Education for Peace Program

PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERIC SECURITY

OEA/Ser.G CP/CSH-184/99 5 May 1999 Original: English

 

REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERIC SECURITY ON THE PROGRAM ON EDUCATION FOR PEACE IN THE HEMISPHERE

I. BACKGROUND

I.1 Initiative

The Organization of American States (OAS) first formally considered the idea of a program on education for peace in the Hemisphere as a topic to be addressed by its political bodies, during preparations for the 1995 Regional Conference on Confidence-and Security-Building Measures (1995 Conference on CSBMs), when it was proposed by the Bolivian delegation.

Consequently, at the 1995 Conference on CSBMs, held in Santiago, Chile, OAS Member States included education programs for peace as one of the recommended measures (CSBMs) /.

I.2. General Assembly resolutions

Since 1996, the OAS General Assembly has repeatedly endorsed this recommendation in its resolutions on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures in the Americas, AG/RES. 1409 (XXVI-O/96) and AG/RES. 1494 (XXVII-O/97), and on the Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere, AG/RES. 1604 (XXVIII-O/98).

In 1996, at its twenty-sixth regular session, the General Assembly requested “that the Permanent Council, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, and with the support of the General Secretariat, draw up general guidelines for an education for peace program within the OAS, for presentation to the General Assembly at its twenty-seventh regular session.”

Subsequently in 1997, at its twenty-seventh regular session, the General Assembly expressed its satisfaction with “the results of the consultations undertaken on the Declaration of Santiago on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures concerning the preparation of general guidelines for the development of a program of education for peace within the framework of the OAS…”

Also in 1997, the General Assembly mandated the Permanent Council to:

“…intensify its efforts and its consultation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other institutions with a view to considering the advisability of holding a meeting of experts on the issue, so as to complete before the 50th anniversary of the OAS a program on education for peace in the Hemisphere, within allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources.”

At its twenty-eighth regular session, the General Assembly adopted the above-mentioned resolution “Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere”, through which it resolved, inter alia:

“2. To convene a meeting of experts from member states to design a draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere, taking into account contributions from experts at UNESCO and other pertinent institutions, such as the Inter-American Defense College (IADC), which draft will be considered by the Permanent council through its Committee on Hemispheric Security.

3. To instruct the Permanent Council to carry out the preparatory tasks, such as drawing up the agenda and determining the venue and date of the aforementioned meeting of experts, during the year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the OAS.

4. To request that the Permanent Council make arrangements, within allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources, for holding the meeting of experts convened by this resolution and for the activities designed to carry out the aforementioned Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere.”

II. PROCEEDINGS

In compliance with the above-cited General Assembly resolutions, AG/RES. 1409, 1497, and 1604, the Permanent Council assigned the study of this matter to the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CSH).

The CSH has addressed this issue in accordance with the General Assembly’s stipulations, considering a number of proposals related to an experts meeting, with support from the General Secretariat and in particular, the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD). Papers presented to the Committee in 1997 and 1998 are:

i. Statement by the First Vice-Chair of the Committee on Hemispheric Security on the Education for Peace Program (Nicaragua, CP/CSH-89/97) ii. Proposed Program on Education for Peace in the Hemisphere (Prepared by the Consultant, CP/CSH-101/98); iii. Comments on the Inter-American Education for Peace Program (Bolivia, CP/CSH-99/98)

Drawing on these three papers, the UPD, at the request of the Chair, drew up a Draft Program on Education for Peace (CP/CSH-160/99). At the Committee meeting on March 21, 1999, this draft was enriched by observations and modifications made by various delegations, and was adopted by the Committee as the basis for discussions at the above-mentioned experts meeting. This document has accordingly, been republished as Guidelines for Drawing up a Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere, CP/CSH-160/99 rev. 1.

Committee members recalled the General Assembly stipulation, in operative paragraph 2 of resolution AG/RES. 1604, that the experts meeting to design a draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere take into account:

“…the contributions from experts at UNESCO and other pertinent institutions such as the Inter-American Defense College (IADC)…”

In this respect, the Committee considered other pertinent institutions and agreed to recommend to the Permanent Council, that the invitation to participate in the experts meeting be extended also to the University for Peace and to the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO). The Committee also agreed that it would be beneficial to receive the written contributions of all these bodies prior to the experts meeting.

At the same meeting, the delegation of Colombia extended its Government’s offer to host the said experts meeting in October 1999, and the Committee agreed to forward this offer to the Permanent Council for due consideration.

