Message from Mr Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of the launch of the Singapore National Commission for UNESCO, and UNESCO Educators Workshop

  1. On behalf of UNESCO, I would like to express my warm greetings and congratulations on the official launch of the Singapore National Commission for UNESCO, to be chaired by the Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, H.E. Dr Ng Eng Hen. I am especially honoured to have been invited to this important event and deeply regret that I could not attend it myself. I hope that I will have the opportunity to visit Singapore and the National Commission before I complete my duties as Director-General.
  2. This day marks another major step in Singapore’s relationship with UNESCO. Barely six months after rejoining the Organization, Singapore has gone straight to business by participating in the various activities organized by UNESCO, notably in the recently-concluded consultation meeting of the Bangkok Cluster in Luang Prabang, Laos PDR, and the 14th Quadrennial Conference of National Commissions of Asia and the Pacific and Regional Consultation on the Preparation of the Draft 35 C/5 in Manila, to discuss programme priorities in the next biennium. Now, with this official launch, and the simultaneous organization of its first programme Š a sub-regional workshop for educators - the National Commission is taking its place as an active and constructive component of Singapore’s participation in UNESCO and as a part of the UNESCO family. As on the day during the last General Conference, when then Minister of State for Education and Manpower, H.E. Mr GAN Kim Yong raised Singapore’s flag to mark its official re-entry, I rejoice in this step and wish to express my gratitude for all the hard work that has led to it.
  3. Within UNESCO, National Commissions, which are a unique network within the United Nations system, actively contribute to the pursuit of the Organization’s objectives and the delivery of its programmes at various levels, as well as to assuring the visibility of UNESCO and serving as its focal point in the Member States.
  4. By establishing the National Commission, Singapore has demonstrated its strong commitment to further enhancing UNESCO’s work in all its fields of competence and to playing its role as an important partner in achieving UNESCO’s goals and objectives in the areas of education, sciences, culture and communication. I am confident that UNESCO as a whole, and the Bangkok Cluster Office in particular, as well as other National Commissions in Asia and the Pacific region, will greatly benefit from the expertise that the Singapore National Commission for UNESCO, its sub-committees, and its partners in Singapore will bring to the achievement of UNESCO’s priorities. The Singapore National Commission may count on UNESCO’s support and assistance in enhancing its operational capacities, and publicizing the Commission’s work throughout the region and beyond.
  5. Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the launch of the Singapore National Commission and my very best wishes to the noted educators who will be meeting following this event, as the first of many great things to come.