depth in the printed Report of he Director-General (1972). General�, decision 90EX/3.1.3.(c).(iv), Paris, 21 December 1972, p. 7.
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peace and the contribution of education to the
struggle against racialism and all forms of
discrimination20.
This preoccupation for the excellence of
education for international understanding had
already been manifested by the Executive Board
some time back.
Specially back in 1961 when the Executive
Board is said to have been
Mindful of resolution 1 .153 adopted by the
General Conference of Unesco at its eleventh
session in which the opinion was expressed
�that a suitable upbringing imbued with a spirit
of tolerance and objectivity, can effectively help
to eradicate those factors which oppose the
establishment of genuine and lasting
international understanding�, [�]
20 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 19, �Execution of the Programme. Education. Report of the International Commission on the Development of Education, and comments by the Director-General�, decision 90EX/4.1.1.II.(e), p. 10.
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Urges Member States to encourage by every
appropriate means, the improvement of
textbooks and teaching materials in use at all
levels of education in their countries to embody
a spirit of tolerance and objectivity21.
In this same manner a year later, another
decision was adopted by the Executive Board
claiming
that in the absence of adequate educational
facilities no nation can make its full
contribution to the cause of international
understanding and world peace to which
Unesco is dedicated22.
21 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its sixtieth session (Paris, 25 October - 29 November 1961), �Report of the working party established in pursuance of decision 56 EX/8.1.1 to assess the results of Unesco�s Programme with special reference to its contribution to international understanding and peaceful co-operation�, decision 60EX/6, Paris, 22 December 1961, p. 4. 22 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its sixty-second session (Paris and Istanbul, 27 August-12 September 1962), �Proposed Programme and Budget for 1963-1964. Consideration of the Proposed Programme and Budget for 1963-1964 and
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And again in 1963 when the Executive
Board, besides being convinced that a strong
priority must be placed in promoting human rights
and international understanding in educational
programmes, it
considers it necessary to bear in mind the
importance of the content of education
including the following fields of educational
activity: (a) the combating of all forms of
discrimination in education; (b) the
dissemination among young people of the ideals
of peace, friendship and mutual understanding
between peoples23.
Finally, and the most relevant with respect o preparation of comments of the Executive Board thereon. Part II - Programme operations and services. Chapter 1 � Education�, decision 62EX/5.1.3.1, Paris, 12 October 1962, p. 8. 23 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its sixty-sixth session (Paris, 25 September-29 October 1963), �Proposed Programme and Budget for 1965-1966. Consideration of the Summary Preliminary Draft Programme and Budget for 1965-1966. Education. Priority accorded to education�, decision 66EX/5.1.5.II, Paris, 12 November 1963, p. 23.
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raising the levels of education for international
understanding, is the 1970 decision.
The Executive Board laments that the Director-General has not included in the
1971-1972 biennium a proposal for an
international conference of government experts
for the elaboration of such an instrument to be
submitted to the General Conference.
And raises
the attention of the General Conference to the
problem of the credibility of education for
international understanding and peace in a
world which provides young people with the
daily spectacle of violence24.
24 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 84th session (Paris, 4 May-19 June 1970), �Examination of the Draft Programme and Budget for 1971-1972 and recommendations thereon by the Executive Board. Report of the Finance and Administrative Commission on its study of the financial and administrative aspects of document 16C/5. The programme. Unesco�s contribution to peace�, decision 84EX/5.2.A.IV.(a).8, Paris, 18 July 1970, p. 22.
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I.1.1.1. UNESCO´s international instruments
Throughout its history, UNESCO has approved
twenty-two normative texts and international
instruments in relation to education.
Not all of them directly focus on education
for international understanding, but they can not be
separated from UNESCO´s fundamental
motivation: assure universal and equal access to
education, to facilitate research of the objective
truth and promote the free exchange of ideas and
knowledge.
There are a total of twelve conventions,
seven recommendations of action specific to the
material and three declarations of principles.
All of these aim at upholding human rights,
peace, respect towards people, nations and cultures,
and to uphold education, science and culture as the
means to implementing a just society that is free
and democratic.
This doctrine specifically reserves a space
for education for international understanding: three
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standardized texts that express UNESCO´s
thoughts in this subject and that also attempt to
create operative links to enable them.
This is present in the first approved
international instrument, and also in the preamble
where the signatory states manifested
convinced that in facilitating the international
circulation of visual and auditory materials of
an educational, scientific and cultural
character, the free flow of ideas by word and
image will be promoted and the mutual
understanding of peoples thereby encouraged,
in conformity with the aims of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization25.
Thus, one of the foundations of education
25 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 17, �Miscellaneous resolutions. Agreement to facilitate the international circulation of visual and auditory materials of an educational, scientific and cultural character. Draft agreement for facilitating the international circulation of visual and auditory materials of an educational, scientific and cultural character�, resolution 3C/XIV.5, p. 114.
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for international understanding is to enable the
dissemination of ideas.
This foundation, besides specifying how
international understanding must be understood, is
an element that UNESCO wishes to implement by
way of agreements that favour effective
development, since
the free exchange of ideas and knowledge and,
in general, the widest possible dissemination of
the diverse forms of self-expression used by
civilizations are vitally important both for
intellectual progress and international
understanding, and consequently for the
maintenance of world peace26.
Furthermore, to educate and be educated in
international understanding, the exchange of
publications must also be shared in solidarity, since
26 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Appendix agreement on the importation of educational, scientific and cultural materials�, resolution 5C/Appendix. Preamble, Paris 1950, p. 140.
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development of the international exchange of
publications is essential to the free exchange of
ideas and knowledge among the peoples of the
world27.
I.1.2. Towards a definition of education for international understanding
The first stage of an approximate definition of
education for international understanding is
characterized by the attempts at finding ways to
limit its meaning; by efforts to show the
consequences of international understanding; and
by determining the elements that would favour a
spirit of international understanding.
Within this context, it is useful to place
some of the Executive Board´s first stage
interventions.
27 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Conventions and recommendation adopted by the General Conference. Convention concerning the International Exchange of Publications�, resolution 10C/B.I.preamble, Paris, 1958, p. 87.
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These interventions vary from proposals
that favour teaching the United Nations
principles28, to highlighting
the importance, for peace and international
understanding, of regional activities in
education, science and culture29,
including such specific decisions such as the
criteria kept in mind when awarding prizes for
work in literacy campaigns: contribution to the
28 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its thirty-fourth session (Paris, 8-15 June 1953), �External relations. Relations with International Governmental Organizations. Report on the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Co-ordination of Unesco and the Organization of American States. The Executive Board has the following comments to make on the remaining proposals: Education in the principles of the United Nations�, decision 34EX/8.3.1.VI.19, Paris, 30 June 1953, p. 10. 29 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its seventy-seventh session (Paris, 9 October-4 November 1967), �Preparation of the Draft Programme and Budget for 1969-1970. Director-General�s proposals concerning a concrete plan of activity to reinforce the contribution of the Organization to peace, international co-operation and security of peoples through education, science and culture�, decision 77EX/5.2.4, Paris, 17 November 1967, p. 25.
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appreciation of other cultures and to international
understanding30.
The 1974 Recommendation -which would
be the last of this stage- would unite the
fluctuations, intuitions and antecedents by
establishing an authoritative doctrine.
