GUIDANCE: FOURTH COMMITTEE: UNIVERSITY FOR PEACE

UNCLAS STATE 105586 SIPDIS USUN PASS BARBARA MASILKO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM UNGA SUBJECT: GUIDANCE: FOURTH COMMITTEE: UNIVERSITY FOR PEACE ¶1. USUN may join consensus on the Costa Rican-sponsored resolution entitled "University for Peace", which will be discussed under agenda item 27 of the Fourth Committee of the 64th session of the UN General Assembly. An explanation of vote is not required. Resolution text follows. ¶2. Begin text: The General Assembly Recalling its resolution 61/108 of 14 December 2006, in which it recalled that, in its resolution 34/111 of 14 December 1979, it had approved the idea of establishing the University for Peace as a specialized international centre for higher education, research and the dissemination of knowledge specifically aimed at training and education for peace and its universal promotion within the United Nations System, as well as all preceding resolutions on this item, Recalling also that in its resolution 35/55 of 5 December 1980 it approved the establishment of the University for Peace in conformity with the International Agreement for the Establishment of the University for Peace (footnote 1, see resolution 35/55, annex), Noting further that as the University for Peace approaches its 30th Anniversary year, it continues its extraordinary growth and development in carrying out the mandate given to it by the General Assembly, Noting with appreciation the vigorous actions taken by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and with the encouragement and support of the Government of Costa Rica, to revitalize the University (footnote 2, see A/54/312, para 2), Recognizing the extraordinary progress the University for Peace has done in developing and carrying out programmes on critical areas related to peace and security, and in expanding its educational, training and research programmes to Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Central Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, Noting further that the University for Peace has become a recognized leader in education, training and research on issues related to peace and conflict, and is focusing its efforts on strengthening the three main components of its activities: face-to-face teaching and research; expanding its presence and programmes in all regions of the world; and distance learning to reach students who cannot come to its campus, Noting that the University places special emphasis on the areas of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, peace-building and peaceful settlement of disputes, and that it has launched programmes in the areas of democratic consensus-building and training of academic experts in the techniques of peaceful settlement of conflicts, Noting further that in 1991 the Secretary-General, with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme, established a Trust Fund for Peace consisting of voluntary contributions in order to provide the University with the means necessary to extend its sphere of activity to the whole world, taking full advantage of its potential capacity for education, research and support of the United Nations and to carry out its mandate of promoting peace in the world, Considering the importance of promoting education for peace that fosters respect for the values inherent in peace and universal co-existence among people, including respect for the life, dignity and integrity of human beings, as well as friendship and solidarity among peoples irrespective of their nationality, race, sex, religion or culture, OP1 Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General submitted pursuant to resolution 61/108, outlining the extraordinary progress made by the University in building exemplary programmes on critical subjects related to peace and security (footnote 3, A/64/281); OP2 Requests the Secretary-General, in view of the important mandate given to the University and its potential role in developing new concepts and approaches to security through education, training and research in order to respond effectively to emerging threats to peace, to consider ways to further strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and the University; OP3 Also requests the Secretary-General to continue using the services of the University as part of his conflict-resolution and peace-building efforts through training of staff, especially those concerned with peacekeeping and peace-building functions, in order to strengthen their capacities in this area, and in the promotion of the Declaration and the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace; OP4 Invites the University to further strengthen and broaden the outreach of its programmes and activities for cooperation with and capacity-building for Member States in the areas of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peace-building; OP5 Invites Member States, which have not already done so, to accede to the International Agreement for the Establishment of the University for Peace (footnote 4, see resolution 35/55, annex),thereby demonstrating their support for an educational institutional devoted to the promotion of a universal culture of peace; OP6 Requests the Secretary-General to consider either revive an existing Trust Fund, or alternatively to establish a new Trust Fund for Peace to facilitate receipt of voluntary contributions for the University for Peace; OP7 Encourages Member States, intergovernmental bodies, non-governmental organizations and interested individuals to contribute to the programmes, the Trust Fund when established for the University for Peace or to the core budget of the University to enable it to continue to perform its valuable work; OP8 Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-seventh session the item entitled "University for Peace", and requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at that session a report on the work of the University. End text. CLINTON