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UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation |
On 14–17 May 2002 the city of Nizhny Novgorod hosted the IV
International Scientific and Industrial Forum “Great Rivers 
2002”,
during which the UNESCO Science Sector launched the pilot project “Sustainable
Development of the Volga River and the Caspian Sea Basins”. This project offers
an interdisciplinary and scientifically based Vision of the development of natural
and social systems (and their interaction) in the Volga/Caspian basin, envisaging
what these systems will look like by 2025. The project focuses on the improvement
of human living conditions through the cooperation between human beings and
the environment. In this sense, the “Volga Vision” as a composite document could
serve as a reference point in the elaboration of policy-making, and facilitate
effective decision-making for the realization of future projects.
The general outline of the UNESCO project will be presented this coming August at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The envisaged approach of the project, which highlights the importance of partnership, corresponds to the idea of the Summit, according to which new partnerships should be established. The III Water Forum that will take place in March 2003 and the V Great Rivers Forum that will take place in May 2003 could be reference points for further elaboration of the “Volga Vision”.
During the Forum in Nizhny Novgorod a message from the Director-General of UNESCO was read, in which he emphasized that “the UNESCO initiative was to be understood as an invitation for all – international and national agencies, universities and companies, scholars, administrators and decision-makers – to join, support and contribute to this dialogue”. UNESCO Representative to the Russian Federation, Mr Wolfgang Reuther, in his speech, also called for partnership and interaction. He also stressed that the success of the project would depend on the degree of involvement of decision-makers, scientists, teachers and society in general, and on their awareness of the results. Thus, the Volga Vision must become a document that could serve as an effective means to promote research and to support the sustainable development of the region. This involves another important task: that the Vision be made available to and clear for all.
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The
Assessment Report on Educational Situation in the Chechen Republic has been
presented to the public in a ceremony attended by Vladimir Filippov, Minister
of Education of the Russian Federation, on 4 July. The document was elaborated
under the responsibility of the Russian and Chechen authorities and with the
technical and financial assistance of UNESCO and its Moscow Office (see also
UN in Russia ¹ 2, 2002) by a group of Russian experts.
The brochure of 200 pages, illustrated with Chechen children’s drawings, offers for the first time a comprehensive picture of the situation. The report is based on a large number of data, which has been collected in a special effort involving about one thousand Chechens linked to its educational institutions.
The report shall serve now as a reference for the Russian and Chechen authorities as well as all those, who want to support the efforts to restore the Chechen educational system. Starting from the report UNESCO is planning to elaborate a comprehensive program for the rehabilitation of the educational system of Chechnya containing concrete project proposals.
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UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |
20
June is a special date for dozens of millions uprooted people as it is marked
as the World Refugee Day. For years, many countries and regions have been holding
their own Refugee Days. One of the most widespread is Africa Refugee Day, which
is celebrated on 20 June in several countries.
In 2000, a special UN General Assembly Resolution was unanimously adopted, which designated 20 June every year as World Refugee Day.
International law defines refugees as people who are unable or unwilling to return to their countries because of a well-founded fear of persecution based on their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or belonging to a particular social group.
But international law does not describe the sheer courage and hope that characterise most refugees, wherever they are. World Refugee Day is a salute to the indomitable spirit and courage of the world’s refugees, and such it should be a real celebration.
Around the world this day is marked in different ways. In Moscow, several undertakings took place including a press conference, a fair organised by refugees themselves, a telephone “hot line” on the problems of refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR jointly with the Ombudsman of the Russian Federation, a concert with participation of Russian artists and refugees musicians, a poster campaign “Einstein was a refugee” in the city, etc.
UNHCR Moscow Office printed in the Russian language several publications and video materials dedicated to World Refugee Day.
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The Director of the UNHCR Bureau for Europe, Raymond Hall, was on his first official visit to Russia from 21–29 May. He set off by a reconnaissance trip to the Northern Caucasus where UNHCR participates in the UN humanitarian action. While in the Northern Caucasus he visited tent camps and spontaneous settlements to become acquainted with the situation of the Chechen IDPs in Ingushetia. Mr Hall also saw appalling conditions, in which refugees from Georgia have been residing in North Ossetia for the last several years.
Raymond Hall met with the President of North Ossetia Alexander Dzasokov and the President of Ingushetia Murat Zyazikov to discuss the situation of refugees and IDPs in the region and rendering assistance to person of concern to UNHCR. Mr Hall was assured by the Ingush authorities that there will be no forced return home of the Chechen IDPs.
In Moscow, Mr Hall conducted several meetings with high-ranking governmental officials. He met with the Federal Minister for Nationalities Vladimir Zorin, the Head of the Federal Migration Service, Deputy Interior Minister Andrei Chernenko, the Head Department for Compatriots and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affaires Boris Tsepov and others. Refugees in Russia are still very vulnerable due to the lack of a fully functioning asylum system. Thus, during these meetings the current refugee situation was debated and the interest for further cooperation between the Russian government and UNHCR was reaffirmed. Raymond Hall also met with Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers currently residing in Russia. According to Mr Hall, like any other refugees, Afghan refugees in Russia are very vulnerable due to difficulties in obtaining refugee status.
Raymond Hall also joined the meeting, which was dedicated to midyear review of the UN’s 2002 interagency appeal for the Northern Caucasus.
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UN United Nations |
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited Russia 4–6 June. His first appointment was with the Speaker of the Federation Council, Sergei Mironov.
Kofi Annan met privately with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov. After that, he and the Prime Minister addressed a conference on urban development in Russia.
The Secretary-General met with President Vladimir Putin, who had just returned from the Asian security conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The President reported on his meetings with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and on his efforts to defuse the tensions between the two countries. President Putin indicated that he was prepared to continue in a peacemaking role between India and Pakistan, with the Secretary-General’s help. The two men also discussed in some detail the situation in Afghanistan. And they assessed efforts to convene a Middle East peace conference.
The Secretary-General had a working lunch with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, during which they reviewed questions on India/Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East. Their talks also focused on Iraq, terrorism, Georgia/Abkhazia, Chechnya and Kosovo. The Foreign Minister then presented the Secretary-General with a commemorative Prince Gorchakov medal, making him the first international recipient of that honour.
The Secretary-General met with the Speaker of the Duma, Gennady Seleznev.
The Secretary-General had dinner with the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Valentina Matvienko.