In any case, this doctrine is based on the
necessity to disseminate the best methods of
developing mutual international understanding31,
which twenty-eight years previous to this UNESCO
would tried to establish the idea that the
Organization should orientate its educational
process towards an international understanding.
30 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 83rd session (Paris, 15 September-10 October 1969), �Annexe. General rules to govern prizes awarded for meritorious work in literacy. Criteria for award of prizes�, decision 83EX/4.2.6.Annexe.6.(b).(vii), Paris, 6 December 1969, p. 16. 31 UNESCO, General Conference, �Summary Records of the six Programme Sub-Commissions. Sub-Commission on Education. Second meeting. Group I. The panel on fundamental education. Enquiry concerning education as a means of fostering international understanding�, resolution 1C/(a).II.I.1, Paris, 1946, p. 161.
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I.1.2.1. International cooperation as a consequence of education for international understanding
In the first stage of an approximate definition of
education for international understanding,
international cooperation is established as a
consequence of it.
International cooperation is definitely a
result of education, but it is also a sense of a future,
as must be articulated by the States, with the aim of
avoiding war32.
Education is to accept new realities; to
achieve a better understanding of UNESCO´s
objectives, ideals and efforts33 in relation to the
promotion of international understanding and
cooperation. Thus,
32 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 31, �Plenary meetings. Second plenary meeting. Report and general discussion on the work of the preparatory commission�, resolution 1C/9, p. 24. 33 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 18, �Programme Resolutions concerning the programme for 1973-74 and Recommendations concerning future Programmes. Communication. Public information and promotion of international understanding�, resolution 17C/II.4.301, p. 74.
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in education, UNESCO will act as a centre for
the exchange and dissemination of ideas and
practices, in order to encourage the growth of
effective systems of education
and that nations learn to understand one another34.
For this:
In primary and secondary schools, every effort
should be made, both in teaching and in
framing programmes of study, to avoid
inculcating by word or implication the belief
that, lands, peoples and customs other than
one�s own are necessarily inferior, or are
otherwise unworthy of understanding and
sympathy35.
Thus, in 1962,
34 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Resolutions adopted on the report of the Programme and Budget Commission: First Part: Code of Policies�, resolution 4C/II.1.VI, Paris, 1949, p. 10. 35 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 34, �Second Part: The Programme of Unesco in 1950. Education. Recommendations to the Director-General. Principles concerning Education�, resolution 4C/II.2.841, p.19.
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urges Member States, with this development in
mind, to expand their programmes of activities
for young people, based on the pursuit of truth,
understanding and objectivity, as one of the best
means of promoting the ideals of peace, mutual
respect and understanding between peoples and
of fostering exchanges between young people of
different countries, whatever their social and
economic systems, so that the spirit of peace
and friendship may be spread among young
people36.
This, in definitive, is international
cooperation.
In the late fifties it would figure along with
the concepts of peace and international security as
hermeneutic for education for international
understanding and as indivisible for understanding
the meaning of this education.
36 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Programme and Budget for 1963-1964. Education. International co-operation for the study and advancement of education. Education for international understanding�, resolution 12C/II.1.143.4, Paris, 1962, p. 13.
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International cooperation is a sign of peace,
and is, as well, pacifying and pacific.
But,
Member States are invited to promote and
support studies concerning the problem, and the
ways and means, of strengthening peaceful co-
operation between nations37. [And] The
Director-General is authorized: [�] To
participate, at the request of Member States, in
the planning and execution of programmes in
Member States for international understanding
and peaceful cooperation38.
The United Nations system is a possible
solution for developing education for international
understanding, and its teachings are a necessary
element in leading the educational process:
37 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 27, �Programme and Budget for 1959-60. Social Sciences. Promotion of International Understanding and Peaceful Co-operation�, resolution 10C/II.3.51, p. 28. 38 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 37, resolution 10C/II.3.52.(b).
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The organs of international co-operation have
sufficiently developed to make a study of them
by the methods of Social Science worth while. A
better understanding of the present techniques
of co-operation is bound to increase their
effectiveness39.
I.1.2.2. Peace as a consequence of education for international understanding
If the consequence of education for international
understanding is cooperation between nations, the
ultimate result would be peace.
If this is to be realized, peace must have
impregnated the entire process; it is equally true
that an educational programme is sine qua non for
peace to be an everlasting base within the wide
concept of justice. 39 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 26, �Resolutions adopted on the report of the Programme and Budget Commission and of the Joint Commission-Programme and Budget, Official and external Relations. Second Part : Preamble. Social Sciences. Studies of International Co-operation�, resolution 5C/II.C.3, p. 19.
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This is a concept whose understanding is
approached through a conscientious assimilation of
principles and criteria already expressed in texts
and activities, such as the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the United Nations system and
UNESCO´s international conferences and
resolutions.
Attaining peace can be approached by
education for international understanding:
The freedom of thought, the free circulation of
ideas, their free flow to all parts of the world,
the distribution of the varied riches of human
knowledge across the frontiers, among all the
nations of our orbit, are probably the
indispensable conditions for mutual
understanding between men; and this mutual
understanding, we know, is the basis of peace40.
40 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 32, �Authorisation of the executive secretary and his staff to perform the function of the director-general, acting as secretary general of the conference, and of the secretariat, pending the appointment of the Director-General�, resolution 1C/8, p. 19.
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International understanding and peace are
inseparable terms that must be present in any
teaching-learning process.
For this to occur,
the General Conference [�] Urges Member
States to encourage the teaching in schools of
points of view which are not prejudicial to
relations with other nations or harmful to that
understanding between peoples which is
essential to the establishment of a real and
lasting peace; and to discourage the teaching of
inflammatory political points of view41.
41 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 27, �Special Services for the Advancement of Education�, resolution 10C/II.1.31, p. 16.
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II
The first stage of defining education for international
understanding II.1. Education for living in a world community
The concept of education for living in a world
community is closely related to education for
international understanding.
In 1953, the Executive Board stated that the
Expert Committee to Study the Principles and
Methods of Education for Living in a World
Community
will be invited to address itself to the problem,
as such, of the principles and methods of
education for living in a world community. This
38
will involve consideration, in terms of basic
principles of both formal and popular
education, of what should be done by schools,
universities and through media of general
culture from museums to the radio and
television, in the promotion of international
understanding and co-operation1.
In the following reunion of the same year,
the same close relationship is found between
education for international understanding and for
living in a world community.
The committee�s proposals -approved by
the Executive Board- are proposals that share the
principle that education is either international, or
not education at all.
From this it is inferred that the elements of
international education be present when
1 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its thirty-third session (Paris, 8-18 April 1953), �Annex. Terms of reference of the Expert Committee to Study the Principles and Methods of Education for Living in a World Community�, decision 33EX/Annex.9, Paris, 7 May 1953, p. 17.
39
The Executive Board takes note with great
interest of the report of the Expert Committee
on Education for Living in a World Community
[�] , Approves the measures proposed by the
Director-General to give effect to certain of the
recommendations of the Expert Committee as
follows: (i) Organization of a European
Regional Conference on Education for Living in
a World Community. [�]; (ii) Preparations in
1954 for seminar to be held in 1955 on
�preparation for understanding current events
and contemporary problems in schools and
teacher training institutions�: [�] (iii)
Publication of a leaflet on Technical Assistance
as the first of a series of �information files� for
teachers on the main world problems that the
United Nations and the Specialized Agencies
are trying to solve2.
