UNESCO’s Role in Humanisation of Globalisation

With the expansion of trade across national borders together with the silk way, and later on with the development of industry and technology in the past six centuries, history has recorded progresses of the globalization. Entering XXI century with the fast development of science and technology, especially information technology, globalization has become irresistible.To develop, no nation can ignore or stand alone but accept and participate in the process of globalization.

 

The explosion of information technology (IT) in late XX and early XXI centuries, according to UNESCO, has endangered the knowledge and control of mankind and nations on daily occurrences. In fact, IT explosion has made the world smaller. According to traditional concept, time and space, even national borders, are no longer barriers between individuals. Billions of people can at the same time participate in important events and developments of the world. The world can no longer maintain “identity” or “uniqueness” and becomes more conglomerate unperceivable by classic thinking. Present generations have accepted and familiarized themselves with “virtual world”. Barriers to information have been almost lifted and offered opportunities for billions of people. With those unprecedented changes, however injustice, inequality and rich-poor gap, strong-weak relations among sectors and nations continue to increase. Meanwhile, privileges are reserved for a small group of people, and poverty and famine are increasingly difficult problems for the rest of the world. The gaps and contradictions among different sectors of the nations have become most alarming, increasing injustice and decreasing the existing humanity of the human advancement.

 

As a world organization with the function of uniting knowledge, 60 years of development and over 190 member countries and territories, UNESCO has been regarded as an ideal common home capable of uniting the will and progressive voices of all nations towards a sustainable society of balanced development by means of education, science and culture of the world people to promote world peace and happiness of mankind (Convention on the establishment of UNESCO). As a “laboratory of ideas”, drafting standards, guiding, contacting, building capacity of all nations, and promoting international cooperation, UNESCO intellectual task is to identify the most important issues, including IT explosion and challenges to the globalization process. At the same time, UNESCO contributes to strategies and policies to solve the contradictions.

 

In education, UNESCO gives first priority to grass-roots education to all people. According to UNESCO, the ad versed impact of the globalization is the failure universal education to 113 million children, illiteracy of 880 adults and gender discrimination depriving millions of women and girls of schooling opportunities and jobs. At the World Education Forum sponsored by UNESCO in Dakar (Senegal), in April 2000, the international community has agreed on objectives, and assistance resources should be given first to poor regions and sectors of the world.

 

In natural science, UNESCO gives high priority to water resources and ecology. As water resources in the world is seriously decreasing due to pollution and other man-made causes while the demand of mankind never ceases to increase. UNESCO estimates the water demand in the last century increased 6-7 times, twice the growth rate of the world population. Therefore, UNESCO warned that water resources and ecology can be causes of future conflicts worsening international situation. For its part, UNESCO has established UNESCO-IHE (UNESCO Institute for Water Education) in Delftm (Netherlands) and Urban Water Management Centre in Teheran.

 

In social science and humanity, UNESCO focuses on ethics in science and technology. As a matter of fact, human ethics and actions fail to keep up with the fast development science and technology. Many people and the whole society are facing unprecedented dilemma affecting the deep-rooted foundation of mankind such as biology and cloning. UNESCO was in the forefront advocating ”World declaration on human genes and human rights” (1997), and it was later on ratified by the United Nations General Assembly.       

In culture and cultural heritages, UNESCO accords high priority to the protection of cultural diversities, promoting multilateral culture and inter-cultural dialogues. Those activities help reduce adversed impacts of the globalization, especially the assimilations of different cultures or domination by certain cultures. Recent sessions of UNESCO General Assembly have focused on Resolutions concerning cultural diversities and approved “UNESCO World Declaration on Cultural Diversities” (2001). The Declaration has been regarded by the international community as an important instrument and historical landmark for all nations to preserve and develop their cultures and internal strength. Regarding cultural heritages, during recent decades, UNESCO approved “UNESCO International Convention on protection of cultural heritages and world nature” (1972). In recent years, UNESCO have promoted the approval of “Convention on protection submerged cultural heritages” and Resolution on “Protection of non-substance cultural relics” and regard it as “a mirror reflecting cultural diversities” of nations.

 

In information and telecommunication, UNESCO has unprecedentedly emphasized on promotion of ideological exchanges and ensuring free access to information. In spite of the explosion of telecommunication, there exist still unsolvable contradictions as estimated by UNESCO “60 percent of the world population without any chance to make a telephone call”. Presently, UNESCO is advocating a programme “Information for All - IFA) and proposing several measures to expand the participation of the people of the world to intellectual society.

 

Entering XXI century, while all nations are striving for a better world, more just, human     and self-conscious, it is unacceptable that some political and social organizations representing interests of small groups try to “exterminate” each others due to differences in culture. To attain more human objectives in the process of international integration, UNESCO (and also the unified voice of all member countries, including Vietnam) is applying diversified forms of international cooperation to ensure the world of balanced, stable and sustainable development.

 

As a member of UNESCO since 1976, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has inherited age-old civilization of the nation and enriched the experiences of fighting foreign aggressions for national defence. Over 30 years, Vietnam has learned from UNESCO forum several strategic lessons. With increasing international reputation, Vietnam is making significant contributions to UNESCO activities. One of the priorities of Vietnamese government is to join UNESCO effort in humanizing the process of international integration so as to prevent adverse impacts and make the best use of the opportunities to build a prosperous Vietnam contributing to the defence of world peace.