-
PRICE : 10 Cents (U. S.), 6 Pence (U. C), or 10 Francs
(FRANCE).
FALLACIES OF RACISM EXPOSED
UNESCO PUBLISHES
DECLARATION BY-'
WORLD'S SCIENTISTS
MORE than fifteen years ago, men and womenof goodwill proposed
to publish an inter-national declaration which would expose
"racial"discrimination and"racial"hatred asunscientific and
false, as well as ugly and inhuman.The world at that time was
running downhilltoward World War II, and
so-called"practical"considerations prevented publication of the
state-ment-even if they could not prevent the war.
False myths and superstitions about racecontributed directly to
the war, and to the murderof peoples which became known as
genocide-butvictims of the war were of all colours and of
all"races". Despite the universality of this agony anddestruction,
the myths and superstitions stillsurvive-and still threaten the
whole of mankind.The need for a sound unchallengeable statement
ofthe facts, to counter this continuing threat, is amatter of
urgency.
Accordingly, Unesco has called together a groupof the world's
most noted scientists, in the fields o !biology, genetics,
psychology, sociology and anthro-pology. These scientists have
prepared a historicdeclaration of the known facts about human
race,which is reprinted in this issue of the Courier.
Unesco offers this declaration as a weapon-anda practical
weapon-to all men and women ofgoodwill who are engaged in the good
fight forhuman brotherhood. Here is an official summaryof the
conclusions reached in the declaration :
. In matters of race, the only characteristics
whichanthropologists can effectively use as a basis
forclassifications are physical and physiological.
. According to present knowledge, there is noproof that the
groups of mankind differ in their innatemental characteristics,
whether in respect of intelli-gence or temperament. The scientific
evidenceindicates that the range of mental capacities in allethnic
groups is much the same.
. Historical and sociological studies supportthe view that the
genetic differences are not of impor-tance in determining the
social and cultural diffe-rences between different groups of Homo
sapiensand that the social and cultural changes in differentgroups
have, in the main, been independent ofchanges in inborn
constitution. Vast social changeshave occurred which were not in
any way connectedwith changes in racial type.
. There is no evidence that race mixture as suchproduces bad
results from the biological point ofview. The social results of
race mixture, whetherfor good or ill, are to be traced to social
factors.
. All normal human beings are capable of learningto share in a
common life, to understand the natureof mutual service and
reciprocity, and to respectsocial obligations and contracts. Such
biologicaldifferences as exist between members of differentethnic
groups have no relevance to problems ofsocial and political
organization, moral life andcommunication between human beings.
Lastly, biological studies lend support to the ethicof universal
brotherhood ; for man is born with drivestoward co-operation, and
unless these drives aresatisfied, men and nations alike fall ill.
Man is borna social being, who can reach his fullest
developmentonly through interaction with his fellows. The denialat
any point of this social bond between man andman brings with it
disintegration. In this sense,every man is his brother's keeper.
For every man isa piece of the continent, a part of the main,
becausehe is involved in mankind.
t :m>, r
/
. --^s
VOLUME m-M 6-7 JULY-AUGUST 1950
-
UNESCO COURIER-Page 2
A HUNDRED GROUPS
WITH A
COMMON AIM
This is the third in a series of specialarticles describing the
work of some ofthe 100 international non-governmentalorganizations
whose co-operation withUnesco helps the accomplishment ofits
programme.
On the masthead of the Courier, and on an e'Ver-ir. ! creasing
number of. publications in the world of m. ts and letters, you sele
Unesco's
insignia-the familiar Gree ! k temple, with the initials of
theoi'Ylwization fonning the columns ae1'OSS the fi'ont, This
classic faadcis not merely symbolic of Unesco's purposes in
pi'omoting the freeCfchange of knowledge and educated thought, but
actually represents someof the work which Unesco encourages.
In the publication Fasti Archaeolo-gici, for example, one comes
across apicture of the restored temple ofAugustus, at Pola, Italy,
an originalbuilding in this architectural formwhich we have
inherited from ancientGreece. This book, published withUnesco aid,
by the International Asso-ciation for Classical Archaeology,
sur-veys the classical acquisitions of differ-ent countries, with
photographs ofrestored monuments, statues, and bas-relief, coins
and pottery. Its purposeis to familiarize specialists in the
civi-lizations of archaic and classic Greece,pre-historic Italy and
early Rome, andancient Syrian and Christian cultureswith the work
that is going On in theirfields of study.
As anthropologists trace the originsof myth and tradition, and
linguiststhe origins of language, archaelogistsuncover the physical
aspects of thepast. The world they restore is onein which
distinctions of form and co-lour, custom and language are
notbarriers, but elements in the growthand development of the
modern world.
CORPUS VASORUM ANTIQUORUM
Most of the work done by the inter-national organizations which
areworking under consultative ar-
rangements with Unesco is concentrat-ed in specific fields of
activity.Sometimes their achievements meanlittle or nothing to the
average man,but the results of their study andresearch are
reflected in many aspectsof life which he takes for granted.
Aschool of English decorators, for ins-tance, is now studying
artistic formsdating back to the drawings of thecave-men, to adapt
them to modemmural painting.
In the field of research in ancientartistic form and design, an
impor-tant contribution is being made by theInternational Academic
Union, withthe help of a grant from Unesco.This work is the
preparation of aseries of books, the Corpus Vasorum
Antiquorum, on ceramic collections inFrance, Italy, Spain,
Greece and theUnited States.
An instalment is being prepared inEngland on early Australian
and NewZealand pottery. Another volume isdevoted to the Swedish
collection ofceramics of Mediterranean countries,the Near East,
Cyprus and Greece, anda further one deals with the collectionof the
National Museum of Copen-hagen. These comparative studies in-clude
the origins of shapes and subjectmatter of design, and the names of
thepottery-makers and designers.
FROM ALCHEMY TO AN ATLAS
An even better example of some ofthe highly specialized work of
theInternational Academic Union is
the catalogue of Latin manuscripts onAlchemy which it is
compiling.Unesco's interest in such a project isits vital
contribution to the history ofscience, since alchemy has been
calledthe"prelude to chemistry".
This group is also at work on a dic-tionary of mediaeval Latin,
which wasthe lingua franca, the internationallanguage of scholars
and artists forover eight-hundred years of westerncivilization's
development. Ten coun-tries are co-operating in this work,which
will be assembled at the FrenchInstitute. France has already
two-hundred-and-sixty-thousand card-index notes as its part of the
work.
In this field of languages, the Per-manent International
Committee ofLinguists is working, with Unesco's aidon the
production of a highly-technic-al linguistics atlas, which will
indicatethe spread of cultural bounderiesbeyond national frontiers,
and theinter-mixture of peoples beyond politic-al barriers. This
Committee is alsoat work on a dictionary and grammarof the almost
extinct Tasmanian lan-guage.
Other studies of extinct languageshave gone far to prove the
vast extentof migrations of pre-historic peoples,
The UNESCO COURIER is an international periodical devoted to the
workof UNESCO and to activities and developments throughout the
world in edu-cation, science and culture.
A full year's subscription (12 issues) costs only $1. 00 US., or
5/-or 200French Francs.
SUBSCRIBE NOW ! Tell your friends about the UNESCO COURIER
andget them to subscribe too.
Write to our agent in your country listed below, or directly to
UNESCOHouse, 19, avenue KIeber, Paris, 16', France.Argentina :
Editorial Sudamericana S. A. Alsina 500 Buenos-Aires.Australia : H.
A. Goddard Ltd.. 255a. George St., Sydney.Belgium : Librairie
encyc1opdique, 7, rue du Luxembourg, Bruxelles IV.Brazil : Livraria
Agir Editora, Rua Mexico 98-B, Caixa postal 3291,
Rio-de-Janeiro.Canada : The Ryerson Press, 299 Queen Street West,
Toronto.Chile : Libreria Lope de Vega, Moneda 924, Santiago de
Chile.Colombia : Mr Emilio Royo Martin, Carrera 9a, 1791,
Bogota.Cuba : La Casa Belga, Sr. D. Ren de Smedt, O'Reilly,
Havana.Czechoslovakia : Orbis, Stalinova, 46, Praha XII.Denmark :
Einar Munksgaard, 6, Norregade, Copenhagen.Egypt : Librairie James
Cattan, 118. rue Emad el Dine, Cairo.France : Maison du Livre
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Britain : H. M. Stationery Office : London : York House, Kingsway
(Retail Counter
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ester 2 : 39-41 KingStreet.-Edinburgh 2 : 13a Castie
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Greece : Eleftheroudakis, Librairie Internationale,
Athens.Hungary :"Ibusz"Akademia-u. 10, Budapest V.India : Oxford
Book and Stationery Co., Scindia House, New Delhi.Israel : Leo
Biumstein, Book and Art Shop, 35, Allenby Road, Tel Aviv.Italy :
Messaggerie Italiane, Via Lomazzo, 52. Milano.Lebanon and Syria :
Librairie Universelle, Avenue des Francois, Beirut.Mexico :
Libreria Universitaria, Justo Sierra 16, Mexico DF.Netherlands : N.
V. Martinus Nijhoff, Lange Voorhout 9, The Hague.Norway : AIS
Bokhjornet, Stortingsplass 7, Oslo.Peru : Libreria Internacional
del Peru, S. A. Girn de la Union, Lima.Philippines : Philippine
Education Co"Inc"Corner Tanduay and Vergara Streets,
Quiapo, Manila.Portugal : Uniao Portuguesa de Imprensa, 198 Rue
de S. Bento, 3 Esq. Lisbon.Sweden : C. E. Fritzes Kungl.