2 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its thirty-sixth session (Paris, 30 November-9 December 1953), �Execution of the Programme. Education. Education for Living in a World Community: report on meeting of experts held at Unesco House from 15 to 25 July 1953�, decision 36EX/5.1.4, Paris, 24 December 1953, pp. 4-5.
40
In this particular line of education, one of
the priorities of the years 1953 and 1954 would be
education for living in a world community, with
reference to young children, children in school,
young people in and out of school, and adults3.
That is why
Member States are invited, through their
National Commissions or otherwise to set up
national committees on education for living in a
world community and to stimulate the interest in
this subject of appropriate non-governmental
organizations with a view to advising Unesco
on principles and methods in this field4.
Also, 3 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Annex I : Reports of the Working Parties. Future Programme and Development of Unesco (PRG/39). Education. Priorities�, resolution 7C/II.5, Paris, 1952, p. 68. 4 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 3, �Programme resolutions. 1953-54 Programme. Education. Education for Living in a World Community. International Advisory Committee�, resolution 7C/II.1.311, p. 20.
41
the Director-General is authorized to conduct
an enquiry into the principles and methods of
education for living in a world community, and
to this end, to organize or to arrange by
contract for the organization of regional
consultative conferences5.
This committee is proceeded by the creation
of a workgroup in 1951 whose mandate consisted
of formulating an educational programme for the
development of international citizenship.6
They were after a Recommendation that
highlighted the importance of an education for
international citizenship7 and one that would also
specify its principles and methods.
5 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 4, resolution 7C/II.1.312. 6 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its twenty-eighth session, Paris, 23 October-1 November 1951), �Other Questions. Creation of a Working Party to draft a programme of education al citizenship�, decision 28EX/10.3, Paris, 15 November 1951, p. 28. 7 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its twenty-ninth session (Paris, 13 March-7 April 1952), �Execution of the Programme for 1952. Education. Education for the World Community: report of the Working Party of the Executive Board and observations of
42
Later on, it would be researched by an
expert committee (alluded to above) and then
approved.
It was ratified -also in 1953- stating that
the Executive Board approved the terms of
reference of the Expert Committee as shown at
Annex I to this report8.
Regarding the close relationship between
one form of education and another, the 1951
General Conference discussed fundamental
elements of international education that they also
considered as part of the education for national and
international citizenship.
Member States are invited: To take the
necessary educational measures to make
the Director-General on the report�, decision 29EX/7.2.1, Paris, 8 May 1952, p. 4. 8 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 1, �Programme questions. Education. Terms of reference of the Expert Committee to study the principles and methods of education for living in a world community�, decision 33EX/8.1.3, Paris, 7 May 1953, p. 7.
43
children and adults familiar with the aims and
activities of the United Nations and its
Specialized Agencies, and in general to
introduce into all elementary and secondary
schools education for citizenship both from the
national and international standpoints9;
The Director-General is authorized: To
organize a seminar for primary and secondary
school teachers and for members of the staff of
training colleges of all levels, on the
development of active methods for education in
world citizenship, especially in relation to the
principles of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights10.
Also in line with the education for living 9 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Resolutions adopted on the report of the Programme Commission and of the Joint Commission - Programme, Official and External Relations. Second part: The Programme for 1952. Education. Education for international understanding. Teaching about the United Nations and the specialized agencies�, resolution 6C/II.1.321, Paris, 1951, p. 20. 10 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 9, �Education and human rights�, resolution 6C/II.1.332.
44
in a world community, some ideas were suggested
that never prospered:
The Executive Board Noting the report on
existing international schools and possibilities
of establishing an international school in Paris,
[�] Believing that such a school for the
children of Unesco staff members together with
other children of different nationalities would
constitute a valuable experiment in education
for living in a world community, as well as
fulfilling a real need felt by international civil
servants in Paris, Invites the Director-General
to pursue his study of the project, in
consultation when necessary with the
appropriate authorities and persons, and to
prepare a detailed proposal for consideration
by the General Conference at its eighth session,
Decides to place the consideration of this
proposal on the agenda of the eighth session,
Declares its readiness to recommend to the
General Conference that up to one-half of the
necessary initial funds be advanced as a loan
45
from the Working Capital Fund, should no other
method of financing prove possible11.
II.1.1. The United Nations system
Teaching-learning about the United Nations system
and the Specialized Agencies was the first resource
used to drive UNESCO´s constitutional decision to
establish peace by way of education for
international understanding.
Teaching-learning about the United Nations
is a defining component of international education.
For this reason,
Member States are invited: To take all
necessary steps, or to continue whatever they
may have undertaken, in order to make children
and adults familiar with the principles 11 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its thirty-seventh session (Paris, 10 March-9 April 1954), �Draft Programme and Budget estimates for 1955-56. Proposal to establish an international school for the children of Unesco staff members�, decision 37EX/5.3, Paris, 29 April 1954, pp. 3-4.
46
contained in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and with the United Nations
systems12.
Accordingly,
the Director-General is authorized: [�] To
contribute, on the basis of the same principles,
to the development of teaching about the United
Nations and the Specialized Agencies13;
To associate the World Federation of United
Nations Associations with Unesco�s programme
of teaching about the United Nations system by
giving to it financial assistance for the
organization of courses and seminars on
methods of teaching about the system of the
12 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Resolutions adopted on the report of the Programme and Budget Commission and of the Joint Commission-Programme and budget, official and external relations: Fourth Part: The Programme for 1951: Education. Education for international understanding. Teaching about the United Nations and the Specialized Agencies�, resolution 5C/II.1.351, Paris, 1950, p. 36. 13 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 12, resolution 5C/II.1.354.
47
United Nations in schools14.
Education about the United Nations is a
strongly qualified method for favouring education
for international understanding.
Furthermore, as has been shown, it is an
opinion that has always been defended by
UNESCO:
The Director-General is instructed: To confine
the Enquiry on Education for International
Understanding during 1948 to teaching
regarding the United Nations and its
Specialized Agencies, and to carry on this work
in close co-operation with the United Nations
and other Specialized Agencies15.
From which we can conclude that education
14 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 13, resolution 5C/II.1.355. 15 UNESCO, Resolutions adopted by the General Conference during its second session, �Resolutions adopted on the report of the Programme and Budget Commission. The Programme of Unesco in 1948. Chapter 3 - Education. Teaching of International Understanding in Schools�, resolution 2C/VIII.A.3.8.1.1, Paris, 1947, p. 20.
48
on the United Nations and the Specialized
Agencies will promote commitments to achieve
well-being, justice and liberty, all of which
coincide with the expected results of education for
international understanding.
Moving beyond the known value of this
resource, there are still other ways to succeed in
achieving the educational process:
The Director-General is authorized: To
continue studies on the means of using the
social life and spontaneous activities of young
people in education for international
understanding16.
The youth are a privileged target for
education for international understanding.
The 1968 General Conference would decide
to undertake new activities for and with youth,
in order: [�] to secure the more active
16 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 12, �Youth Movements and Children�s Communities�, resolution 5C/II.1.361.
