Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva/Paris, 26 June 1997
N° 64

UNESCO AND INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION SIGN CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT

Paris, June 26 - UNESCO and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) today signed a co-operation agreement in Paris which paves the way to yearly consultations, joint activities and exchange of technical advice within the respective fields of competence of the two organisations which "pursue common objective of peace and security".

The agreement was signed by UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor, IPU Council President Ahmed Fathy Sorour, and Secretary General of the IPU Pierre Cornillon.

At the signing, Mr Ahmed Fathy Sorour, declared that the agreement would "provide an institutional framework" for the two organisations' co-operation and "open up new possibilities for dialogue and interaction on the international level between the two branches of the State which are governments and parliaments." He added, however, the agreement merely points to the path for co-operation, and it is now up to the two organisations to "make progress and move down this path by constant interaction. We have many projects to implement together - all of which will allow the Inter-Parliamentary Union to fulfill in practice its role of a consultative parliamentary assembly to UNESCO."

Mr Mayor, for his part, stressed the importance of parliamentarians to international organisations: "Today more than ever before, when we speak of the great challenges facing the world, not only governments, not only policy-makers must bear the burden of responsibility. How can we accomplish this almost impossible mission that is to build peace? Therefore, we must now ask the representatives of the people to express themselves," he declared.

For international organisations, members of parliament are an essential link to public opinion without which it is extremely difficult to raise support for international initiatives. Parliamentarians play a pivotal role in the relationship between the citizens of States and the community of States. Their mission which is, by definition, to seek dialogue and understanding makes them the ideal agents of international democratisation.

The IPU, founded in 1889 with its headquarters in Switzerland, promotes contacts and exchange of experience amongst parliaments and parliamentarians world-wide. Its membership is composed of 138 national parliaments and three international parliamentary assemblies.

Following the successful Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Education, Science, Culture and Communication on the Eve of the Twenty-first Century, held in June 1996 at UNESCO Headquarters, and in line with the important role conferred upon parliamentarians in the Organisation's strategy, UNESCO's co-operation with IPU has developed substantially, notably concerning areas such as human rights, democracy and peace, the status of women, the Mediterranean, communication and culture.

The agreement signed today will further develop this co-operation. The Secretariats of UNESCO and the IPU will henceforth hold yearly consultations in order to exchange views on matters of common concern. The two organisations will explore new areas for co-operation and undertake joint activities. These activities will include the holding of joint special conferences on subjects within the competence of UNESCO and of particular interest to parliaments and their members. Each organisation may also request the other to prepare studies or technical advice on subjects within the latter's fields of competence. UNESCO observers will attend the IPU's conferences and meetings, and vice-a-versa. Information and document exchanges are also planned.