November 7th, 2017 -- In a short, but intense, week of meetings and consultations in Paris, Deputy Prime Minister, Shawn Richards, attending the 39th session of the UNESCO Ministerial General Conference, laid out some of the government’s key priorities for future intervention by UNESCO experts.
In his speech before 195 Member States, on 2 November 2017, he urged UNESCO to develop and implement more effective, timely and tailored measures that adequately reflect the specificities of SIDS, taking into account the islands’ vulnerabilities linked to diseconomies of scale, external economic shocks and the increase in frequency and intensity of natural disasters. The effects of climate change was central to Minister Richards’ speaking points. He noted that “In the wake of the recent hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving a trail of devastation and destruction across the Caribbean region, we look to UNESCO as a major partner in our efforts to adapt and build resilience in the face of the effects of climate change.”
Emphasizing that St. Kitts and Nevis relies increasingly on UNESCO’s expertise and support in the face of dysfunctional weather patterns, such as the recent hurricanes, he identified the need to protect the Federation’s education sector, ‘by providing resilience-building strategies, strengthening our early-warning systems, and in preserving and protecting our places of memory and cultural heritage, as a contributing factor to our sustainable future’.
The Minister noted that mass migration and displaced persons arising from climate change had also put enormous strains on the educational system, its resources, both teaching staff and physical assets, especially school buildings.
Strategically, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) needed to be enshrined in the UNESCO work programme at a higher level of magnitude, in terms of resources and expertise. “I believe I echo the sentiments of my Caribbean and SIDS colleagues in stressing that Small Island States like ours must be elevated to a position of global priority”, stated the Minister.
The consensus, added Minister Richards, was inexorably moving to the need for UNESCO, and other international development agencies – in the light of the destructive impact of climate change - to revisit a more disaggregated level of data for development indicators, and a re-classification of the GDP criteria relating to Small Island Developing States.
Critically, Minister Richards said, “we urgently need to address this misplaced per capita criteria used for funding, in working more closely with the World Bank who has initiated a SIDS project aimed at defining vulnerability and resilience factors”.
Turning to the challenges of disenfranchised and sometimes disregarded youth in the Caribbean islands, Minister Richards asserted that opportunities must be envisaged to enable youth to play an integral role in promoting and embracing the humanities – especially through sports activities - as a tool for personal development and empowerment, health and well-being, physical education, whilst embracing Anti-Doping practices. “Sport is a powerful tool for youth-enhancing development and vital – as preventative measures - in our strategy to combat crime and anti-social behavior”, asserted Minister Richards.
Speaking as Minister with a wide portfolio of mandates, also embracing youth policy, experience on St. Kitts and Nevis, he said, had shown that best practice consists of providing youth with access to, and active participation in, life-long quality education, “encapsulating some understanding of their history and cultural heritage legacy, but equally, skills, such as vocational training”.
He went to affirm that “these are the solid bases for building a sustainable and inclusive Caribbean Society”.
In concluding, Minister Richards noted that as St. Kitts and Nevis seeks to manoeuvre through unprecedented, international political, economical, environmental, and social challenges – with limited influence exerted by small islands - UNESCO’s expertise and competencies were increasingly sought in advising the Federation on education, culture, science and information technology policy development.
Stressing the pivotal problem of addressing resilience factors associated with climate change, he again urged for more focused work activities on climate change adaptation and mitigation policies, youth integration and education and training policy development. He echoed that “UNESCO can play a critical role in these areas at SIDS level and really make a difference”.
Minister Richards was accompanied to the UNESCO Ministerial conference by Mr. Antonio Maynard, Secretary-General of the St. Kitts & Nevis National Commission for UNESCO, and the resident St. Kitts and Nevis permanent delegate to UNESCO in Paris, Ambassador Dr. David P. Doyle.
Disclaimer
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers.
.jpg)