49
participation, national and international, of
youth in Unesco�s work and in the promotion of
its ideals; 2. Accordingly, authorizes the
Director-General, in 1969-1970: [�] (b) to
undertake activities calculated to encourage
young people to help in finding solutions, national and international, to their own
problems; (c) to start activities to promote
young people�s participation in development at
national and international level and encourage
their education in the spirit of peace and
international understanding; [�] (f) to
encourage exchanges of ideas among young
people and discussion between them and adults
on national or international problems that are
within the Organization�s purview; (g) to
associate the young as far as possible with
Unesco�s activities, both in their planning and
in their execution; [�] 3. Invites the Director-
General to endeavour to enlarge the scope of
Unesco�s work for youth in particular by: (a)
co-ordinating more closely, in policy and
purpose, the work of the various sectors of the
Secretariat concerned with youth; (b) co-
50
ordinating Unesco�s work in this sphere with
the corresponding activities of other United Nations organizations; (c) intensifying Unesco�s
activities in this domain by increased co-
operation with National Commissions and
appropriate non-governmental organizations
and especially by assisting youth committees
established by National Commissions17.
If the United Nations Declaration
concerning the Promotion among Youth of the
Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and
Understanding between Peoples, which is
approved in 1965 by the United Nations General
Assembly, is to be diffused and applied as
UNESCO suggests, it is worth ensuring that this be
done under the context of education for
international understanding.
It is then easy to establish that the
international instruments that constitute the 17 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Programme and budget for 1969-1970. Education. Out-of-school education. Youth activities�, resolution 15C/II.1.311, Paris, 1968, pp. 26-27.
51
framework of the educational process for
international understanding should also follow the
Declaration concerning the Promotion among
Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and
Understanding between Peoples.
Something similar must also be said with
respect to youth sports, travel and exchanges.
If it is true that the youth are a privileged
targets for the methods of achieving international
understanding, they must also be included as
defining elements of this type of education because
of the importance place on youth training and
education.
It is worth noting that in this first stage of
defining what education for international
understanding is, sport, travel, exchanges, human
rights, teachings on the United Nations and the
international instruments are elements that are to be
included in this education.
This must be why
the Director-General is authorized, in
52
collaboration with Member States and
appropriate international non-governmental
organizations, to take practical measures,
including the award of travel grants, to promote
and develop the exchange of young people for
purposes of education and international
understanding18.
II.2. Fundamental education
In 1956 UNESCO would establish that
fundamental education aims to help people who
have not obtained such help from established
educational institutions to understand the
problems of their environment and their rights
and duties as citizens and individuals, to
acquire a body of knowledge and skill for the
progressive improvement of their living
18 UNESCO, General Conference. Resolutions, �Programme of Unesco for 1955-56. Education. Exchange of Persons. Exchange of young people. Exchange of young people�, resolution 8C/IV.1.6.331, Paris, 1954, p. 41.
53
conditions and to participate more effectively in
the economic and social development of their
community. Fundamental education seeks, with
due regard for religious beliefs, to develop
moral values and a sense of the solidarity of
mankind. �While the object of the school is to
educate children, and while �further education�
continues the education previously acquired in
schools, fundamental education is designed to
supplement an incomplete school system in
economically underdeveloped areas both rural
and urban19.
In this presentation of fundamental
education there is no explicit reference to education
for international understanding.
But it is still important to highlight its close
relationship.
These moral values and human solidarity
that fundamental education attempts to develop are
19 UNESCO, General Conference. Resolutions, �Annexes. Report of the Programme Commission. Education�, resolution 9C/Anexos.A.1.6, Paris, 1956, p. 90.
54
also basic aims of the educational process for
international education.
If education for international understanding
is fundamental for UNESCO, and that
Fundamental Education is to be at the heart of the
work of Unesco20, we must recognize that the latter
is meaningless without the former.
Thus, it is obvious when the 1951 General
Conference, which clearly favoured fundamental
education as a UNESCO aim,
approves the project for a world network of
international fundamental education centres,
designed to remedy this crucial malady of
ignorance21.
The centres´ initiative for fundamental
education was stimulated by UNESCO after
approval of a pilot programme on fundamental
20 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 9, �Miscellaneous Resolutions. Establishment of a world network of international fundamental education centres�, resolution 6C/II.9.31, p. 33. 21 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 20, resolution 6C/II.9.321, p. 34.
55
education22.
In 1955, the project was transformed into
authorization from the Executive Board to the
Director-General to cooperate with the Indian
government in establishing a national centre for
fundamental education23.
In 1956, help for materials on fundamental
education24 was extended to the centre in Korea
(KORFEC)25 and authorization was given to Sudan
22 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its sixth session (Unesco House, Paris, from 12 to 15 February 1948), �Questions concerning the Programme for 1948. Report of the Programme Committee�, decision 6EX/10.10.(a).2, Paris, 1948, p. 4. 23 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its forty-second session (Paris, 9-26 November 1955), �Execution of the Programme for 1955-56. Location of certain planned projects�, decision 42EX/8.1.(b), Paris, 15 December 1955, p. 8. 24 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its forty-third session (Madrid, 9-19 April 1956), �Financial questions. Proposed transfers within the 1956 budget�, decision 43EX/9.1.(b), Paris, 18 May 1956, p. 16. 25 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its forty-fifth session (New Delhi, 31 October-3 December 1956), �Financial questions. Proposed transfers within the 1956 budget and appropriation of donations�, decision 45EX/10.1.IV, Paris, 7 January 1957, p. 13.
56
to participate in the Arab States Fundamental
Education Centre26.
II.3. Human rights and fundamental liberties
Two stages can be established before 1974 on the
treatment of human rights and fundamental liberties
in education for international understanding, this
being the year when the Recommendation
concerning Education for International
Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and
Education relating to Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms was approved, which
claimed
�Human rights� and �fundamental freedoms�
are those defined in the United Nations Charter,
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 26 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 24, �Other questions. Request from the Sudan Government for the admission of two Sudanese students to the Arab States Fundamental Education Centre (ASFEC)�, decision 43EX/11.1, p. 17.
57
the International Covenants on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, and on Civil and
Political Rights27.
The first stage -which ends in 1948 with the
approval of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights by the United Nations General Assembly
assisted in raising the relevance of uniting
education for international understanding with
education on human rights.
First, the Constitution declares:
The purpose of the Organization is to contribute
to peace and security by promoting
collaboration among the nations through
education, science and culture in order to
further universal respect for justice, for the rule
of law and for the human rights and
fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for 27 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Recommendations. Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Significance of terms�, resolution 18C/X.38.I.1.(c), Paris, 1974, p. 148.
58
the peoples of the world, without distinction of
race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter
of the United Nations28.
With this in mind, it is worth noting the
declaration of a delegate referring to UNESCO in
the 1946 General Conference:
The Government of the Peoples� Federative
Republic of Yugoslavia realised the possibilities
such an organisation offered to all nations
which had defeated the greatest enemies of
humanity -German and Italian Fascism and
Japanese Imperialism- and had fought for the
fundamental right of peoples and individuals to
a free and independent life. It realises that the
organisation will make loyal and effective co-
operation in the cultural field likely and will
thus contribute to the establishment and
strengthening of a lasting peace between the
peoples of the world. That is why the Yugoslav
delegation took part in the work of that
28 UNESCO, Constitution, article I.1.
59
Conference and signed the Constitution which
was drawn up, even though it could not approve
of certain aspects of the text of this
Constitution29.
What is most noteworthy, in the context of
the two stages, is that we are being informed not
only that Unesco contemplates a conference with a
view to making a Declaration of the Rights of Man30,
but that
the Secretariat should organize, in
collaboration with the United Nations
Commission on the Rights of Man, an
International Conference in order to clarify the
principles on which might be founded a modern
declaration of the Rights of Man31.
