Mr Minister,
Mr Chairperson of COMEST,
Distinguished Members of COMEST,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Impressive as the rapid advancement of information technology has been, it has yet to supplant the benefits of face-to-face communication. On behalf of the Director-General of UNESCO, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Kingdom of Thailand for hosting the fourth session of COMEST in Thailand and giving us this opportunity to meet, listen to and learn from each other face-to-face. We are especially honoured that the princess of Thailand has taken a personal interest in this event and graciously presided over the session. This initiative clearly demonstrates the commitment of Thailand to the promotion of ethics of science and technology.
One of the primary means by which UNESCO promotes ethics of science and technology is by encouraging and contributing to dialogue and the exchange of ideas. Judging from the quality of the presentations and debate, I believe this three-day long session has been a success in these terms. Two elements are essential for constructive dialogue: willingness to participate and substance to be communicated. Both of these elements have been present in abundance throughout thanks to everyone involved.
Indeed, it is the presence and active participation of concerned parties - regional experts, policy makers, scientists and the interested public - that has been a key factor in the success of this session. For ethics cannot be handed down by decree: if it is to have impact, if its application is to be sustainable, it must address the local context and relate to concerns that are real and shaped by many. Thailand's proactive approach to the organization of this session and the high-level representation at the regional ministerial meeting held in parallel with the session are signs that ethics of science and technology have strong roots in the Asia-Pacific region.
The participation of young people at the session is noteworthy. It is important that young people in particular be involved in conceptualizing ethics of science and technology in the Asia-Pacific region and recognize its relevancy. After all, sensitivity to the ethical dimension of science and technology should be transmitted to each new generation of scientists. The youth forum provided a space for young people to air their views and to network. I hope that this will give a fillip to discourse in the Asia-Pacific region.
It has been a great pleasure to follow the rich discussion on topics that have ranged from environmental ethics and GMOs to good governance and international cooperation - there has certainly been no want of substance. The choice of issues had been made in close consultation with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand and was intended to reflect the regional agenda. Once again, COMEST insists on local relevance and applicability because ethics is not mere talk - it is the concrete form that ethics takes that counts. Certainly, one of the primary reasons for COMEST to hold its sessions in different regions of the world is to listen closely to the views and needs of the region so that it can translate these into appropriate recommendations for UNESCO's actions in the area of ethics of science and technology.
COMEST has come a long way since its inception in 1998. For this we are greatly indebted to Mr Jens Erik Fenstad who has seen COMEST through to maturity. I would like to pay tribute to a man of great accomplishment who has devoted himself to the cause of ethics of science and technology as Chairperson of COMEST since 2001. These formative years have not been easy for the Commission - due to changes within the Secretariat, there have been discontinuities and gaps in its administrative support. Through all of these difficulties it was you, Mr Fenstad, who helped us to keep COMEST afloat. I take this opportunity to thank you wholeheartedly, Mr Fenstad, for holding firm to your vision of a stronger COMEST and for working tirelessly towards making that vision a reality. Your efforts have been rewarded. Let me also address my sincere thanks to the departing members, namely Mr. Lu Yongxiang, Mr. Hamish Kimmins and Mrs Suzanne Mubarak.
COMEST has emerged more robust from its period of gestation and its objectives and working methods have taken clear form. Thus COMEST is now able to recommend UNESCO towards a number of tangible final products. For example, with a view to the potential establishment of norms in ethics of science and technology, UNESCO conduct a study on the feasibility of drafting an international declaration of ethical principles for the use of the environment. This study, which would be completed by 2007, would be another step towards the enshrinement of ethical norms in an international instrument. UNESCO, of course, has extensive experience with drafting such instrument, but up to now in the area of bioethics.
In terms of working methods, over these past few years UNESCO and COMEST have developed a strong symbiotic relationship and a clear working structure has emerged. As a result, UNESCO is well positioned to anticipate the needs of the Commission and to give it adequate support. And COMEST members are more closely involved than before in the work of UNESCO. A number have offered their expertise in the deliberations of UNESCO expert groups on environmental ethics, space ethics and science ethics. Several will also be on the advisory board of the Ethics Education Programme, which is another example of the tangible products towards which UNESCO is working.
The Ethics Education Programme is the implementation of the Report on the Teaching of Ethics adopted by COMEST at its third session and can be viewed as part of the UNESCO-led United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014. Through this Programme, UNESCO seeks to help Member States enhance their capacity in the area of ethics teaching by creating networks of ethics teachers, developing teaching programmes, and setting up a fellowship fund, among other activities.
Another concrete capacity-building project that UNESCO is currently undertaking is the Global Ethics Observatory. Global Ethics Observatory is a system of four databases through which UNESCO will provide Member States with information and material that will assist in creating and building upon human and institutional resources in ethics of science and technology. The first database has already been launched and contains information on experts active in applied ethics. The second database is of ethics institutions and committees and will be available shortly. By the end of 2005, a third database will have been set up with information on ethics teaching programmes and a fourth database on relevant legislation is envisaged for the forthcoming biennium. The databases will be accessible and searchable online through the UNESCO Ethics website.
UNESCO will continue to build upon the strength of its consolidated structure by branching out into more areas within ethics of science and technology. I expect that the increased emphasis on deliverables along with an expanded scope of work will serve to increase the visibility of COMEST and UNESCO's work in the area of ethics of science and technology.
There is no uncertainty about the path forward. Mr Fenstad has pointed a mature and confident COMEST towards clear goals. I welcome Ms Pilar Armanet Armanet as the new Chairperson of COMEST and the other members of the bureau: Mr. Alain Pompidou, Mr. Song Sang-yong and Mr. Johann Hattingh, and I invite them to lead the way.
In closing I would like to thank the members of COMEST for your participation and hard work. It is your vigour and enthusiasm that has taken COMEST this far and that will take COMEST so much further. In particular I would like to thank those members of COMEST whose mandate will expire this year: Mr Bennouna, Mr Fenstad, Mr Kimmins, Mr Lu and Mrs Mubarak. I would like to thank again the Thai Government and, in particular, the Ministry of Science and Technology for taking the lead in organizing this event. My thanks are also due to the staff members of UNESCO for all of their work in making this session a real success. I would like also to acknowledge and thank the interpreters for their work over these past three days. Finally, my thanks go to all of you for the part you have played in making this session an exercise in constructive dialogue. I wish you all a safe journey home.