International Day of Conscience praised

TDT Manama

A number of Permanent Representatives to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) praised the initiative of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa concerning the International Day of Conscience, and its significance in evoking the importance of awareness in order to establish a culture of peace and tolerance and promote dialogue between cultures and civilizations.

They said the initiative comes at a time when the world needs to promote peace, inclusion, solidarity and understanding, in order to build a sustainable world. They affirmed that the great welcome of HRH the Prime Minister’s initiative from members of UNESCO’s Executive Council’s Preparatory Committee, during its meeting last Friday, reflects large scale international appreciation of the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom in supporting global peace, security and stability.

They stressed that the committee’s endorsement of a recommendation to adopt in the council’s next session a resolution on the International Day of Conscience—especially in this hard time due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—indicates the importance of this initiative at the international level.

They also emphasised that the initiative will contribute to the integration and inclusion of the principles of peace and conscience in education. They added it will focus the light on the existing links between peace, conscience and sustainable development, which was demonstrated by the consensus the Bahraini proposal received during the discussions of the preparatory group and the agreement of the attendees on the importance of the organisation’s endorsement of the Bahraini decision.

Moroccan Permanent Representative to UNESCO Ambassador Samir Al Dahr, the Arab Group president, affirmed that it is an initiative that underscores the principles of respect for human rights and fundamental freedom regardless of race, gender, language or religion.

He stressed that the Kingdom of Morocco will continue its efforts to adopt the draft resolution in the Executive Council’s meeting unanimously, thanking Deputy Permanent Representative of Bahrain to UNESCO, Shaikha Wafa bint Abdullah Al Khalifa, for her commendable efforts to explain this initiative to the member states of the Executive Council.

He also thanked the representative of the Prime Minister’s Court for attending the tele-meeting. Kuwaiti Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Dr. Adam Al Mulla, expressed sincerest congratulations to the Kingdom of Bahrain on the endorsement of the International Day of Conscience.

He stressed that the initiative of HRH the Prime Minister comes at a time the world is in dire need to promote peace, inclusion, solidarity and understanding. Egyptian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Ehab Badawi, pointed out that the Egyptian delegation will continue during the upcoming period constructive coordination with the Bahraini delegation to UNESCO.

For his part, Permanent Representative of Mali to UNESCO, Ambassador Omar Kaita, affirmed that with the adoption of the International Day of Conscience, the world has full responsibility to mobilise its efforts continuously in order to achieve harmony, tolerance and peace.

Venezuelan Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Hector Alejandro Rosales, noted that moving forward towards establishing human conscience as a source of ideas and thus humanitarian actions is an important matter. He added that it is necessary to build bridges of dialogue and friendship between peoples.