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A. The basic principles of education for peace, human rights, democracy, international understanding and tolerance
7. Reflecting its fundamental purpose, to construct the defences of peace in the minds of men and women, a culture of peace requires that education be the principal means of accomplishing this task. This includes not only formal education in schools, but also informal and non-formal education in the full range of social institutions, including the family and the media. As expressed in the report to UNESCO by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century, the goal is learning to live together [9]. Furthermore, as the World Commission on Culture and Development reported to UNESCO, it is through culture that we can develop diverse and peaceful ways of living together [10].
8. These basic principles have been established over the years in a number of standard-setting instruments, declarations and action plans. These include: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Paris, 1948), the Convention against Discrimination in Education (Paris, 1960), the Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Cooperation and Peace, and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Paris, 1974); the World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy (Montreal, 1993); the Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna, 1993); the Declaration and the Integrated Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy (Paris, 1995); and the Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004). Implementation of these action plans is the subject of UNESCO's Advisory Committee on Education for Peace, Human Rights, Democracy, International Understanding and Tolerance.
9. The Declaration and Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995) and the System Wide Medium Term Plan for its follow-up have emphasized women's 'contribution to fostering a culture of peace' [11] and recognized that persisting gender inequalities must be overcome in order to achieve a culture of peace. The UNESCO Statement on Women's Contribution to a Culture of Peace, launched at the Fourth World Conference on Women, was recognized by the 28th session of the General Conference of UNESCO as a basic text to guide the conception and implementation of activities relating to women and peace [12]. The Statement is being endorsed and used in a wide variety of contexts, and a programme on women and a culture of peace has been established.
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