Hovbokhandel, Fredsgatan 2, Stockholm.3Switzerland : Europa Verlag,
5 Ramistrasse, Zurich.Union of South Africa : Van Schaik's
Bookstore, Pty. Ltd., P. O. Box 724, Pretoria.United States of
America : Columbia University Press, 2960 Broadway, New
York 27, N. Y.Uruguay : Centro de Cooperacin Cientificc para Ie
America Latina, Unesco, Bulevar
Ar'igas. 1320-24. Montevideo.*For France : Retail sales : Unesco
Sales Service, 19. Avenue Kleber, Paris (l6').
movements of such tremendous scopethat they were not equalled
againuntil the fifteenth century. What isbelieved to be the
proto-Indian script,for instance, has been found as fareast as the
Oceanic islands-a remark-able achievement of colonization forpeople
with the most primitive sea-faring equipment.
MUSIC-A UNIVERSAL MEDIUM
But if artistic and linguistic studiestell of a universal
inheritancefrom the past, how much more
universal a medium is music. InJanuary of this year, the
InternationalMusic Council was formed underUnesco's auspices to
co-ordinate thework of independent musical groups.At present, with
the aid of such mem-ber organizations as the InternationalSociety
for Contemporary Music andthe International Society for
MusicalResearch, the Council is working ontwo Unesco projects, a
world catalogueof recorded music, and the establish-ment of a
universal musical pitch.
Even though we may never havestudied music and can hardly tell
onepitch from another, we would realizethat something was wrong if
we heardinstruments at a concert playing atdifferent pitches.
Before a concert, we hear one ins-trument, usually the oboe,
sound anote, and the other instruments tuneto the same pitch. But
the"A"ofParis is not quite the same as that ofLondon, and it is
still slightly differ-ent in Vienna. An internationally-established
pitch would not only easethe work of musicians playing withforeign
orchestras, but would alsohelp instrument builders.
A CHANCE FOR YOUNG COMPOSERS
Each of the international musicalorganizations working
withUnesco was originally founded to
bring together men in specializedfields of musical work. The
Interna-tional Society of Musical Research isa group of
musicologists, who special-ize in such studies as the history
andtheory of composition, counterpointand harmony. Their bulletin,
regu-larly published in the various langua-ges of the members,
contains articlesand reviews of new books on music,and lists new
musical publications.
Another group, the InternationalSociety for Contemporary Music
wasformed in 1922,
Successful concerts have been givenin Salzburg, the birthplace
of Mozart,and Vienna, Venice, Geneva and Ox-ford, where young
composers conducttheir own music. This Society ismaking a choice of
the works ofworth-while contemporary composersfor Unesco's
projected record-library,which will give young composers,whose
music is not yet played extensi-vely by large orchestras, the
chance tobe heard.
The history of music and art is arecord of talent enriched and
deve-loped through exchange of work andideas. These are the
foundations onwhich the independent internationalorganizations
contributing work fromtheir specialized fields to Unesco
arebuilt.
RECENT UNESCO
PUBLICA TlONSINDEX TRANSLATIONUM
(International Bibliography of Trans-lations 421 pages)
Originally a quarterly publicationof the International Institute
of In-tellectual Co-operation (1932-40)Index Translationum has now
beenrevived by Unesco as an annual vo-lume.
The former Index began its exis-tence with bibliographies of
transla-tions from 6 countries and endedwith 14. The Index just
published,covering the year 1948, has beengreatly expanded, and
contains thetitles of 8, 750 works published in 26countries.
Translations listed in the Index in-clude literary, scientific,
educationaland cultural works which are arrang-ed, under each
national heading, bycategories corresponding to the largedivisions
of the Universal DecimalClassification system. It is complet-ed by
cross-indexes of authors, trans-lators and publishers and by a
statis-tical table presenting the total num-bers of works
translated within eachcategory and country.The Index will provide
current in-formation about works which havebeen translated,
indicate workswhose translation might usefully beundertaken and
generally constitutea record of one of the most valuablemeans of
cultural exchanges betweencountries.
Pre/ace, notes etc. in English andFrench.Price : $ 3.
00-i8/M.-900 francs.
A HANDBOOK FOR THE IMPRO-VEMENT OF TEXTBOOKS ANDTEACHING
MATERIALS AS AIDSTO INTERNATIONAL UNDER-
STANDING (172 pages)The improvement or revision of
textbooks, especially of history andgeography, has been an
importantproblem since the first world war.This volume describes
the historicalbackground to the problem and inparticular the
efforts of the Leagueof Nations and of the InternationalInstitute
of Intellectual Co-operation,in this field.
Part Two of the publication out-lines the development of
Unesco'sprogramme and presents a mode)plan for the analysis and
improve-ment of textbooks and the third partincludes
recommendations for actionby teachers, authors, publishers,
edu-cational organizations and publicauthorities. An extensive
bibliogra-phy is also included. (172 pages.)
Price : $ 0. 45-2/6d.-i25/nMcs.SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE
TEACHING OF GEOGRAPHY(Towards World Understanding.
Vol. VII.) (98 pages.)This handbook is an adaptation in
English of a document prepared atUnesco's request by a small
group ofFrench geographers to assist geogra-phy teachers in primary
and secon-dary schools. Its aim Is to impresson teachers the part
that geographycan play in general education, andto suggest specific
ways in which itcan be used as an aid to betterunderstanding
between peoples.
/'I'ice : $ 0. 40-2s.-100 francs.
-
Pace 3-UNESCO COURIER
w
* FTER four weeks of frequently heated discussions, the Fifth
General/\ Conference has come to an end. If the debates of this
Assemblyhave presented a new aspect,'it is this : Unesco finds that
it mustface up to one of those contradictions of which our age
gives so manyexamples. The tasks undertaken are in the interests of
a more stablepeace, but they will on) v reach fruition during
peace. It is a questionof long-therm projects : will there be
sufficient time ? Will those threatswhich weigh so heavily on the
world today allow, the forces of peaceenough time to become
established and to triumph ?
However difficult the solution, the problem confronting the
GeneralConference of Unesco, was neverthe-less very clear : \Vas
its duty to conti-nue as if nothing was wrong, to confineitself to
technical projects, unquestion-ably useful but producing results
onlyin the distant future ? Or, on the con-trary, was its duty to
accept the worldas it is, admit its division, its problems,and to
take immediate steps to fightthose dangers imposed by the
constantthreat of war ? The final decisions ofthe General
Conference were inspiredby the need to reply to such questions
;questions indeed which constantly ab-sorbed the representatives of
all the59 member states of the Organisation.
For this reason, though still continu-: its long term projects,
Unesco hasat the same''me launched itself on anew path. The
Conie't0e has chargedthe Executive Council and the lJ !
rectorsGeneral to submit a certain number 0 :special projects which
will attempt"more directly and in the frameworkof the United
Nations and its partieutardepartment, to support and
consolidatepeace".
Positive ActionFor World Stability
IT was foreseen that the importanceand scope of these projects
wouldbe so great that the ordinary budget.
of Unesco would not be sufficient tofinance them. The Conference
there-fore decided that they could be Jlnanced"by voluntary
contributions 01'Titoneyfrom private and public sources or'/
!,'el'l'ices trom as many countries as pos-sidle". By such projects
Unesco willtake positive steps toward immediaterelief for the
world's present intellec-tual and moral instability, in propor-tion
to the means put at its disposaland in the framework of its
competence.
Two proposals (presented by the U. S.delegation) relating to
matters such asthese, have been approved by the Con-feren". The
first charges Unesco to or-ganise and put) mC eet a major
pro-gramme"/Lith a view to a' : : : cHlg 1/1-ternational
understanding in German ? i".The other requests Unesco to set up
re-
gional centres of scientific research thefirst of which will be
in Western Eu-rope. These centres, established bymeans of funds
collected by Unescooutside its normal budget, will help toremove
that monopoly of scientific re-search which the present high cost
ofmodern apparatus gives to countriesrich enough to afford its
construction.
The moral and intellectual instabilitywhich Unesco is trying to
remedy, par-tially originates in the differences thatbecome more
and more apparent bet-ween industrial countries and less
fa-vouredregionsof tile globe. Thelatterare becommg more
impoverished everyd2y and their resources continually di-minisll ;
the power of the former growsall the time and modern techniques
en-sure a way of life that, becomes in-creasingly easier.
The United Nations'plan of tech-nical assistance to countries
thatare insufficiently developed has beenconceived to answer this
problem.In 1951, L'nesco will play an importantrole in putting this
plan into effect. Inaddition, it will undertake specificworks of
its own. in this field. Thus, aninternational conference on"The
COII-quest of the desert"is going to meet inIsrael, in
collaboration with the Inter-national Institute of the Arid
Zone,which Unesco is at present setting up.
However, despite the great importanceof these matters, they do
not representa full solution. many conflicts arisefrom the
inequality of'man. Others re-sult ; ; ; : ! ! l different causes.
There are,
"Wha't is not good for Humanity as a whole cannot be
good for any nation, race or individual"
Jaime Torres odt, t
Addressing the final session
of UNESCO's Fifth General
Conference, M. Jaime Torres
Bodet, Unesco's Director-
General, summed up his im-
pressions of results achiev-
ed. Below, we reproduce
the full text of his speech.M. Jaime Torres Bodet, Unesco's
Director-General, speaking at a plenary session of the
Fifth General Conference. in the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence.
MAY I say how pleased I am at the adoption of theresolution you
have just passed unanimously. Inall sincerity, I believe that this
is the perfectcomplement to that approved by the Programme
and Budget Commission yesterday evening on themotion of a number
of Delegations and confirmed byyourselves this morning. Taken
together, the tworesolutions. reveal a will to peace which does
honour tothis Conference and testifies to the fidelity of all of
usto Unesco's supreme ideal.