29 UNESCO, General Conference, �Plenary Meetings of the Conference. Verbatim records. Third plenary meeting. Report and general discussion on the work of the Preparatory Commission�, 1C/9, Paris, 1946, p. 38. 30 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 29, �Twelfth plenary meeting. Consideration of reports of the commissions (continuation). Report of programme commission(Annex I)�, 1C/13.d, p. 81. 31 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 29, �Annexes. Annex I. Report of the Programme Commission. Report of the sub-commission
60
In 1948, the United Nations General
Assembly announces the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
This would be the end of a process in which
UNESCO actively participated32.
By ratifying the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, UNESCO would begin new efforts
to adapt the principles and philosophy behind the
education for international understanding process.
Applying the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights in education -which is strongly
recommended- would be complemented in 1959
with the Declaration of the Rights of the Child,
approved by the United Nations General Assembly.
Both codes should be considered as basic
elements for the education for international
understanding process. on social sciences, philosophy and humanistic studies. Part II - Philosophy and humanistic studies. Philosophy. Rights of man�, resolution 1C/VI.II.I.D, p. 236. 32 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 15, �Communications. Libraries, Books and Publications. Publications�, resolution 2C/VIII.A.2.3.3�, p. 16; and �Human and social relations. Philosophical Analysis of Current Ideological Conflicts �, resolution 2C/VIII.A.5.2�, p. 25.
61
Member States are invited: [�] To promote,
through education, international understanding
and co-operation and respect for human rights,
including the rights of children enumerated in
Resolution 1386 (XIV) adopted by the General
Assembly of the United Nations (1959)33.
In both declarations, UNESCO would insist
that
Education shall be directed to the full
development of the human personality and to
the strengthening of respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote
understanding, tolerance and friendship among
all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall
further the activities of the United Nations for
the maintenance of peace34.
33 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Programme and Budget for 1961-62. Education. Human rights and international understanding. Fight against discrimination in education�, resolution 11C/II.1.1511.(c), Paris, 1960, p. 18. 34 UNITED NATIONS, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 26.2.
62
Thus,
Member States are invited to promote studies
relating to the application of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, to publicize the
results of these studies and, in particular, by the
dissemination of information and by teaching,
to combat racial prejudice and discrimination35.
Education on human rights and fundamental
liberties as maintained in the various international
instruments must be promoted.
But this education must pay special
attention to the code established in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
That is,
Member States are invited: [�] to promote in
both State and private schools throughout their
metropolitan territories and in trust and non- 35 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 4, �Programme resolutions. 1953-54 Programme. Social Sciences. Campaign against discriminations of race and sex�, resolution 7C/II.3.261, p. 24.
63
self-governing territories under their
administration, teaching about the United
Nations and Specialized Agencies and about
human rights and fundamental freedoms as
embodied in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, and in general to orient their
education in school towards the dignity of the
human being and towards international
understanding and co-operation, so as to free
education from all factors which might impede
the achievement of the objectives of the
Constitution of Unesco36.
When UNESCO asks itself why education
in relation to human rights and fundamental
liberties, it would answer:
mutually profitable cultural co-operation, based
on equality of rights, between the various
countries and nations is an important factor in
36 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 19, �Resolutions concerning the Programme and Budget. Programme of Unesco for 1957-58. Education. Pre-school and School Education�, resolution 9C/I.1.31.(b), p. 12.
64
strengthening peace and international
understanding37;
To achieve this, racial prejudices must be
eliminated38, along with other things.
In these efforts, education on human rights
and fundamental liberties is an effective
instrument.
Its teachings allow for the uncovering of
their truths and the discovery of a universal right to
education and equality of opportunities as well as
educational material39.
When wondering how to achieve this, the
37 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions. Recommendations, �Programme. Resolutions concerning the Programme for 1973-74 and Recommendations concerning future programmes. Social sciences, humanities and culture. Studies and development of culture. Cultural studies�, resolution 17C/II.3.312, Paris, 1972, p. 56. 38 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Resolutions, �Programme and Budget for 1959-60. Social Sciences. Promotion of Human Rights�, resolution 10C/II.3.62, Paris, 1958, p. 28. 39 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 37, �Education. Planning and financing of education. Equality of access to education�, resolution 17C/1.142, p. 22.
65
General Conference authorizes the Director-
General
(d) To promote more particularly, in close co-
operation with Member States and qualified
international non-governmental organizations,
improved teaching in schools, and out-of-school
education, concerning Eastern and Western
cultural values: (i) By assisting in the
improvement of school curricula and in the
improvement or production of school textbooks,
other teaching aids and reading materials for
pupils, and by participating in Member States�
activities in this regard at the request of the
States concerned; [...] (e) To help in
developing, in the general public, mutual
appreciation of Eastern and Western cultural
values: (i) By continuing the programme for the
translation of representative works, by
financing the translations or when necessary
their publication and by participating, at the
request of Member States, in their activities
66
relating to the translation of Western classics
into Asian languages40.
And of course, reaching all of the areas
capable of having an opinion, among those worth
noting are the universities, schools, associations
and organizations.
40 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 38, �Major Project on Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and� Western Cultural Values�, resolution 10C/II.4A.91.II.2., p. 35.
67
III
International education for an international
understanding III.1. The second stage
The concept of international education was first
used in UNESCO in 1946 when passing the
proposition titled international educational summer
courses.1
The concept is used in the context of
education as a means for fostering international
understanding2.
1 UNESCO, General Conference, �Summary Records of the six Programme Sub-Commissions. Sub-Commission on Education. Second meeting. Group I. The panel on fundamental education. Enquiry concerning education as a means of fostering international understanding�, resolution 1C/(a), Paris, 1946, p. 151. 2 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 1, p. 150.
68
This concept of international education is
replaced in the first stage with the new term
education for international understanding.
In the 44th International Conference on
Education (Geneva, 1994) they are used
indistinctively.
Moreover, the 1974 Recommendation
-Recommendation concerning Education for
International Understanding, Co-operation and
Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms-in 1993 would be
denominated, Recommendation on International
Education:
The General Conference, Considering that the
full and comprehensive implementation of the
1974 Recommendation concerning Education
for International Understanding, Co-operation
and Peace and Education relating to Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, or
Recommendation on International Education,
should remain the mainstay of Member States'
69
and UNESCO's programmes in this field, [�]
3. Also invites the Director-General to finalize
the integrated action plan on education for
peace, human rights and democracy [�] taking
into account all existing action plans in the field
of international education and in particular the
relevant provisions of the Vienna Declaration
and Programme of Action for Human Rights
adopted by the World Conference on Human
Rights (Vienna, June 1993), the World Plan of
Action on Education for Human Rights and
Democracy adopted by the International
Congress on Education for Human Rights and
Democracy (Montreal, March 1993), in
particular the needs of the target groups
identified in the Montreal Plan, and the
Associated Schools Project Strategy and Plan of
Action 1994-2000, and to submit the integrated
action plan for consideration by the
International Conference on Education in 1994
and for approval by the General Conference at
its twenty-eighth session, taking due account of
any comments and recommendations made by
70
the 1994 International Conference on
Education3.
International education and education for
international understanding are synonymous.
