Minister of State in Legal Afffairs and Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera, Damian Gomez is heading the Bahamas’ delegation to the 37th session of the UNESCO General Conference scheduled for November 4th – 22nd in Paris, France.

Minister Gomez will be giving an address to the Conference on November 9th for the Minister of Education the Honourable Jerome Fitzgerald, and on behalf of the government of The Bahamas. He is expected to return home on November 12th.

The ADDRESS:

Mr. President
Madam Director General
Colleague Ministers
Representatives of the various delegations
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen
Good morning.

We are honored and priviledged to address this 37th General Conference of UNESCO for the Minister of Education the Honourable Jerome Fitzgerald, and on behalf of the government of The Bahamas.

The Bahamas is the gateway between Europe and the Americas.  The bridge of our modern history commenced in the darkness of the late 15th century with the genocide of our Lucayan and Arawak populations.  The darkness continued in an age of war between competing European powers.  Slavery further indelibly scarred that bridge out of which emerged the determination, hope and spirit of an unyielding people in their quest for freedom, equality and the pursuit of happiness.

From Colonialism to independence we have marched, forward, upward and onward together.  The philosophy of our country’s emergence and its fulfillment of a quiet social revolution evidences our commitment to the ideals which inform the activities of UNESCO.  We are a peaceful country committed to the peaceful resolution of all disputes and the promotion of peace through the universal upliftment of humankind.

In context UNESCO is most important to The Bahamas as it offers both a forum and a mechanism by which we may realize the dashed hopes of our lost civilizations and achieve the dreams of the progeny of slaves who dared to survive.  Today we recommit to the international norms which result in peace and the achievement of the realization of freedom and happiness in the wider human family.  We are pleased to state our support for UNESCO and the pursuit of our shared goals and objectives which clearly undergird the elevation of all humanity.

Deepening our democracy entails promoting gender equality.  Next year, our government intends to hold a constitutional referendum to afford women the same rights as men under our constitution.
We thank UNESCO for its continued support of The Bahamas over the last thirty years during which we have received great benefits in Education, Science and Culture.

In 2013 UNESCO staged two beneficial meetings in The Bahamas. The Bahamas straw and handicraft industries date back to the eighteenth century and have been a significant source of income for many Bahamian families. The Conference on “the Strengthening of the Cultural and Creative Potential of the Handicraft Sector” in July, encouraged artisans to produce handicrafts using traditional skills and themes to ensure the continuity and sustainability of these authentic crafts. It also conveyed to local artisans and their Caribbean counterparts the need to improve the quality of their product to insure a thriving handicraft industry in their respective countries.  Our government is committed to insuring that these historic industries grow and continue as a prominent component of our cultural heritage.

The National Consultation Meeting on “UNESCO Conventions” held in September, 2013 was of supreme importance to The Bahamas as we are developing Public Policies with respect to the preservation of historical and natural heritage sites in the context of culture and ecotourism.

The Bahamas is an archipelago of one hundred thousand square miles.  Our country is endowed with much beauty.  Amidst the pink sand beaches exist many idyllic coves which serve as natural habitats for fish and marine life.  We have cave systems, ocean holes and reef systems which are natural wonders that attract tourist from all over the globe.  We also have fortresses, old buildings and the remains of Mesoamerican civilizations.  Many treasure ships were reputed to have been wrecked during the Buccaneer period of our history.  Our environment and our history have been enriched by this matrix of natural and historical phenomena.  Therefore, it is unsurprising that our government is preparing to become a signatory to the World Heritage Convention of 1972 and is considering the accession to such other conventions as may assist in the protection of the heritage of The Bahamas.

It is appropriate to mention that in addition to the annual historic yuletide junkanoo parades dating back to slavery, we shall in two years commence celebrating an annual Bahamian carnival further promoting our creativity in all facets of culture.

We gather in this important forum to discuss our country’s contribution to the Post 2015 Agenda as it relates to the Millennium Development Goals. The Bahamas is striving to reduce inequalities and address environmental challenges, noting the urgency to accelerate our efforts to achieve MDG targets by 2015.

Education is critically important to The Bahamas. Post 1967, it has included the majority of our citizens in all areas of our economy exponentially increasing our middle class. Building on our success, we will continue to pursue increases and improvements to the capital plant of schools, science laboratories and sporting facilities. We intend to insure that our improved education sector affords to our public: universality of access, equality of access, equity in the distribution of educational opportunities and enhanced quality in the product of educational services.

Our Government is committed to create an expanded twenty first century school system from pre-school through high school inclusive of vocational academies and special education academies and the University of The Bahamas. In these institutions all students will have access to the latest technologies and materials, and teachers appropriately trained in international best practices and techniques so that all students can optimize their self esteem and functionality as citizens, employees or entrepreneurs.

We support an effectively empowered UNESCO in our shared mission to achieve global peace, poverty alleviation, gender equality, sustainable development, and intercultural dialogue. Together we can uplift humanity!