At this stage, when you are bringing your work to aclose, I feel
it to be necessary to give you my absolutelyfrank opinion on the
results achieved. I had hoped thatthis session of the Conference
might mark a decisivestage in the development of our Organization.
It wouldbe going too far to suggest that that hope has been
fullysatisfied. The characteristic note of this Conference hasbeen
less one of decision than of heart-searching and,in certain
matters, of clarification. That, of course, isnot all that we could
have wished, but it is a great deal.
As trees are judged
YOU have defined a basic programme which hadnever previously
been explicitly stated. You havedefined a list of methods, which
had not previously
been made. You have defined a policy of recc-mmend-ations and
conventions which will, I am convinced, befruitful in the years to
come. An excellent instance ofwhat we can secure by these means is
the agreementon the free importation of educational, scientific
andcultural material, whose ratification you are recom-mending to
your governments. You have recorded yourintention of inceasing
Unesco's resources and havep : omised to do it by trying to
overcome the financialdifficulties arising from arrangements
necessarily tem-porary, but which could not be better in view of
thecriteria adopted regarding the establishment of a
budgetceiling.
It would be premature to express any views as to thewo'th of
these results. As trees are judged by their
fruit, so the resolutions of an international conferenceare
judged by the action in which they issue. Whathappens in the year
which lies before us will, in myview, be of vital importance to
this Organization. Wemust be vigilant to ensure that the work of
the Secre-tariat and the activities of Member States in
matterswithin Unesco's sphere are more effectively integratedthan
they have so far been. We must plan bo ! d amdsimple tasks, for the
better service of peace througheducation, science and culture. We
must secure actionwithin each Member State to spur rulers and
privatebodies to augment the slender financial resources at
ourdisposal.
All defiitioD is difficult
FOR all this two things are essential : mutual trustand mutual
understanding. But can we really doubtthat we shall find that
spirit of trust and under-
standing ? We are met in a country which, in itsgreatest epoch,
was governed by a sage, the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius,
the author of the profoundepigram :"What is not good for the hive,
cannot begood for the bee". Its application to our own age
isobvious. What is not good for humanity as a wholecannot be good
for any nation, race or individual. That,surely, is an exact
definition of the intellectual andmoral solidarity of the peoples
to which Unesco is dedi-cated.
This has been a difficult Conference, because alldefinition is
difficult. Let us, then, pray that the diffi-culties may lead to a
more conscious effort to see clearlyin the future so that we may
all more effectively servethe noble aims of Unesco.
It is with that prayer in my heart that I thank youfor your work
and offer to Italy, in the person of Sena-tor Jacini, our warmest
gratitude for the generous hospi-tality she has afforded us.
. The texts of the two resctutions refen-ed to by
theDtrector-GeTter'aZ will be sound on page 7 of this issue.
u mple, conflicts, whose originremain ulJscu'"vhich occur
evenwithin a nation, between dlC :'"'sth-nic groups. Unesco, in
pursuing en-quirks into various states of social ten-sion, is
making a study of these obscurecausal factors. It is important to
knownot only the obstacles which opposeharmonious relations
betvveen differentgroups, but also the factors which havebrought
about good relations in certainregions.
Unesco has decided to u ! Hlc'. lake, ; syear an enquiry into
economic, politi-cal, cultural and psychological factorswhich"aid
or hinder harmonious rela-tions betu ; een races and ethnic
groups",< ! o/ : f< t
-
UNESCO COURtER-Pe 4
One 01 the most important decisions taken by Unesco's Fifth
QensruiConference was to establish a long-range bc :. : ; i"
programme for ther. ext several years as distsyisned from the work
plan for 1951.Tr'UE, Unesco's ol : > ! : : : ; ves for next year
are part of a long-term plan,cov : : ; y itle policies and main
lines of work of the Organization.
InclUded in the basic programme is a 10 point list of tasks fo
;Unesco. These are :
1. To eliminate illiteracy and encourage fundamental education
:2. To obtain for each person an education conforming to his
aptitudes
and to the needs of society, including technological training
andhigher education :
3. To promote respect for human rights throughout all nations
:4. To remove the obstacles to the free flow of persons, ideas
and
knowledge between the countries of the world ;5. To promote the
progress and utilization of science for mankind :6. To remove the
causes of tensions that may lead to war ;7. To demonstrate world
cultural interdependence ;8. To advance through the press, radio
and motion pictures the cause
01 truth, freedom and peace ;9. To bring about better
understanding among the peoples of the
world and to convince them of the necessity of
co-operatingloyally with one another in the framework of the United
Nations :
10 To render clearing-house and exchange services in all its
fieldsof action, together with services in reconstruction and
relief assis-tance.
The basic programme resolutions are grouped under seven
differentheads : Education, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences,
Cultural Activities,Exchange of Persons, Mass Communications and
Relief Services. As lackof space prevents publication of these
resolutions in full, the Courier pre-sents on this page a
summarized version of the basic programme.
B E'l7ER ethds of education 8 : wider diffusion of o ; ;- ; : :
cy arenot. end_ ; 1 themselves. The
fiji object must be to equip manl> play his part harmoniously
in themodern world. It is not enough forhim to know his own land
and hisown people ; he lives in a network ofrelationships that go
beyond frontiers.Today, all nations are interdependent,and they
must learn to recognize it.1. IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION
THROUGH THE EXCHANGE OFINFORMATIONMore progress can be achieved,
and; rakp .'a'1} J ! t : : ;."vi. tG.. if ine experi-
ments being made throughout theworld in education and psychology
arebetter known. Unesco collects inform-ation about such
experiments, ana-lyses it, and promotes its distribution,to help
improve methods of teachingand to further the international
pur-poses of Unesco.2. EXTENSION OF EDUCATION
Unesco has the duty of helpingMember States to ensure for
everybodywhose education has been neglected,interrupted or impeded,
the chance toovercome his handicaps. Unesco mustpay special
attention to fundamentaland adult education, and to the
train-ing-of handicapped children.3. EDUCATION FOR INTERNATION-
AL UNDERSTANDINGConsciousness of the unity of man-
kind is still rudimentary. Teachers areonly beginning to
discover suitablemethods ; textbooks need to be im-proved.
Schoolchildren know littleabout the international organizationsof
today and the services they canrender to world peace and
prosperity.Unesco must therefore help to promoteeducation In world
citizenship.
The natural and exact sciences,being objective and impartial,of
offer a particularly suitable fieldfor action by Unesco.
Laboratories and research institutesinfluence the development of
humancommunities. All men should benefitfrom discoveries that can
raise stan-dards of living. Once men are in aposition to improve
their living condi-tions, they are able as never beforeto grow in
mutual understanding.
1. DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFICCOOPERATIONScientific research
benefits from a
widespread exchange of information.Unesco must help
international orga-nizations of scientists by encouragingthe
meeting and movement of experts,to help in the co-ordination of
inter-national scientific congresses, to pro-mote the
classification and analysis ofspecialized publications and to
over-come difficulties of language by stan-dardizing scientific
terminology and byencouraging multilingual dictionaries.To ensure
speedier exchanges betweenscientists, Unesco maintains
Scientificcooperation offices in areas where thevare most
needed.
2. AS$ISTANCE Tn nSEARCH FOR"t"UVEMENT OF THE LIV-&.. ti
CONDITIONS OF MANKIND.Unesco can render genuine service
by detecting gaps in the developmentof research and helping to
fill them.Thus, for example, it encourages insti-tutes for the
study of biological factorsin different climates or the
develop-ment of certain wide areas, and it par-ticipates in the
plans for creatingUnited Nations laboratories.3. TEACHING AND
POPULARIZ-
ATION OF SCIENCEAll men need access to basic scien-
tific knowledge in order that they hiitybetter understand their
world. Theyshould also know that such knowledgedepends in large
measure on the resultof international cooperation. The ob-ject
should be to develop an attitudeof mind and an understanding of
theeffects of applying science to modernconditions and to the
development ofhuman society.
No attempts to better the lot ofman can meet with success
un-less they take account of his en-vironment. Unesco must
there-
fore place social science in the fore-ground of its field of
study. Inter-national cooperation is itself a pheno-menon deserving
scientific study.
The major international organiz-ation established in the first
half ofthe twentieth century are especiallyworth studying. In a
world becomingmore complex, and more highly organ-ized, the study
of international coo-peration may make it possible both toimprove
that cooperation and to ex-tend it to new fields.1. AID TO
INTERNATIONAL SCIEN-
TIFIC COOPERATIONThere are three ways in which
Unesco can help in the teaching anddevelopment of the social
sciences.These are by meetings which may re-sult in new contacts
and exchanges ofviews, through translation and docu-mentation
services, and through thestandardization of technical
termi-nology.2. STUDIES OF SOCIAL TENSIONS
International Cooperation must bebrought to bear on particular
studiesrelated to the purposes of Unesco-such as that of social
tensions. Re-search results must be disseminatedas widely as
possible to prevent orarrest the growth of mass mental atti-tudes
that endanger peace.3. STUDIES OF INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATIONThe organs of international cooper-
ation have sufficiently developed tomake a study of them by the
methodsof Social Science worth while.
