HC Deb 19 March 1965 vol 708 cc339-40W
Mr. E. L. Mallalieu

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if her Department is represented on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation International Council in Group Relations founded in June 1963; and to what extent United Kingdom representatives have participated in action programmes designed to reduce discrimination and prejudice.

Mrs. Castle

Although the International Council on Intergroup Relations was constituted as the result of meetings held at the U.N.E.S.C.O. Youth Institute near Munich it is not a part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, and my Ministry is not represented on it.

British experts helped with the setting up of the Council and also took part in a series of meetings in the Youth Institute's own programme concerned with intergroup relations and the prevention of prejudice in young people.

The furtherance of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of race, sex, language or religion is one of the basic purposes of U.N.E.S.C.O. To this end, and especially through the work of its Education Department on the prevention of discrimination in education and its Social Sciences Department on the promotion of universal respect for human rights and eradication of racial prejudices, there is full British participation in the activities of the Organisation.

Mr. E. L. Mallalieu

asked the Minister of Overseas Development who has been appointed by her Department to represent the United Kingdom National United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Commission at the meeting of Governmental representatives during 1965–66 to examine the working of the two United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation agreements on the importation of educational, scientific and cultural materials and on the facilitating of international circulation of visual and auditory materials of an educational, scientific and cultural character.

Mrs. Castle

The meeting referred to will not take place until 1966 and therefore the question of representation at it has not yet arisen.

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