The Board of Directors of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, bearing in mind two basic principles of humanism, as laid down in an IHEU statement of 1966, namely that:
- humanist morality starts with an acknowledgement of human interdependence and the need for mutual respect, and that
- humanism affirms the unity of man and a common responsibility of all men for all men, recalling article 2.c of its Act of Incorporation which states that the International Humanist and Ethical Union was amongst other things founded “to work with international agencies… engaged in promoting human well-being, especially through educational and cultural programs”, cognisant of Unesco’s Constitution which says amongst other things that
- the wide diffusion of culture, and the education of humanity for justice and liberty and peace are indispensable to the dignity of man and constitute a sacred duty which all the nations must fulfil in a spirit of mutual assistance and concern, and that
- a peace based exclusively upon the political and economic arrangements of governments would not be a peace which could secure the unanimous, lasting and sincere support of the people of the world, and that the peace must therefore be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind,
notes with regret that Unesco has reached a dangerous point in its history, now that certain member states are beginning to use Unesco’s platform to give expression to their hostility towards other states, rejects Unesco’s interference in matters of relations maintained by Non-Government Organisations with certain non-member states of Unesco, deplores in particular the resolutions adopted by the 18th General Conference of Unesco with regards to Israel which reflect the existing enmity between certain states, and points out that, even though a member state’s status is not changed, the member state in question can still be manoeuvred into the position of an outcast, urges the Director-general of Unesco to recommend that the General Conference reverse the decision was in question, and recommends to its member organisations that they communicate with their governments, urging them to remain faithful to Unesco’s Constitution, so that the cooperation between Unesco and the NGOs will not be endangered.
Board of Directors 1975
Suggested academic reference
'UNESCO's relationship with NGOs and Member States', Humanists International, Board of Directors, 1975