UNESCO'S first task is to fosterinternational relations by
ar-ranging for thinkers, writers,artists and their ideas to
move
freely across national frontiers. Unes-
cn forms a meeting ground for thecultures of the world. It
stimulatesnations to develop their literature, artand science and
see them as parts ofa world heritage. It helps MemberStates to
protect works of art fromneglect or violence and from the ra-vages
of time, and it assists in bring-ing artists and writers before the
world.It uses every means to ensure that allpeople shall have
access to the bestworks of every land and every age.1.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Gatherings of experts or of interna-tional associations of
scholars, can doa great deal for cultural cooperation.Unesco
accordingly aids and encou-rages such meetings, at the same
timeassociating these experts and associ-ations with its own
programme. Theexchange of specialized information de-pends largely
on documentary andbibliographical services : here againUnesco can
do much useful work.2, PROTECTION OF CREATIVE
WORK AND ITS AUTHORSFor the preservation of works of art
and historical monuments every Stateis responsible both to its
own peopleand to mankind. But international co-operation is also
necessary to spreadwide the knowledge of method. Unescoencourages
and helps this activity,offering technical assistance and,
inexceptional cases, where resources areinadequate, aid in the
raising of funds.
The creation of new : : sophical,artistic or lite : ; work,
should befoster,,"DY the assertion and defenceof the independence
of the thinker,writer and artist. Unesco seeks topromote
international cooperation inorder to ensure respect for this
inde-pendence throughout the world. Unes-co is endeavouring to
bring about theconclusion of a universal conventionthat will give
equal consideration tothe interests of the authors, the in-dustry,
the workers and the generalpublic.3. DISSEMINATION OF CULTURE
The Universal Declaration of HumanRights affirms that"everyone
has theright freely to participate in the cultur-al life of the
community". Unesco willassist Member States by providing
in-formation, carrying out studies, mak-ing recommendations and,
where ne-cessary, itself taking practical action todirect the
education of both youth andadults towards a better understandingof
the culture of mankind. Finally,means should be found for
improvingthe quality of the reproduction andtranslation of artistic
and literaryworks and for their wide dissemin-ation.
STUDY abroad not only gives in-sight into new discoveries
andtechniques but also helps the in-habitants of one country to
adapt
themselves to the ways of life andthought of another.
Accordingly,Unesco encourages people with differ-ent national,
social and cultural back-grounds to visit other countries eitherfor
general education or for profess-ional training.
The world today suffers from ashortage of experts and
technicians inalmost every field of activity. Unescois accordingly
doing its best to multi-ply fellowships as well as facilities
forshort periods of study. It is itself ableto award annually a
limited numberof fellowships.1. CLEARING-HOUSE
The Clearing-House makes inform-ation available to Member
States, go-vernmental and other organizations,institutions and
persons concernedwith education in order to advise thosewishing to
study abroad, to ensure acloser co-ordination of already
existingactivities, and to stimulate new pro-grammes. In the
publication of thevolume"Study Abroad"a methodicalattempt is made
to list all facilities forstudy abroad available to students :2.
PROMOTION
To encourage interr. ational exchangeof persons, Unesco seeks to
increasefacilities for those requiring financialassistance and to
promote broader andmore varied programmes. It also sug-gests how
programmes of study abroadcan serve the cause of
internationalunderstanding.3. FELLOWSHIP ADMINISTRATION
The award of fellowships enablingqualified candidates to study
abroadhelps Unesco to implement its ownprogramme, inasmuch as
holders oftravel fellowship financed by Unescocan be associated
with its projects andactivities. Unesco can also give helpand
advice to institutions planninginternational fellowship
programmes
and it furthermore organizes interne-ships for students
TRESS, radio and film can do muchto help international
understand-ing. Understanding depends oninformation, and in a free
world
the right to this is part of the right toeducation.
Unesco's first task is to make a sur-vey of the present
resources for masscommunications, as the basis for im-prOVIng them.
Unequal technical de-velopment in various countries hasoften led to
such disparities that whatshould be normal for all is oftenin fact
the privilege of the few.Unesco is therefore building up
aclearing-house for the exchange ofdata on public information
systems sothat all may benefit from one an-other's experience.
Unesco must alsoencourage the scientific study of theproblems of
mass communication andpromote professional training to meetmodern
needs. Nor do knowledge ortraining solve all the problems, so
longas ideas and technical materials can-not freely cross national
frontiers.Unesco in its survey of present resour-ces also collects
data about such obsta-cles to a free flow, and sePU o sur-mount
them by International agree-ments or l otlier ways.
according to its Constitution, Unescocollaborates"in the work of
advancingmutual knowledge and understandingof peoples through all
means of masscommunication". Throughout theworld, consequently, it
stimulates theuses of press, film, radio and relatedmedia to
promote social progress andinternational understanding and usesthem
to enlighten the public about itsactivities and objectives.1.
IMPROVEMENT OF MEANS AND
TECHNIQUES OF INFORMAT10NUnesco has set up an information
clearing-house to deal with all pro-blems concerning mass
communic-ations, including professional an\technical training and
the techniquesand influence of the press, radio andaim. Exact
information is collectedby field surveys.2, REDUCTION OF OBSTACLES
TO
THE FREE FLOW OF INFORM-ATIONProgress in the field of mass
com-
munication requires the reduction and,if possible, the removal
of certain ob-stacles. Means of overcoming themmust be investigated
and adequatemeasures recommended to MemberStates, to whom
appropriate inter-national conventions must be submittedfor
ratification. The free flow, whichUnesco thus seeks to promote,
shouldcover not only ideas and news of aninformative nature but all
audio-visualmaterial serving educational, scientificand cultural
purposes.3. ACTION THROUGH PRESS, FILM
AND RADIOWhile encouraging, within the scope
of its capacities and the limits of itsprogramme, the practical
activities ofthe press, cinema and radio. Unescointends also to
employ the facilitiesthey offer for the purposes laid downin its
Constitution. It encourages di-rectors and producers through
dis-cussion and the supply of material, totake due account of the
services to berendered to international understand-ing in the
fields of education, scienceand culture. It also keeps them
in-formed of its own activities and sup-plies them with appropriate
materialready for immediate use.
ALL those things we hold valuablein education, science and
cultureare from time to time threatenedby disaster-whether natural
or
at the hands of man. Help for thevictims of such misfortunes, if
it is tobe really effective, must be co-ordinat-ed and directed
where it is mostneeded. Unesco has undertaken, with-in the sphere
of its competence, tocollect, analyse and distribute inform-ation
about the nature and extent ofthe help required.
This documentary service providesa basis for three types of
action : first-ly, Unesco gives direct aid to devastat-ed countries
by gifts of material or bythe provision of services, drawing
forthis purpose on a Relief Fund to whichit contributes from its
own budget.
This direct aid is supplemented bycampaigns for voluntary aid in
whichUnesco unites its efforts with those ofother organizations
pursuing similaraims. These campaigns are capableof producing
substantial results.
Lastly, Unesco encourages voluntarywork camps conducted in
accordancewith the aims of Unesco and engagedin reconstruction
tasks to becomecentres of international understanding.
-
Page 5-UNESCO COURIEft
, ,
EDUCATION
UNESCO during 1951 will stimulateshe movement for mass
educa-tion in many parts of the worldchiefly by helpinq member
statesto develop and improve their work insuch fields as
fundamental and adulteducation. Unesco will therefore pre-pare
teaching materials, organize se-minars and educational
conferences,help to train teachers at regional cen-tres and develop
educational co-opera-tion through missions and the exchan-ge of
information.
Three educational missions will besent to member states and
inquiriesinto language and science teachingwill be continued with
the Internatio-nal Bureau of Education. The probiemof expanding and
lengthening freeeducation and the effect of this onlabour and
industry will be discussedwith the International Bureau of
Edu-cation and the International LabourOffice.
Unesco will give advice and providetechnical facilities for the
United Na-tions Technical Assistance Program-me. The pilot project,
started in Hai-ti between 1948 and 1950, will befurther developed.
The Governmentof India plans a pi10t project in as-sociation with
Unesco. A seminar onfundamental and adult education isplanned for
the Near East.
Unesco will continue a comparativestudy of curricula in use in
the va-rious countries of the world in theteaching of history,
geography and so-cial studies. It will issue a publica-tion on the
teaching of history anda Teacher's Guide to the Declarationof Human
Rights. Studies on historyand geography textbooks used in va-rious
countries will be continued, andan international seminar on
theteaching of history in primary andsecondary schools will be
held.
To meet a request from the UnitedNations and its specialized
agencies,Unesco will investigate measures toreduce illiteracy, to
use native langua-ges in teaching, and to stimulate in-ternational
action to break down bar-riers to the access of women to
edu-cation.
Special efforts will be made to de-termine and encourage the
applicationof the most effective ways of teachingchildren about the
Universal Decla-ration of Human Rights and about theUnited Nations
and its SpecializedAgencies.
NATURAL SCIENCES
THE 1951 activities of Unesco inthe field of Natural Sciences
willparticularly concern the develop-ment of international
scientific co-operation, assistance to research forthe improvement
of the living con-ditions of mankind, and the teachingand
popularization of science.
Approval has been given to study aplan to set up regional
research cen-tres, with funds to be obtained out-side Unesco's
budget. One examplesuggested was for a centre of researchin physics
and other sciences in
ON this and the following page, the Courier presents a sum-mary
of the main Unesco projects for 1951 approved bythe Fifth Session
of the General Conference. From this
programme, M. Jaime Torres Bodet, Unesco's Director-Generalhas
been authorized to select immediate priority projects so asto carry
out Unesco's work in the most effective and concen-trated
manner.
The Unesco work plans for 1951 have been allocated a budgetof
$8, 200, 000, but in addition to the regular annual budget,
finan-cial resources may be increased through voluntary
contributionsfrom member countries. These extra funds would be used
tofinance special projects outside the ordinary programme, whichare
to be worked out by the Director-General and the
ExecutiveBoard.
Western Europe as an attempt to over-come difficulties arising
out of thehigh cost of research into higher phy-sics.
