UN and Bangladesh

UN adopts Bangladesh's resolution on 'Culture of Peace' unanimously

A resolution on 'Culture of Peace' tabled by Bangladesh mustered overwhelming support of the UN members and was adopted by the General Assembly without a vote, reports UNB.

It is "a great victory" for Bangladesh in its peace-building mission, said Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury following Thursday's passage of the resolution. "This was a global acknowledgement of Bangladesh's current positive role in the international diplomatic arena," Ambassador Chowdhury said, according to a message received here Saturday.

The draft resolution had 107 co-sponsors, one of the highest in the annals of UN's recent legislative history, it said. "Bangladesh has been at the forefront of the initiatives that promote greater understanding and tolerance among peoples. This, in our belief, is achievable through dialogue and cooperation," Iftekhar stated while introducing the resolution in the UN General Assembly.

"My country was born of a bloody conflict. We, therefore, see great value in the principles of tolerance, respect for diversity, democracy, and understanding," he told the UNGA session. The resolution, among other things, asks the Secretary General to explore enhancing implementation mechanisms for this purpose within the UN system.

The Bangladesh Permanent Representative further said Dhaka believes that humanity, irrespective of the individual's culture and civilization of faith, shares a lot of common values. "We should focus on those to build the connecting bridges, to close the gaps and to fasten the links."

He observed that it would be in collective interest of all to devote resources and capacities, intellectual and material, in favour of this campaign. And he concluded his statement with a strong plea that the resolution should get through the assembly without any vote-which later became the case. President of the General Assembly Jan Eliasson also remarked on the importance of a culture of peace to forge a climate of understanding in a strife-torn world.