I am pleased to report also, that funding for the said experts meeting in the sum of $US23,000 has been included in the OAS Budget for 1999, and that UNESCO has pledged an additional sum of US$20,000.

III. CONCLUSION

The Committee on Hemispheric Security has thus complied with the mandate assigned to it by the Permanent Council, and its agreements and recommendations are reflected in the draft resolutions attached to this Report. I am pleased to submit, on behalf of the Committee, the said draft resolutions for the Council’s consideration.

Carlos Portales Cifuentes Permanent Representative of Chile to the OAS Chair, Committee on Hemispheric Security

APPENDIX

PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE OEA/Ser. G ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES CP/CSH-171/99 rev. 1 9 April 1999 COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERIC SECURITY Original: Spanish

DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR PEACE IN THE HEMISPHERE

(Approved by the Committee at its meeting held on March 4, 1999)

DRAFT RESOLUTION

MEETING OF EXPERTS TO DESIGN A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR PEACE IN THE HEMISPHERE

(Approved by the Committee at its meeting held on March 4, 1999)

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

HAVING SEEN the report by the Chair of the Committee on Hemispheric Security on the Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere (CP/CSH-…./99);

RECALLING the decision of the General Assembly, set out in resolution AG/RES. 1604 (XXVIII-O/98), to convene a meeting of experts from Member States to design a draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere;

BEARING IN MIND:

The General Assembly mandates to the Permanent Council, set out in the aforementioned resolution, to carry out the preparatory tasks and to make the necessary arrangements for the holding of the said meeting of experts as well as for the activities designed to carry out the said Program of Education for Peace;

The efforts by the Committee on Hemispheric Security to complete the arrangements for the holding of the said experts meeting during the year commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the OAS as was mandated by the General Assembly; NOTING WITH SATISFACTION the assistance provided to the Committee on Hemispheric Security by the General Secretariat, and in particular through the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy in the preparation of the guidelines for drawing up a draft program of education for peace in the Hemisphere, contained in document CP/CSH-160/99 rev. 1;

EXPRESSING ITS APPRECIATION to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the assistance provided in the development of this topic and in relation to the financing of the said meeting of experts; and

CONSIDERING that the Government of Colombia has offered to host the said meeting of experts in the second half of 1999 in the city of Cartagena,

RESOLVES:

1. To take note of the Report by the Committee on Hemispheric Security on the Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere.

2. To thank the Government of Colombia for its generous offer to host the Meeting of Experts to Design a Draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere.

3. To recommend to the General Assembly that, at its Twenty-ninth Regular Session, it postpone the holding of the said meeting until October 1999; that it accept the offer of the Government of Colombia to host that meeting in the city of Cartagena, and that it convene the said meeting to consider the following draft agenda:

“Design a draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere, taking into account the following: a. Education and peaceful settlement of conflicts b. Education and the promotion of democratic values and practices Education and the promotion of peace between states.”

DRAFT RESOLUTION

PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR PEACE IN THE HEMISPHERE

(Approved by the Committee at its meeting held on March 4, 1999)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc…../99), and in particular the chapter on hemispheric security relating to the Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere (CP/CSH..../99);

RECALLING its decision set out in resolution AG/RES. 1604 (XXVIII-O/98) to convene a meeting of experts from member states to design a draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere; and

BEARING IN MIND the recommendations by the Permanent Council with regard to the holding of the aforementioned meeting of experts,

RESOLVES:

1. To take note of the Report by the Permanent Council and its recommendations related to the Meeting of Experts to Design a Draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere.

2. Reiterate the importance of a Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere as a confidence- and security-building measure.

3. Reiterate its appreciation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its assistance in the development of this topic and in the holding of the said Meeting of Experts.

4. To thank the Government of Colombia for, and to accept, its generous offer to host the said meeting of experts in the city of Cartagena, Colombia.

5. To hold the said Meeting of Experts on October 14 and 15, 1999.

6. To approve the following Draft Agenda for the said Meeting of Experts:

“Design a draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere, taking into account the following:

a. Education and peaceful settlement of conflicts b. Education and the promotion of democratic values and practices c. Education and the promotion of peace between states.”

7. To invite UNESCO, and other pertinent institutions, including the Inter-American Defense College (IADC), the University for Peace and the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), to participate in the said Meeting of Experts. 8. To instruct the Permanent Council, to consider, through its Committee on Hemispheric Security, the draft Program on Education for Peace to be designed by the said Meeting of Experts, and to take action aimed at the implementation of the said Program on Education.

9. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue lending its support to the Permanent Council and the Committee on Hemispheric Security in their compliance with the mandates contained in this resolution.