Grants-in-aid and services will begiven to international
organizations inthe fields of engineering, science, me-dicine,
agriculture, biology and theprotection of nature. Discussions
willbe promoted on scientific problems ofregional importance ; and
action takento organize the exchange of scientificinformation,
personnel and material.
Recognizing the value of Unesco'sField Science Co-operation
Offices, theConference voted to increase the bud-get allotted to
them. These officeswill help the execution of the Plan ofTechnical
Assistance to under-deve-loped areas.
Unesco will also make a special ef-fort to encourage scientific
and tech-nical research and development of aridand semi-arid areas,
in co-operationwith the International Arid ZoneResearch Council and
with the UnitedNations.
Unesco also aims to bring scienceinto the lives of ordinary men
andwomen by fostering science clubs,scientific exhibitions,
discussionsamong workers'groups about the ef-fect on their work of
scientific pro-gress, and world-wide discussions onthemes related
to the inter-action bet-ween Science and Society. The Orga-nization
will help publishers to pro-duce cheap attractive books on
science,and will distribute popular scientificarticles to
newspapers and magazines,and filmstrips for use by lecturers
tonon-scientific groups. It will help as-sociations for the
advancement ofscience in war-devastated and otherneedy areas.
Finally, Unesco will promote closerinternational collaboration
betweenscience teachers, particularly in scienceteaching methods
and the develop-ment of a scientific attitude in pri-mary and
secondary schools.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
UNESCO'S Social Sciences program-me has three main sections :
aidto international scientific colla-boration, studies of social
tensions,and studies of international co-oper-ation.
The studies of social tensions will
include an investigation of race con-tacts in Brazil, to
determine factorscontributing to harmonious race rela-tions.
Unesco plans a study of populationproblems in countries in
process of in-dustrialization, win organize a studyof tensions
resulting from over-popu-lation, and will continue the enquiryinto
tensions resulting from shifts ofpopulation. Unesco will also
arrangea"tensions"investigation among Ja-panese youth.
Unesco will encourage the develop-ment of international
associations inthe branches of sociology, politicalscience,
economics, comparative law,and international studies, and
willentrust them with work correlated toits programme. It will
publish a perio-dical for social scientists and will en-courage the
development of socialsciences'documentation services.
Studies will be made in the field ofinternational co-operation.
In one ofthese Unesco will seek to determinehow greater public
support can be ob-tained for the United Nations.
Finally, Unesco will study the tech-nique of international
conferencesbased upon exploratory surveys car-ried out during
1949-50, and will pu-hlish the'results.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
WITH the aid of the Internatio-nal Council of Philosophy
andHumanistic Studies, UNESCOwill assist studies already in
progresson the native cultures of America,Africa and other regions.
Anotherplan to be carried out is the pre-paration by an
international groupof experts of a history of the scien-tific and
cultural development of hu-manity, showing the exchanges whichhave
taken place throughout the agesbetween different peoples and
culturesin science, technology, philosophy, thearts and other
branches of culturallife.
In addition to assisting the develop-ment of modern cultural
relations,UNESCO helps to preserve the cultu-ral heritage of the
past through themaintenance of libraries and museumscontaining
Books and works of artwhich constitute this heritage. Therights and
the material and moral in-
terests of the authors of literary andartistic creation must be
defended.UNESCO will also endeavour to bringthe most important
works and expres-sions of world culture to all peoples.
UNESCO will continue its efforts toco-ordinate fii1iographical
services onan international basis. Furthermore,it will study the
problem of the mi-crophotographic reproduction of rareperiodicals
an the practical aid to begiven to certain States for the
repro-duction of important documents.
In the field of the visual arts,UNESCO will conduct an enquiry
onthe place held by the arts in the edu-cational system of various
countries.In order to famiIiarise the masseswith art, impulse will
be given to thephotographic reproduction of theworks of art of all
countries.
Under the auspices of the Interna-tional Council of Music,
internationalmusic festivals will be held, scholar-ships and grants
awarded, and music-al scores of special importance co-pied,
reproduced, and lent from onecountry to another. The work of
ca-taloguing recorded music will be con-tinued, and UNESCO will
increase itby a collection of important musicalworks which have not
yet been record-ed on a commercial scale. It willalso encourage the
recording of folkmusic.
UNESCO will continue to collabo-rate with the International P.
E. N.Club. It will also publish informationon the translations of
foreign bookspublished in each country and in theIndex
translationum, an internationalanalytic catalogue of
translations.
The translation of the chief literaryand cultural works of every
countryinto the greatest possible number oflanguages will be
chiefly concerned, in1951, with Italian, Arabic and Latin-American
literature.
UNESCO will also work for the esta-blishment of a Universal
CopyrightConvention, and will prepare the con-vening of an
inter-governmental con-ference to decide on the text of
thisconvention.
EXCHANGEOF PERSONS
UNESCO will continued an enquiryinto means of removing
obsta-cles to the free movement of
persons. A new edition of a spe-cial supplement to"Study
Abroad"onstudy opportunities during vacationswill be published. The
basic work,"Study Abroad", of which successiveeditions were
published in 1948, 1949and 1950 constitutes a general guide
toexisting openings of study abroad. In-tended originally to
provide a fun listof international fellowships, the con-tents have
been progressively augment-ed to include other categories of
ex-changes as, for example, industrialand agricultural workers, and
youngpeople.
While assembling information fromMember States and from
non-govern-
(Continued on page )
Some of the delegates to Unesco's Fifth General Conference.
Above (left) are members of the United States delegation. From left
to right : Dr Howland H. Sargeant(Chairman of the Delegation) ;
Mrs. Charles Reed (wife of the U. S. Consul General) ; Mr. Charles
Reed, Miss Bernice Baxter. Dr. George D. Stoddard, Dr. L L Rabiand
Dr George F. Zook. In the photo (above, right), are : H. E. Dr.
Jose Pezet (Panama) Dr Riazuddin Siddiqui (Pakistan) ; Dr. J. C.
Beaglehole (New Zealand) and
Mr. Hans Mohr (Norway).
-
UNESCO COURIER-PACE 6
UNESCO'S PROGRAMME FOR 1951
(. 0 N'I'1 N Ii t It.
(Continued tram page 5.)mental organizations on the grantingand
administering of internationalstudy grants, and making this
infor-mation available to individuals, groupsand governments,
UNESCO will alsohelp to bring about adoption of com-mon methods and
techniques in theadministration of scholarships andthe planning of
new programmes.
As budgetary limitations preventUNESCO from allocating large
sumsfor the creation and administration ofscholarships, the
programme for 1951aims to encourage exchanges of per-sons by
co-ordinating activities of or-ganizations which award
fellowshipsand study grants.
Help to intellectual refugees is cov-ered by an International
Student Ser-vice proposal sponsored by the Ne-therlands Conference
delegation, pro-viding for the creation-with UNESCOhelp-of a fund
for the use of refugeestudents.
UNESCO will itself during 1951grant 55 fellowships for citizens
of itsMember States. These will allow spe-cialists to study
activities related tothe UNESCO Programme. After thebeneficiaries
have finished their workand returned to their home countries,UNESCO
remains in close contact withthem so that the knowledge they
haveacquired may be used in the applica-tion of UNESCO's
programme.
MASSCOMMUNICATIONS
To bering about the widest possiblepublic participation in its
pro-gramme and an understandingof its aims by action through
theworld's press, radio, films and othermedia of communications
will be oneof the main Unesco tasks for 1951.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FAR EAST THE MIDDLE EAST, LATIN
AME.
RICA AND EUROPE AT UNESCO'S FIFTH GENERAL CONFERENCE
The aim will be to present theseactivities so as to focus them
upon theUniversal Declaration of HumanRights and within this
framework, tohighlight the right to education, thebenefits of
scientific progress and in-formation. Emphasis will be put
onmaterial illustrating : Fundamentaleducation for all people and
educationfor international understanding ; theright of all peoples
to enjoy the bene-fits of scientific progress and the rela-tionship
of the work of scientists topeace and human welfare ; the strug-gle
to resolve racial and other pro-blems, and the methods and
achieve-ments oi international co-operation ;the part played by
creative artists insuch co-operation ; freedom of infor-mation and
the free exchange of ideas.
The organization will examine thepossibility of creating an
Internatio-nal Institute of the Press and Infor-mation through
consultations withnational and international organiza-tions.
The replies from these groups willbe discussed by an
experts'committeeset up by Unesco. On the basis of thereplies,
Unesco will be able to decidewhether a conference to create
theInstitute should be called.
The General Conference also ap-proved a number of projects to
helpUnesco's efforts to reduce obstacles tothe free flow of
information. One ofthem is to secure from the contractingparties of
the General Agreement onTariffs and Trade further reductionsof
customs barriers to the internatio-nai circulation of educational,
scienti-fic and cultural materials.
Unesco will also co-operate with theRegional Economic
Commissions ofthe United Nations in the encourage-ment of the
domestic production, thepromotion of the exchange, and
thefacilitation of trade agreements in-volving educational,
scientific and cul-tural materials. It will seek, in con-junction
with these commissions, spe-cial dispensations for categories
ofpersons engaged in educational activi-
ties with regard to visa and frontierformalities, labour permits
and simi-lar facilities. Unesco will work forwider application of
schemes initiatedby the Universal Postal Union to per-mit payment
in national currenciesfor subscriptions to foreign newspa-pers, and
for a 50 per cent reductionon postal charges for printed
matter.
The preparation and disseminationof a study such as"World Press
Co-verage of Educational, Scientific andCultural Information"will
also be un-dertaken.