And of course, they are both closely tied to
the UNESCO mandate:
The General Conference, Recalling UNESCO's
special mandate to further international
education including education for human rights
and democracy, mainly based on the 1974
Recommendation�4
From this, UNESCO invites them
3 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Programme for 1994-1995. Major Programme Areas. Social and human sciences: contribution to development, peace, human rights and democracy. 1974 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms�, resolution 27C/III.5.7, Paris, 1993, pp. 63-64. 4 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 3, �Associated Schools Project�, resolution 27C/III.5.10, Paris, 1993, p. 65.
71
to promote international education in
institutions of higher education in general,
paying special attention to the training of
educational personnel5;
to encourage the incorporation of content
relating to international education in curricula
for out-of-school and adult education, and to
give support to youth activities under this
programme, encouraging reflection and action
by young people in favour of international
understanding, co-operation and peace, and
respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms6.
5 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Programme for 1979-1980. Education. Objectives 1.5 & 2.3 Education and information concerning human rights, peace and international understanding� resolution 20C/1/1.5 & 2.3/1.2.e), Paris, 1978, p. 28. 6 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Programme for 1986-1987. Major Programmes. Peace, international understanding, human rights and the rights of peoples. Major Programme XIII: Peace, international understanding, human rights and the rights of peoples. Under Programme X111.3, �Education for peace and respect for human rights and the rights of peoples�, resolution 23C/III.13.1.3.(c).(v), Paris, 1985, p. 73.
72
Since international education and education
for international understanding are synonymous,
another resolution is passed in 1993 stating:
The General Conference, [�] 1. Reaffirms its
view that the Associated Schools Project should
assume an important pilot function in
implementing and further developing
international education, from pre-school
education to teacher training, including
technical and vocational education, within the
context of the national education systems of
every country, and thereby contribute to a
worldwide culture of peace; [�]
5. Invites the Director-General: [�] (b) to give
special attention to the pilot function of ASP
with regard to the development of international
education, including education for human rights
and democracy, and to provide in future
programmes and budgets of UNESCO for
relevant subregional, regional and
interregional pilot projects7.
7 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 4, pp. 65-66.
73
In any case, by this time the Executive
Board had already assumed the term international
education when referring to education for
international understanding:
Reaffirms the need to implement, at all levels of
the education system, an integrated plan for
international education on peace and human
rights; likewise to implement communication
activities in favour of all population groups and
in particular for illiterate populations, rural
populations and certain professions directly
concerned by the protection of human rights8,
And in the second reunion of the same year
in 1989 the Executive Board:
8 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 131st session (Paris, 17 May-22 June 1989), �Draft Third Medium-Term Plan and Draft Programme and Budget for 1990-1991. Consideration of the Draft Programme and Budget for 1990-1991. Major Programme Area VII � Unesco�s contribution to peace. human rights and the elimination of all forms of discrimination�, decision 131EX/4.2.II.VII.101, Paris, 21 July 1989, p. 78.
74
Requests all Member States, given the
importance of the 1974 Recommendation, to
redouble their efforts to ensure its full and
widespread application, and to take all
necessary measures to promote international
education at the levels and in the types of
education where its development appears to call
for special attention � such as pre-service and
in�service teacher training, technical and
vocational education, higher and postgraduate
education, out�of�school, adult and literacy
education and pre�school education � and to
develop their international and regional co�
operation in this field9. [�]
Invites the Director�General: [�] to make full
use of the wealth of information on experiences
in international education and on ideas for
further innovative action in this field, and to
9 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 132nd session (Paris, 28 September-14 November 1989), �Execution of the Programme. Education. Synthesis of Member States� reports on the application of the Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms�, decision 132EX/5.2.1.3, Paris, 13 December 1989, pp. 12-13.
75
study the possibility of further improving the
dissemination of encouraging examples of
innovation and creativity in international
education, by means of qualitative studies,
source books or international workshops for
Associated Schools10; [...]
to continue or to undertake new activities
aimed at encouraging Member States to give
more in-depth consideration to the modalities of
international education integrated into general
education, and into the various disciplines and
educational activities, both as a whole and by
making use of the specific contents and
materials required for dealing with certain
themes11; [�]
to study the desirability of replacing the
present Recommendation by a convention which
could reflect the new context of international
education and would be more binding12;
10 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 9, decision 132EX/5.2.1.4.(b), p. 13. 11 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 9, decision 132EX/5.2.1.4.(e), p. 14. 12 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 9, decision 132EX/5.2.1.(g), p. 14.
76
to conclude as soon as possible the preparation
of the Integrated Plan for International
Education on Peace and Human Rights (second
phase) on the basis of the broad lines of the
third Medium-Term Plan, the related
resolutions adopted by the recent sessions of the
General Conference and the proposals made on
the subject by the Consultative Committee and,
consequently, to give wider and more effective
application to the 1974 Recommendation13.
Finally,
recommends to the General Conference that it
invite the Director�General: [�] in order to
ensure more effective retrospective evaluation
and prospective planning and budgeting of the
development of international education, to take
the necessary measures for organizing, on the
occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the
adoption of the 1974 Recommendation, a
further intergovernmental conference on 13 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 9, decision 132EX/5.2.1.(h), p. 14.
77
international education, preferably within the
framework of one of the forthcoming sessions of
the International Conference on Education14.
In 1994, the Executive Board approves the
Statutes of the Advisory Committee on Education
for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy.
This Committee replaces the Consultative
Committee on Steps to Promote the Full and
Comprehensive Implementation of the
Recommendation concerning Education for
International Understanding, Co-operation and
Peace and Education Relating to Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms:
The Committee shall in particular: [...]
promote (wherever possible) an integrated
approach to international, intercultural and
peace education and to education for human
14 EXECUTIVE BOARD, op. cit. in note 9, �Report on progress in implementing the first phase of the Plan for the Development of Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace�, decision 132EX/5.2.4.4.(f), pp. 18-19.
78
rights and democracy15.
And in the second reunion of that year:
support should be extended to regional and
interregional co-operation in the field of values
education and international education16.
The 1994 General Conference would recall
on its behalf a question left behind in 1947 and
1948.
If the previous intentions were to create a
Convention on education for international 15 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 144th session (Paris, 25 April-5 May 1994), �Execution of the Programme. Social and human sciences. Draft Statutes of the Advisory Committee on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy. Annex Statutes of the Advisory Committee on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy�, decision 144EX/4.3.1.2.Annex. Article 2.2.f), Paris, 1994, p. 24. 16 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 145th session, Paris, 17 October-4 November 1994), �Medium-Term Planning from 1996 and Draft Programme and Budget for 1996-1997. Preliminary proposals for Medium-Term Planning from 1996 and the Draft Programme and Budget for 1996-1997. Preliminary proposals concerning document 28 C/5�, decision 145EX/4.1.I.B.10.(j).(xii), Paris, 29 November 1994, p. 19.
79
understanding -which later resulted in a
Recommendation- now it
invites the Director�General:[�] to study the
desirability of replacing the present
Recommendation by a convention which could
reflect the new context of international
education and would be more binding17,
which was also requested by the Executive Board
in 1989.
There is no difference in meaning between
education for international understanding and
international education.
These produce a mutual international
understanding of the UNESCO mission:
The General Conference, [�] Reaffirming the
specific mission of Unesco to help develop an
17 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �General resolutions. Education for international understanding, co-operation and peace and education relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms�, resolution 25C/VII. 26.5.(g), Paris, 1989, p. 187.
