Sharing - an Ethic for the Future

Mayor Zaragoza, Federico, UNESCO Courier

Let us cast our minds back to the world situation as it was in 1945. In that fateful year the North was in ruins and a sombre post-war mood prevailed. In the South, the struggle to achieve freedom from colonial domination was already under way, and in many cases a pre-war atmosphere reigned. The founders of UNESCO decided to confront this civilization of weapons with the weapons of civilization. They took inspiration from the radiantly simple idea of constructing peace in the minds of men through education, science, culture and the free flow of ideas - in short by communication.

In the prophetic words of the French poet Paul Valery, they intended to build a "league of minds" as well as a League of Nations. At the same time they were determined that this international forum should serve the ethical goals which the world community set for itself: peace, the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity and its common prosperity, freedom and justice.

As the intellectual institution of the United Nations system, UNESCO has been entrusted ever since its inception with an ethical mission. In this capacity, it must condemn wrongs, whatever their origin, wherever they occur and whatever form they take. …

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Publication information: Article title: Sharing - an Ethic for the Future. Contributors: Mayor Zaragoza, Federico - Author. Magazine title: UNESCO Courier. Publication date: January 1998. Page number: 36+. © 1984 UNESCO. COPYRIGHT 1998 Gale Group.

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