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