80
international climate of mutual understanding,
peaceful co-operation and fruitful dialogue by
promoting international education and its
integration into all fields and levels of
education, [�]
1. Calls upon Member States: [�]
(b) to develop strategies and plans within the
context of educational policies with a view to
integrating international education into all
fields and levels of education, on the basis of the
1974 Recommendation; [...]
(c) to take an active part in the implementation
of the relevant objectives and activities provided
for in document 25 C/5 as well as in the
integrated plan for international education and
to make their own contributions to this end,
possibly by organizing or co-ordinating
relevant regional or subregional activities;
2. Invites the Director�General: [...]
(b) to draw up to this end the new, integrated
plan for the development of international
education covering the second phase (1990-
1995) of the Plan; [...]
81
(d) to extend measures for improved co�
ordination within Major Programme Area I, as
well as between Major Programme Areas I, II
and VII and the other relevant major
programme areas, of the various activities
promoting international education, and �to
initiate further steps to utilize the relevant
potential of all subjects, fields and levels of
education; [...]
(f) (iii) to promote studies and research
projects on important issues of international
education, such as the treatment of major
problems of mankind in teaching materials and
links between literacy and international
education;
(f) (iv) to study, during the 1990�1991
biennium, the possibility of organizing, during
the following biennium, an international
seminar on international education in teacher
training, preceded by a study initiated by the
Unesco Secretariat on advanced practices in
this field; [...
(f) (vi) to submit to the General Conference, at
its twenty-sixth session, a report on progress in
82
the preparation of the integrated plan for the
development of international education, taking
into account the provisions of this resolution18,
When the Plan for the Development of
Education for International Understanding, Co-
operation and Peace is approved, it would be
highlighted by stating that it
invites the Director�General: (a) to continue
implementing activities approved by the
General Conference under the second phase of
the Plan for the Development of Education for
International Understanding, Co-operation and
Peace (1990�1995) as part of an integrated
plan, with necessary adjustments to be made in
the light of the new integrated approach
proposed in document 25 C/4 (para. 416) for 18 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 17, �Programme for 1990�1991. Major Programme Areas. Unesco�s contribution to peace, human rights and the elimination of all forms of discrimination. Full and comprehensive implementation of the Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1974)�, resolution 25C/IV.7.2, pp. 132-135.
83
planning the development of human rights
teaching and education for international
understanding, co-operation and peace as well
as in the light of the recommendations made by
the Consultative Committee on Steps to Promote
the Full and Comprehensive Implementation of
the 1974 Recommendation at its second session
(Paris, November 1988);
(b) while preparing the Integrated Plan for
international education on peace and human
rights, to pay due attention to interrelations,
emphasized by the Yamoussoukro Congress on
Peace in the Minds of Men, between education
for international understanding, co�operation
and peace, human rights teaching and
environmental education, and to take
particular care that the specificity of these fields
of international education is maintained in the
new Integrated Plan and that the budget
allocated for their development is not reduced19,
19 UNESCO, op. cit. in note 17, �Plan for the development of education for international understanding, co-operation and peace�, resolution 25C/VII.25.2, pp. 184-185.
84
And in 1991,
invites the Director-General , in particular: A.
under Programme VII.1, �Peace in the minds of
men�:
(a) with a view to promoting peace and
international understanding: [...]
(ii) to compile and disseminate, in collaboration
with specialized national , regional and
international institutions, relevant information,
particularly in UNESCO�s periodical
publications and within the framework of
programmes of international education; [...]
(iv) to support youth exchanges;
(b) with a view to strengthening teaching and
the exchange of information in the fields of
peace and international understanding;
(i) to implement, in the framework of the 1974
Recommendation, the Draft Integrated Action
Plan for international education at all levels of
education and to provide for an evaluation of
the implementation of the 1974
Recommendation by the International
85
Conference on Education at its 44th session
(1994)20.
Education for international understanding
and international education are both conditions of
mutual international understanding.
This then justifies the creation of an
educational centre for mutual international
understanding:
Reaffirming the responsibility of UNESCO and
its Member States to promote education for
international understanding, justice, freedom,
human rights and peace, as urged notably in the
1974 Recommendation concerning Education
for International Understanding, Cooperation
and Peace and Education relating to Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and also in 20 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Programme for 1992-1993. Major Programme Areas. UNESCO�s contribution to peace, human rights and the elimination of all forms of discrimination. Major Programme Area VII: �UNESCO�s contribution to peace, human rights and the elimination of all forms of discrimination�, resolution 26C/III.7.1.2, Paris, 1991, p. 79.
86
the Declaration and Integrated Framework of
Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights
and Democracy prepared by the International
Conference on Education at its 44th session, in
1994, which were respectively endorsed and
approved subsequently by the General
Conference at its 28th session, in 1995, [�]
considering that the main function of the
proposed centre is to carry out regional
cooperative and collaborative work in the field
of education for international understanding,
inter alia on research and development,
training, teaching materials development,
information dissemination, and international
conferences and/or workshops�21
III.2. The objectives of international education
The objectives of international education can be 21 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Programme for 2000-2001. Major Programme I: Education for all throughout life. Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding�, resolution 30C/IV.2.17, Paris, 1999, pp. 39-40.
87
grouped into three sections: the development of the
human personality, human rights and fundamental
liberties, international understanding and
understanding, and the promotion of peace.
In 1978, the Executive Board said that
a major goal of education lies in the
contribution it can make to international
understanding, peace, human rights and
fundamental freedoms22.
For this reason, it
further stresses the importance that should be
accorded in the programme to the activities
contemplated in the following fields: [�]
22 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 105th session (Paris, 25 September-28 November 1978), �Draft Medium-Term Plan for 1977-1982, Draft Programme and Budget for 1979-1980 and other questions relating to the planning and programming of the Organization�s activities. Final observations of the Executive Board on the Draft Programme and Budget for 1979-1980. Comments of the Executive Board. Education�, decision 105EX/4.2.I.A.23, Paris, 28 December 1978, p. 14.
88
education for peace, international
understanding and disarmament23.
Which coincides with the observation that,
in conformity with its Constitution, Unesco
should continue to give highest priority to
education for the development of international
understanding and friendly relations,
international co-operation and peace, as well as
for the real respect of human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all, without
distinctions to race, sex, language or religion24.
23 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 108th session, Paris, 19 September-19 October 1979), �Draft Programme and Budget for 1981-1983. Preliminary proposals by the Director-General concerning the Programme and Budget for 1981-1983. Preliminary outline programme for 1981-1983. Education�, decision 108EX/4.1.II.A.24.d), Paris, 15 November 1979, p. 15. 24 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 99th session (Paris, 26 April-26 May 1976), �Draft Medium-Term Plan for 1977-1982 and Draft Programme and Budget for 1977-1978. Examination of the Draft Programme and Budget for 1977-1978 and recommendations of the Executive Board. Observations of the Executive Board. General. Education�, decision 99EX/4.2.III.7, Paris, 28 June 1976, p. 29.
89
From this, when the Executive Board
establishes the regulations of the UNESCO Prize
for the Teaching of Human Rights, s/he states:
The �Unesco Prize for the Teaching of Human
Rights� shall be awarded in recognition of
activity aimed at developing the teaching of
human rights. [�]
6. (a) The Prize-winners shall be nationals of,
or institutions or organizations having their
headquarters in, Member States of Unesco.