An international agreement reduc-ing or abolishing economic
controls onthe movement of books, newspapers,works of art,
documentary films and awide range of other educational mate-rials,
was adopted by the Conference *
During 1951, Unesco will also carryout intensive work as a
clearinghouse for the collection, analysis, diss-emination and
exchange of informa-tion and experiences in the techniques,uses and
effects of the press, film, ra-dio and allied media in the fields
ofeducation, science and culture.
Expert aid missions will be underta-ken to advise and assist in
the im-provement of mass communications inunder-developed or war
devastatedcountries.
The world survey of technical faci-lities, already carried out
in 52 coun-tries or territories, will be completedand extended to
33 other countriesand territories. The Member Stateswill be invited
to set up within theframework of their National Commis-sions
standing consultative commit-tees on technical and
professionnalproblems.
Finally, Unesco will continue its ef-fort to bring about world
unificationin Braille. A world Braille Councilwill be created and
conferences will beheld for experts in Arabic and
Spa-nish-Portuguese Braille.
. See page 7 of this issue for areport on this agreement.
RELIEF SERVICES
THE Relief Assistance Service ofUNESCO, set up five years agoas
the Reconstruction Depart-
ment to help war-hit countries, hasnow extended its programme to
meetthe needs of any country requiringrelief.
War damage is being repaired, butnew emergency situations
requiringthe assistance of an international or-ganization such as
UNESCO still arise.The wars in Palestine and Greece leftmany
refugees to be cared for as didthe earthquakes in Ecuador last
yearand in Peru this year, when numerousschools and buildings of
great histo-ric and artistic value were destroyed
The General Conference consideredtwo such problems in particular
: tesituation of refugee children in Greeceand the Near East, which
continues tobe extremely serious. As no really ef-fective help
could be given fromUnesco's limited budget, the Confe-rence decided
to appeal to the govern-ments of the 59 Member States tocontribute
funds sufficient for effec-tive action.
Unesco's Relief Service will continueto assemble information on
the needsof countries and use it to prepare forthe provision of
direct assistance orthe organization of voluntary aid cam-paigns.
It will also allocate creditsfrom the Relief Fund to needy
coun-tries and will assist them to purchaseand transport equipment
and help tosecure import and export licences andcustoms
exemptions.
As UNESCO's funds are insufficientfor this work, the Service
will workwith Member States to focus publicopinion and sympathy en
the needs ofdevastated areas and organist cam-paigns for voluntary
assistance. Fi-nally, it will aid co-ordination
inter-nationally-and, through NationalCommissions, nationally-of
the ef-forts of the voluntary associationsparticipating in UNESCO's
relief work.
-
Pace 7-UNESCO COURIER
ON May 23rd, 1950. Director-General Jaime Torres Bodet
askeddelegates to the Fifth Session of the Unesco General
Conferenceto act in the interest pf world peace-in the future and
in our
times as well. On June 17. he described certain ultimate
conclusionsof the delegates as expressive of"a will for peace"and
testimony to"the fidelity of all of us to Unesco's supreme ideal".
In his sum-
mation, the Director-General referred particularly to two
resolutions
passed by the conference-one of them proposed jointly by the
RESOLUTION
PRESENTED BY THE DELEGATIONS OF
BRAZIL, CANADA, ECUADOR, EGYPT,
FRANCE, INDIA, ITALY, UNITED KINGDOM,
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THE GENERA. L CONFERENCE,
HA VING HEARD the statements of V01'OUS delegations and ofthe
Director-General,
NOTING that the programme of the Organization, as decidedupon by
the present Conference, constitutes a m01'ie direct andimportant
contribution to the cause of ace than the programmes'of previous
years,,
CONSIDERING that all the activities of Unesco must, inaccordance
with its Constitution, be directed towards the peaceand prosperity
of mankind, within the framework of the UniversalDeclaration of
Human Rights,
CONSIDERING that these activities, to be fully effective,
mustpostulate a truly and Sincerely universal outlook that shall
eschewall thoughtlOf aggression and shall be based on recognition
of theprinciples of justice and freed01n on which the Constitution
of theOrganization is based,
INSTRUCTS the Executive Board and the Director-General tocarry
out the programme for 1951 in the most effective andconcentrated
manner possible, b, earing prominently in mind theguiding T !
rinples laid down in the preamble to th basic pro-qram, me,
INSTRUCTS the Executive Board and the Director-General
toprepare, for the Sixth Session of the General Confierence, a
draftprogramme in which the various activities involving
internationalco-operation in the fields of education, science and
culture shalltend more directly, within the framework of'the United
Nationsand its other Specialized Agencies, towards the maintenance
andconsolidation of peace,
REQUESTS the Executive Board and the Director-General tostudy,
for that purpose, projects that can be financed apart ?'owtthe
regular programme, by voluntary contributions of money ofwerviees
from the greatest possible number of, countries,
INVITES Member States, with a view to te successful exe-cution
of a concentrated programme of this nature, to consider
thepossibility of increasing in this way the resources of the
Organiz-ation in the future.
A T its closing meeting on June 17th, the General Conference
approveda resolution proposed by France to authorize Unesco's
ExecutiveBoard to finance, by a transfer of funds from the 1950
budget, pre-
liminary studies in 1950 of special projects aimed at the
maintenance andconsolidation of peace proposed for the 1951
programme.
delegations of Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, France, India,
Italy,the United Kingdom and the United States of America ; the
other bythe delegation of Belgium. These resolutions are reproduced
on this
page. The Conference also approved proposals by Norway and
byFrance, aimed to define thy duties of member states in carrying
outtheir obligations under the Unesco Constitution and to provide
fundsfor the execution of priority projects.
RESOLUTION
SUBMITTED BY
THE BELGIAN DELEGATION
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE
REAFFIRMS ITS DECISION that Unesco, within the limits ofs
competence, co-operate closely and actively in the programmeof
peace of the United Nations ;
NOTING that, as one of the Specialized Agencies of the
UnitedNations, Unesco flufters from the effects of the difficulties
whichar>e compromising the harmonious workings of tl/, e system
of theUnited Nations and its Specialized Agencies,.
EXPRESSES the hope that these difficulties will be
rapidlysolved,
AND CALLS ON Member States to make every efforts to this
effect in the framework of their action within the United
Nationsand its Specialized Ag : encies,
RENEWS an urgent appeal to its Member States in order thateach,
on thle national level, continues and intensifies its action
inthei'fields of. education, science and culture with a vw
tofacilitating and developing understanding between the
peoples,
AFFIRMS that Unesco's contribution to the cause of peaceconsists
in giving an example of toerance and mutual under-standing'as well
as freedom of exchange and fredom of expressionof ideas within the
widest diversities of viewpoints,
INVITES all those in the world who arle devoted to
education,science and culture as well as those who dispose of means
of masscommunication to assist in the development of this
action,
INSTRUCTS the Director-General to bring this resolution
toattention of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Norwegian proposal on Education}
Scientific and Cultural duties of the State
1-'HE following resolution, submitted by the delegation of
Norway, wasunanimously adopted at the closing session of the
General Confer-ence :
"The Director General is authorized to consider the constitution
of acommittee charged with the preparation of a charter of the
duties of theState in regard to education, science and culture for
the purpose of ensur-ing a better understanding between peoples,
and to prepare a report onthis subject for the next session of the
General Conference."
GENERAL CONFERENCE ADOPTS V1/ORLD AGREEMENT
FOR DUTY-FREE IMPORT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
IN some countries books comingfrom abroad are taxed as muchas
300 per cent. Scientific equip-
ment needed in research laboratories,! is taxed with equal
severity. Education
exhibitions, destined for schools andmuseums, remain in
customs'ware-houses while their sponsors try to raisethe heavy bond
often required by theauthorities.
These tariff and trade regulationsmake it costly, difficult and
sometimes
impossible for people in many coun-tries to obtain the works of
art, andthe scientific and educational materials
they need.
To remedy that situation, Unesco'sFifth General Conference
adopted
unanimously a new internationalAgreement allowing a wide range
ofeducational, scientific and cultural ma-terials to move across
frontiers free of
duty. Governments adhering to thisAgreement will abolish duties
on books,newspapers, magazines, musical scores,maps and charts.
They will grantimport licences and foreign currencyfor publications
needed by publiclibraries.
The Agreement will also permit thefree importation of paintings,
drawingsand sculpture. Approved institutions,such as museums,
laboratories andschools, will enjoy sweeping privilegesfor the free
importation of everythingfrom documentary films to scientific
apparatus. One provision, for exam-
pie, eliminates barriers to the move-ment of everything required
for theeducational advancement of the blind.
"Free Trade"
in Culture
'\T'3W that the Agreement has beenunanimously adopted, it will
beopened shortly for signature at
Lake Success. The British Govern-ment has announced that it will
signthe Agreement and submit it to Par-liament for ratification.
Many othercountries have also indicated that theywill seek quick
legislative approval ofthe pact. There is little doubt that itwill
obtain, within a short delay, the
ten ratifications needed to bring itinto force.
This is the second international
Agreement to be sponsored by Unesco.The first is designed to
abolish duties,quotas and other trade barriers to themovement of
films, recordings andsimilar audio-visual aids to education.It has
been signed by 17 countriesand ratified by one, Norway.
When these Unesco Agreementsenter into force, bringing
a"freetrade"in culture, people in each coun-
try will find it much easier to obtainbooks, paintings,
documentary filmsand all types of educational materialsfrom other
countries-a significant,
practical step towards internationalunderstanding.
