(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Paris: Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi said yesterday that the siege countries have violated all human rights principles and values including the right to education with the measures it took against Qatar.
Some of those measures was not allowing Qatari students continue their academic years, and not providing Qatari graduates any proof of their studies in those countries.
This came during the speech of the Minister in the 39th conference of Unesco, which is currently taking place in Paris until November 14.
The Minister noted that the siege has led to a social and psychological divide in the GCC society, in addition to the emotional and educational damages caused to Qatari students who used to study in the siege countries. He added that the outcomes of the siege, based on unsubstantiated accusations, left a strong and painful impression on citizens and residents of Qatar as their lives suffered from a disruption and a comprehensive change in all aspects of their lives.
The Minister also noted that the siege led to the separation of thousands of families, violating their rights to education, movement, ownership, and free speech. They will also prevented from carrying out their religious practices, including Al Haj and Al Umrah. The Minister said that the State of Qatar faced the escalation of the siege countries by calling for calm and demanding a dialogue, despite all the violations and the attempts to intervene in Qatari internal affairs.
The Minister added that he will discuss a number of issues related to the role of Unesco in maintaining global peace, noting that he found the speech of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in September's UN General Assembly closely connected to the role of Unesco.
The speech focused on ideas such as mutual respect between countries, avoiding interference in other countries' internal affairs, and pursuing peaceful means to resolving crises. The Minister said that all these principles are ones the State of Qatar is committed to and calls for ever since the siege began.
The Minister stressed on the importance of the programmes proposed for the Unesco's budget of the upcoming two years 2018 and 2019. He said that the proposed programmes are in agreement with the efforts of the State of Qatar in the fields of education, culture, and communication. The Minister highlighted in particular the programmes for training teachers and providing support to children in conflict-stricken areas, as well as protecting all forms of cultural expression.
On the fourth objective of sustainable development, the Minister said that Qatar has come a long way in achieving its goal, pointing out that since the World Summit of the UN approved the Sustainable Development Plan 2030, Qatar initiated the formation of the National Committee for Education for All to follow up the implementation of the fourth objective of this plan in line with the development objectives of the State. The Minister noted the State's keenness on all students to receive a qualitative education at all levels. He pointed out that despite Qatar's concern to build its educational system and educational renaissance, it did not forget to extend a helping hand to all international efforts to assist in the implementation of educational and humanitarian programs and projects in brotherly and friendly countries, especially those suffering from the effects of wars, conflicts and natural disasters.
He stressed that Qatar's initiatives in this field are many and varied, as well as its efforts to combat terrorism and drain its sources by teaching seven million children around the world so they do not fall prey to ignorance and extremist ideas.
In this context, the Minister praised the efforts of H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education of Unesco, in supporting the activities and programs of the Organization related to education, including the recent signing of an agreement on the implementation of a project in Pakistan that aims to enroll 100,000 students in education at a cost of $13m.
The Education Minister wished the Conference success and that Unesco always remains a living symbol of constructive international cooperation among all the good forces in the world. Dr Al Hammadi expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Director-General of Unesco Irina Bokova for her great efforts during the period of her administration. He said that she bore a great trust which she performed in the best way, praising in this context her sincere cooperation with the people of education and culture.
The Education Minister congratulated Audrey Azoulay for being elected a new Director-General of Unesco and Zohour Alaoui for her election as President of the thirty-ninth session of the General Conference of Unesco, wishing them success in their respective mandates.
The State of Qatar participates in the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), which will continue until 14 November, with a delegation headed by Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr. Mohammed Abdul Wahed Al Hammadi.
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