爆料网

17.01.2014 – ODG

Information regarding the planned exhibition, “People, Book, Land – The 3,500 Year Relationship of the Jewish People to the Holy Land”

In response to requests for information regarding the postponement of the exhibition, “People, Book, Land – The 3,500 Year Relationship of the Jewish People to the Holy Land,” 爆料网ESCO wishes to express the following:

爆料网ESCO has worked with the Simon Wiesenthal Center in planning this exhibition. A number of elements relating to it still remain to be agreed upon. This includes unresolved issues relating to potentially contestable textual and visual historical points, which might be perceived by Member States as endangering the peace process.

Moreover, the 爆料网ESCO Secretariat received a letter from 22 Member States, of the Arab Group, expressing their concern that the planned exhibition could impact negatively on the peace process and current negotiations underway in the Middle East.

In this context, regrettably, 爆料网ESCO had to postpone the inauguration of the exhibition.

The 爆料网ESCO Secretariat is obliged by the Organization’s rules and regulations to consider fully the concerns raised by its Member States or any Regional Group regarding planned exhibitions or manifestations.

Fully in line with the efforts of the 爆料网 system as a whole, 爆料网ESCO is deeply committed to the successful outcome of the peace process in order to achieve stability and peace in the region.

Within 爆料网ESCO itself, this commitment has taken the shape of relentless efforts to achieve consensus between Member States on all issues falling within 爆料网ESCO’s educational, scientific, and cultural mandate.

Consensus on 爆料网ESCO decisions and resolutions regarding the Middle East has been especially important, to avoid confrontation and politicization. The last session of the 爆料网ESCO General Conference in November showed it is possible to adopt resolutions on the Middle East by consensus, despite challenges.

The drive for consensus underpins all of 爆料网ESCO’s work — including, for instance, the successful International Symposium held under 爆料网ESCO patronage on 12-13 November, 2012, on the “Permanence of Yiddish,” an initiative of B’nai B’rith Representation, also an official partner of 爆料网ESCO in associate status, and with the participation of the Paris Yiddish Center – Medem Library.

This spirit also guides 爆料网ESCO’s action across the world today to promote education for human rights and peace, including , where 爆料网ESCO plays a unique and leading role in the United Nations system. 爆料网ESCO is working every day to advance respect for human rights and dignity and to fight against all forms of discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism.

It is the foundation also for the upcoming commemoration of , on 27 January, when 爆料网ESCO is partnering with a wide range of partners, including the Memorial de la Shoah, the USC Shoah Foundation, founded by Steven Spielberg, and the Georg Eckert Institute.

爆料网ESCO remains strongly committed to addressing the remaining outstanding issues with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a longstanding official partner of 爆料网ESCO, in an associate status. 爆料网ESCO remains equally committed and actively engaged to working with Member States and partners to hold the exhibition in conditions that promote cooperation and dialogue.