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UNESCO COURIER-Page 8
THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR HUMAN UNITS
Unesco Publishes Declaration By World's Scientists
The following statement was published by Unesco on July y) 8
th.) t was prepared by the Unesco Committeeof Experts on Race
Problems, at Unesco House in Paris, and was drafted by the
following scientists : Ernest Beagle-hole, New Zealand ; Juan
Comas, Mexico ; L. A. Costa Pinto, Brazil ; Franklin Frazier,
United States ; MorrisGinsberg, United Kingdom ; Humayun Kabir,
India ; Claude Levi-Strauss, France ; Ashley Montage, UnitedStates.
The text was revises. by Professor Montagu after criticisms
submitted by Professors Hadley Cantril, E. G. Conklin,Gunnar
Dahlberg, Theodosius Dobzhansky, L. C. Dunn, Donald Hager, Julian
S. Hux ! ey. Otto Klineberg, Wi ! bert Moore.H. J. Muller, Gunnar
Myrdal, and Joseph Needham.
SCIENTISTS have reached generalagreement in recognising
thatmankind is one : that all men belongto the same species, Homo
sapiens.
It is further generally agreed amongscientists that all men are
probablyderived from the same common stock ;and that such
differences as exist betweendifferent groups of mankind are due
tothe operation of evolutionary factors ofdifferentiation such as
isolation, the driftand random fixation of the materialparticles
which control heredity (thegenes), changes in the structure of the
: eparticles, hybridization, and naturalselection. In these ways
groups havearisen of varying stability and degree ofdifferentiation
which have been classifiedin different ways for different
purposes.
From the biological standpoint, thespecies Homo sapiens is made
up of anumber of populations, each one of whichdiffers from the
others in the frequencyof one or more genes. Such genes,responsible
for the hereditary differencesbetween men, are aiways few when
com-pared to the whole genetic constitutionof man and to the vast
number of genescommon to all human beings regardless
choose to describe as a race. Thus, manynational, religious,
geographic, linguisticor cultural groups have, in such looseusage,
been called"races", when obviouslyAmericans are not a race, nor are
En-glishmen, nor Frenchmen, nor any othernational group. Catholics,
Protestants,Moslems, and Jews are not races, nor aregroups who
speak English or any otherlanguage thereby definable as a race
;people who live in Iceland or England orIndia are not races ; nor
are people whoare culturally Turkish or Chinese or thelike thereby
describable as races.
National, religious, geographic, lin-guistic. and cultural
groups do not ne-cessarily coincide with racial groups ; andthe
cultural traits of such groups haveno demonstrated genetic
connection withracial traits. Because serious errors ofthis kind
are habitually committed whenthe term"race"is used in popular
par-lance. it would be better when speakingof human races to drop
the term"race"altogether and speak of ethnic groups.
Now what has the scientist to sayabout the groups of mankind
which maybe recognized at the present time ? Hu-man races can be
and have been dif-
RACIAL HARMONY-NEW ZEALAND In New Zealand the Maori population
morethan doubled between 1896 and 1936 andtoday Maoris number about
one twentieth 01 the total population. Not more than half ofthe
Maoris are 01 pure Maori descent and the number 01 those of mixed
blood appears tobe increasing rather more rapidly than those of
unmixed race. Maoris made an importantcontribution to New Zealand's
war effort and to-day are participating more and more inthe
economic and political life of the country, one important
development being the increas-
ing number entering the teaching profession.
of the population to which they belong.This means that the
likenesses amongmen are far greater than their diffe-rences.
A race, from the biological standpoint,may therefore be defined
as one of thegroup of populations constituting thespecies"Homo
sapiens."These popul-ations are capable of interbreeding withone
another but, by virtue of the isolat-ing barriers which in the past
kept themmore or less separated, exhibit certainphysical
differences as a result of theirsomewhat different biological
histories.They represent variations, as it were, ona common
theme.
In short, the term"race"designates agroup or population
characterised bysome concentrations, relative as to fre-quency and
distribution, of hereditaryparticles (genes) or physical
characters,which appear, fluctuate, and often disap-pear in the
course of time by reason ofgeographic and/or cultural isolation.
Thevarying manifestations of these traits indifferent populations
are perceived indifferent ways by each group. What isperceived is
largely preconceived, so thatea h group arbitrarily tends to
misinter-pret the variability which occurs as afundamental
difference which separatestr> ! t g-roup from all others.
These are the scientific facts. Unfor-tunately, however, when
most people usethe term"race"they do not do. so in thetense above
defined. To most people, arace is any group of people whom they
ferently classified by different anthropo-logists, but at the
present time mostanthropologists agree in classifying thegreater
part of present-day mankind intothree major divisions, as follows
:
i\longoloid, Negroid, CaucasoidThe biological processes which
the clas-sifier has here embalmed, as it were, aredynamic, not
static. These divisionswere not the same in the past as theyare at
present, and there is every reasonto believe that they will change
in thefuture.
Many sub-groups or ethnic groupswithin these divisions have been
deserio-ed. There is no general agreement upontneir number, and in
any event mostethnic groups have not yet been eitherstudied or
described by the physicalanthropologist.
Whatever classification the anthro-pologist makes of man, he
never includesmental characteristics as part of
thoseclassifications. It is now generally reco-gnized that
intelligence tests do nof inthemselves enable us to
differentiatetafely between what is due to innatecapacity and what
is the result of envi-ronmental influences, training and
educ-ation. Wherever it has been possibleto make allowances for
differences inenvironmental opportunities, the testshave shown
essential similarity in men-tal characters among all human
groups.In short, given similar degrees of cul-tural opportunity to
realise their poten-tialities, the aVel'aj ; e achic\'ement,) f
the members of each ethnic group isabout the same. The
scientific investig-ations of recent years fully support thedictum
of Confucius (551-478 B. C.)"Men'snatures are alike ; it is their
habits thatcarry them far apart".
The scientific material available to usat present does not
justify the conclusionthat inherited genetic differences are amajor
factor in producing the differencesbetween the cultures and
culturalachievements of different peoples orgroups. It does
indicate, however, thatthe history of the cultural experiencewhich
each group has undergone is themajor facter in explaining such
differ-ence. The one trait which above allothers has been at a
premium in theevolution of men's mental characters hasbeen
educability, plasticity. This is atrait which all human beings
possess. Itis, ind'ed, a species character of"Homosapiens."
So far as temperament is concerned,there is no definite evidence
that thereexist inborn differences between humangroups. There is
evidence that whatevergroup differences of the kind there mightbe
are greatly over-ridden by the indi-vidual differences, and by the
differencesspringing from environmental factors.
As fer personality and character, thesemay be considered
raceless. In everyhuman group a rich variety of personalityand
character types will be found, andthere is no reason fer believing
that anyhuman group is richer than any other inthese respects.
Biological Facts and Racial Myths
WITH respect to race-mixture, theevidence points unequivocally
tothe fact that this has been going
on from the earliest times. Indeed, oneof the chief processes of
race-formationand race-extinction or absorption is bymeans of
hybridization between races orethnic groups. Furthermore, no
con-vincing evidence has been adduced thatrace-mixture ef itself
produces biolo-gically bad effects. Statements that hu-man hybrids
frequently show undesirabletraits, both physically and mentally,
phy-sical disharmonies and mental dege-neracies, are not supported
by the facts.There is, therefore, no biological justi-fication for
prohibiting intermarriagebetween persons of different
ethnicgroups.
The biological fact of race and themyth of"race"should be
distinguished.For all practical social purposes"race"is not so much
a biological phenomenonas a social myth. The myth of"race"has
created an enormous amount ofhuman and social damage. In
recentyears it has taken a heavy toll in humanlives and caused
untold suffering. Itstill prevents the normal development
ofmillions of human beings and deprivescivilization of the
effective co-operation ofproductive minds.
The biological differences betweenethnic groups should be
disregarded fromthe standpoint of social acceptance andsccial
action. The unity of mankindfrom both the biological and
socialviewpoints is the main thing.
To recognize this and to act accordinglyis the first requirement
of modern man.It is but to recognize what a greatbiologist wrote in
1875 :"As man advancesin civilization, and small tribes are
unitedinto larger communities, the simplestreason would tell each
individual that heought to extend his social iilstincts
andsympathies to all the members of thesame nation, though
personally unknownto him. This point being once reached,there is
only an artificial barrier toprevent his sympathies extending to
themen of all nations and races."
These are the words of Charles Darwinin"The Descent of Man" (2nd
ed., 1875,pp. 187-188). And, indeed, the whole ofhuman history
shows that a co-operativespirit is not only natural to men, butmore
deeply rooted than any self-seekingtendencies. If this were not so
we shouldnot see the growth of integration andorganization of his
communities whichthe centuries and the millennia
plainlyexhibit.
We now have to consider the bearingef these statements on the
problem ofhuman equality. It must be assertedwith the utmost
emphasis that equalityas an ethical principle in no way dependsupon
the assertion that human beingsare in fact equal in endowment.
Obvious-ly individuals in all ethnic groups varygreatly among
themselves in endowment.Nevertheless the characteristics in
whichhuman groups differ from one anotherare often exaggerated and
used as a basisfor questioning the validity of equality inthe
ethical sense. For this purpose wehave thought it worth while to
set out ina formal manner what is at presentscientifically
established concerning indiv-idual and group differences.
(The fmal conclusicns of the scienUstsare published on page
1.)
RACE AI
TOWARDS the end of the last century,a French anthropologist.
Lapouge,declared that the day was drawingnear when men would
slaughter
one another for a few millimetres'differ-ence in cranium size.
What may thenhave seemed only a whimsical theory hassince become
harsh reality with the per-petration of appalling massacres
duringthe last decade in the name of racialsuperiority. Thus our
age has been giventhe sorry privilege of verifying prophe-cies,
which not long ago would have beenregarded as ludicrous.