They shall be required to have taken one or
more particularly noteworthy initiatives for the
development of the teaching of human rights,
namely:
6. (b) In addition, the following criteria will be
taken into consideration: the duration of the
activity must be sufficient to permit its results to
be assessed and its effectiveness to be proved; it
should make a notable contribution to the basic
objectives of the United Nations and of Unesco
in the field of human rights; the work
accomplished should serve as an example and
90
be such as to stimulate further similar
initiatives; it should have proved effective in
mobilizing new resources, intellectual and
physical, for the teaching of human rights; it
should contribute to the understanding and
solution of international or national problems of
human rights; it should contribute to the
improvement of understanding among nations,
peoples and individuals, to the promotion of
peace, relaxation of international tensions and
international understanding and to action to
combat racism, racial discrimination and
apartheid25.
25 EXECUTIVE BOARD, Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 104th session (Paris, 24 April-9 June 1978), �Execution of the programme. Social Sciences and their Applications. Establishment of the Unesco Prize to be awarded for activity aimed at developing the teaching of human rights. Annex. Regulations of the Unesco prize for the teaching of human rights�, decision 104EX/5.4.1.Anexo.6.(a) and (b), Paris, 10 July 1978, pp. 33-34.
91
III.2.1. The development of the human personality
International education has a tendency to create
processes in students that allow them to realize
their values, attitudes and abilities; processes that
drive them to develop their personality.
By achieving a new capacity to
communicate with others and by acquiring a
critically understanding of the problems and
circumstances that surround her/him, the students
will discover an intellectual and affective
perspective on their surroundings -including those
closest to the surroundings, as well as those farthest
away- also allowing for new ways to explain the
prevailing facts, opinions and ideas involved.
In other words, international education is
called upon to promote a sense of universal values
in all individuals.
The discovery of the value of liberty as well
as the ability to react to their individual challenges,
are the expected results of international education.
92
These results are manifested in citizens who
are capable of assuming responsibility; citizens
capable of communicating the truth, of cooperating
and sharing the feeling of solidarity that look after
the ideas of fairness on a national and international
level; citizens capable of making choices that
promote harmony among individuals and groups
and who can also gather the basic necessities while
still looking after long-term goals26.
III.2.2. Human rights and fundamental liberties
The process of international education is focused
on achieving the acquisition of an understanding of
individual rights, as well as the people�s personal
responsibilities on a local and international level.
26 UNESCO, Records of the General Conference. Volume 1. Resolutions, �Recommendations. Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Guiding principles�, resolution 18C/X.38.III, Paris, 1974, pp. 148-149.
93
It also proposes the elimination of
prejudices and misunderstandings that limit a
harmonious development and the ability to exercise
their rights, through the acquisition of knowledge
that shows the prevailing inequalities and injustices
that obstruct peace and allow for maintaining
relations based on intolerable differences.
III.2.3. Understanding, tolerance and friendship between nations.
International education must favour understanding
and respect between nations by proposing
educational itineraries that drive towards achieving
a hospitable attitude, openness and participation.
Hospitality towards the different, openness
to the universal and participation in solving local
and international problems.
International education must use all
necessary instruments to allow individuals the
capacity to understand and accept other nations´
94
and cultures´ values creating one world heritage
made up of one humanity.
III.2.4. The promotion of peace
Achieving and maintaining peace is the ultimate
goal of international education. A just and lasting
peace that, first of all, must arise from the minds of
the people as an imperative condition that always
drives the resolution of conflicts through non-
violence; a peace that applies just rectifications and
maintains the universal respect of people, nations
and cultures.
III.3. Contents of international education
In any educational program, of any educational
system, for any educational process and under any
educational material, international education must
be communicated. This education is based on four
95
basic principles (which must be used together if
attempting a true educational process): human
rights, peace, culture and understanding the United
Nations system.
In teaching human rights, the following
fundamentals must be taken into considerations: the
ethical and philosophical principles; its historical
evolution and expression; communicating it in the
context of the nation�s or culture´s specific
situation; the problems of racism and sexism in
these contexts; the meaning of equality between
nations; and the fight against discrimination with
respect to these human rights.
The fundamentals of peace to be included
are, first of all, ways of maintaining peace, the
necessary conditions for constructing it, and the
different types of conflicts, causes and effects.
For culture, the history and development of
a nation should be considered; they must fight
against illiteracy; manage and conserve the natural
resources; and also conserve the cultural heritage of
humanity.
96
To understand the United Nations system,
first, its methods of actions must be considered; as
well as those of international relations and the
functions and responsibilities of the system in this
sphere; the fundamentals of democracy; and the
functions carried out by the United Nation�s
Specialized Agencies.
III.4. What is international education
Essentially, international education is a process
that, by means of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and the United Nations system�s
ideals and objectives, strives towards achieving
attitudes and aptitudes that favour peace, human
security and sustainable development.
These attitudes and aptitudes are clearly
seen in the friendly relations between nations, in a
mutual understanding for achieving an equitable
and enduring progress for all human beings with a
tolerant cooperation in solidarity which is based on
97
understanding, knowledge of others and respect
towards human rights and universal civil
responsibilities.
This educational process tends to be most
fruitful in people with open minds, those with a
way of understanding human relations, a way of
seeing the world, a spirit, a way of being, a certain
mental aptitude and ethic.
It is aimed at bring out the best human
qualities, those that can be made manifest
harmoniously by combining intellectual values,
moral purity and physical perfection; by fostering
the development of the human personality and the
ability to communicate with others; by contributing
to foster qualities and abilities that drive
individuals to take a critical stance towards
problems, to understand and explain facts, opinions
and ideas; to work in groups; and to participate in
free dialogues.
This process tends to promote harmony
amongst individual and collective values, amongst
basic needs and long-term interests, by giving
98
citizens the capacity to make choices with
knowledge of the cause and with appreciation of
autonomy, solidarity, equality and liberty.
This open attitude is based on the
acquisition of knowledge; in the free circulation
and dissemination of ideas and truthful
information; in the promotion of experimental and
innovative activities; and in perfecting principles of
the intellect, morals, and international citizenship.
The acquisition of knowledge is based on
the principle of mutual understanding between
nations; of peaceful coexistence; of international
understanding; and by understanding the growing
world interdependence of States with different
social and political systems.
This international understanding promotes
learning about diversity; about the richness of
cultural identities; of the existence of individuals,
races, nations and cultures with the capacity to
communicate, share and cooperate with others; of
the acceptance of difference as an opportunity to
act with interest towards others; and understanding
99
that human beings have one common aspiration.
Friendship between nations is established
with the acceptance of the spirit of international
cooperation, with the aim of creating an
atmosphere of mutual international understanding,
of peaceful cooperation and of fruitful dialogue.
Education for international understanding
favours international cooperation and guarantees
peace and international security; human security;
sustainable development; the creation of a culture
of peace; and the establishment of democracy by
eliminating prejudices, misunderstanding,
inequality, injustices; and by developing the
mentality of peace and the capacity of resolving
conflicts in a non-violent manner.
Guaranteeing international peace and
security is possible through knowledge;
understanding and the respect of human rights and
the fundamental liberties proclaimed in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and by
understanding the principles, aims and objectives
100
on which the United Nations and its Specialized
Agencies base their actions.