Unfortunately the evils of racialdiscrimination have not
disappeared withthe suppression of Nazi political power.Although
not applied in such ruthlessfashion it still causes
immeasurablesuffering every day and continues toaffect the lives
and futures of millions ofpeople.
Racism is one of the most disturbingphenomena of the great
revolution of themodern world. At the very time whenindustrial
civilization is penetrating to allpoints of the globe and is
uprooting menof every colour from their age-old tradi-tions, a
doctrine, treacherously scientificin appearance, is invoked in
order to robthese men of their full share in theadvantages of the
civilization forced uponthem.
There exists in the structure of Westerncivilization a fatal
contradiction. On theone hand it wishes and insists that cer-tain
cultural values, to which it attributesthe highest virtues, be
assimilated byother people. But, conversely, it will notadmit that
two-thirds of humanity iscapable of attaining this standard whichit
has set up. Ironically, the worstsufferers from racial dogma are
usuallythe people whose intellect most forciblydemonstrates its
falseness.
No"Pure"Races
FOR nearly a century, all genuinej'anthropologists have insisted
on thepurely conventional character of the
features chosen to classify the human
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Page 9-UNESCO COURIER
D CIVILIZATION
by Dr. Alfred METRAUX
species. They have reiterated that thereis no such thing as a
pure race, thatracial differences are biological and pro-bably do
not affect character and mentalfaculties, and that from the
anthropolo-gical point of view the human species isone. But little
attention has been paidby the majority to their words.
How many cultivated, intelligent andkindly people believe in all
good faiththat Negroes inherit at birth an exu-berant and primitive
nature and thatrhythm and dance are theirs from thecradle ? How
many others, who believethemselves to be free from any taint
ofracial prejudice, credit the Jews withintellectual qualities
superior to those ofChistians ? Every day, all too manyattest to
the belief that racial groupshave hereditary virtues and defects,
abelief which is a commonly acceptederror, and which, if not
discredited, comesto be accepted as the truth.
Race prejudice thrives on the inabilityof most people to make a
clear distinctionbetween facts pertaining to civilizationand
culture on the one hand and biolo-gical facts on the other. Men are
dis.tinguished by their respective cultures,which is that"complex
whole whichincludes knowledge, belief, art, morals,law, custom, and
any other capabilitiesand habits acquired by man as a memberof
society."As cultural differences arefrequently associated with.
physicaldifferences, the latter have been regardedtoo often as the
cause of the former.
Culture Confused With Instinct
SOCIAL prejudice will not diminishuntil it is generally
rec8gnized thatthe real differences between human
societies are not due to biological here-dity but to cultural
environment. Theinfluence of culture on the individual isat once so
subtle ant strong, and it isexerted from such an early age, that it
isapt to be confused with instinct.
The cultural factor plays a highlyimportant part in the workings
of theintellect. A poor. isolated group whichdoes not receive much
stimulus from theoutside world may easpy be taken to becongenitally
inferior ; but another one inthe favourable atmosphere of a
differentmoral and economic environment, may beregarded as a
privileged specimen ofmankind.
Psychology and criminology havetaught us that delinquency is
related tosocial conditions. If we are convinced ofthe importance
of family and socialenvironment, why should we refuse torecognize
the part played by culture ? Itis too easily forgotten that there
aremany cultural specializations and manychoices open to every
culture.
Take for example the Australian abori-gines. Their tools and
economy arethose of our prehistoric ancestors. Likeseveral species
of fauna in the countrythey seem to represent an early stage
ofevolution. Nevertheless, these primitivepeople have developed a
social organiz-ation and a system of relationship ofsuch complexity
and refinement that itrequires an able brain and a degree
ofmathematical ability to unravel all itsintricacies. In
comparison, some of oursystems are simple, even crude. Examplesfrom
other sccieties could be multiplied.
Doubts About The Nordics
ONE of the essential features of culturesis their malleability.
They changerather rapidly and only remain static
in certain exceptional cases.The racial composition of Europe
has
probably varied very little in the courseof the last two or
three thousand years,but would anyone venture to affirm
thatEuropean mentality has always been thesame ? Would Englishmen
of todayfeel at home among the subjects ofEdward IlL ? In Japan the
19th centurysaw the tremendous cultural revolution ofa people whose
racial type was in no waychanged, for it is obvious that,
biologic-ally speaking, the Japanese of 1950 isthe same as his
great-grandfather in thedays of Commodore Perry.
The United States of America providea very good example of the
fact thatculture is more important than race.Who has not been
impressed by the"typically American"mentality, gesturesand
behaviour of persons springing fromthe most varied races ?
It is a gross error to believe historycan be explained by race.
Westernindustrial culture does not owe its greatdevelopment and
power to any innatesuperiority of the white race. The Gauls,as
Julius Caesar describes them, werescarcely superior to Western
Africantribes, whom some people glibly declareincapable of
progress. Writers of theancient Mediterranean peoples
frequentlyexpressed doubts about the capacities ofthe Nordics, some
of whom are inclinedtoday to disdain other races.
There is nothing hereditary or evenspontaneous in the antipathy
felt bymembers of one racial group for those ofanother.
Observations on the behaviourof children show very clearly that
theyexpress aversion for people of anothercolour only under the
influence of thefamily milieu. The millions of half-castes in the
world are witness thatdifferent races have in fact a
particularattraction for one another. Relationsbetween races are
generally determinedby cultural tradition. History is there toteach
us that this tradition-has variedgreatly in the course of the
centuries.
No Escape From Heredity
RACISM is a relatively new myth,dating back to only two or
threecenturies ago. Before the colonial
expansion of the European powers, mendespised or hated one
another for culturalor religious differences, but did not claimto
be superior to one another because ofthe colour of their skin or
the shape oftheir skull or their nose.
Morally, slavery was just as damagingto the whites as to the
blacks. Thewhites made skin colour and other phy-sical
characteristics indelible distinguish-ing marks. The Inquisition
burnt theJews because they had crucified Christand because they
were supposed to be theenemies of the faith ; the Nazis did thesame
because the Jews were said to belongto a species which was
inherently harm-ful. The difference is of little importanceto the
victim, but it means much from
RACIAL OPPRESSION-GERMAN-OCCUPIED POLAND. ce : : patioo :"ol
ndtNazis decided to herd all Jews together in special walled-off
parts 01 Warsaw and other largecities. In Warsaw an eight loot wall
(shown in this photo) topped with broken glass wasbuilt to define
the limits 01 a revived mediaeval ghetto. By 1941. over 450. 000
people werecrowded into the area, many being forced to share a room
with a dozen other people.
the point of view of history. It is pos-sible to change one's
religious convictions ;but nobody can escape heredity.
There is in this concept of race some-thing implacable. The
barbarity of ourtime is more ruthless and more absurdthan that of
the so-called Dark Ages ; forracial prejudice is an un-intelligent
andunattractive myth. Its fiourishing deve-lopment in the twentieth
century will nodoubt in future ages be regarded as oneof the most
shameful episodes in history.
Science versus Prejudice
RACIAL hatred and conflict feed onJ\. mistaken scientific
notions and anti-rational dogma. To show up these
errors and lessen their harmful effect, wemust use the means
supplied by science,culture and education. Unesco. betterthan any
other institution in the world.is thus qualified to combat racial
preju-dice.
Any campaign for an ideological object-ive must be based on a
declaration ofprinciples. As regards race, what is
needed is not dogma or moral conviction.but scientific data, in
view of the factthat the system of race discriminationclaims to
derive from actual experienceand alleged biological laws.
Beforemaking an appeal to common sense, tocharity, and even to the
self-interest ofthe groups affected by this plague, it wasnecessary
to ascertain the results ofscientific observation.
That is why a commission of anthro-pologists and sociologists
met towardsthe end of last year at Unesco House forthe purpose of
preparing a document inwhich the attitude of science to theracial
problem would be clearly set forth.This declaration, reproduced
elsewhere.leaves not a shadow of doubt, that thespecialists look
upon racial dogma as amyth.
The fight against race discrimination,which figures in the
Unesco Constitu-tion, will be long. To combat an emo-tional
attitude as deep-seated and dan-gerous as racial prejudice is not
easy. butby depriving it of. all scientific andrational
justification a great step forwardwill have been made.
-
UNESCO COURIER-Pile 10
BALZAC
AND THE HUMAN COMEDY
FEW writers ha'Ye had such a great influence on the literature
of all countries as Honorde Balzac, who died in Paris, on August
18th, 1850.Balzac's true literary career started in 1829 after ten
years of trying and discourag-
ing apprenticeship. It had exactly twenty. one years to run, yet
during this time Baltic,working with a furious energy, produced an
immense and'Yaried total of nO'Yels and phil-osophical and
analytical studies in which, using his gifts of obser'Yation and
imaginationand on a scale ne'Yer achie'Yed by any other nO'Yelist,
he portrayed the life of his time.
Balzac openly, publicly and proudly pursued fame and money. He
affected at timesto hold mankind in contempt. Some critics have
asserted that these attitudes were thewhole basis for his work.
That work itself, howe'Yer, in its profundity and integrity, giyesa
sufficient answer to the lesser critics-and e'Yen to Balzac
himself-for contendingthat it could bave had so mean an origin.
In 1842, Balzac carried out the idea of building his work into
one structure to whichhe gave the name"La ComMie Humaine", and in a
preface written for the first'Yolumeof this"Human Comedy", he ga'Ye
his own interpretation of his books.
As a tribute to Balzac on the centenary of his death, the
Courier publishes on this
page extracts from the preface in which the nO'Yelist,
explaining his title for the work,sets out to"state its purpose,
relate its origin and gave some explanation of its plan."
HONORE DE BALZACA portrait