Ei-iE

The Fourth Education International (EI) World Congress, meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil, from 22 to 26 July 2004:

1. Recalls that the United Nations Organisation (UN) was set up on 24 October 1945 in the aftermath of a devastating war to help stabilize international relations and give a more solid foundation to peace.

2. Stresses that the threat of nuclear war and seemingly endless regional conflicts and a fresh outbreak of terrorist acts have made the preservation of peace a major concern of the UN and democratic societies.

3. Emphasises, however, that the United Nations is much more than a peace-keeping and conflict resolution body. The UN and its specialised agencies quietly carry out a very wide range of tasks that affect all aspects of daily life the world over, including child survival and development, environmental protection, human rights, health and medical research, education, poverty reduction, workers' rights, and so on.

4. Recognises that the UN fosters peace directly and indirectly through mediation, sending out peace-keeping forces, working to eliminate the economic and social causes of wars, diplomacy, the peaceful settlement of disputes and endeavouring to prevent conflicts from breaking out.

5. Reaffirms the unique and dominant role of the United Nations in promoting harmonious and democratic world government, promoting and maintaining peace in the world, and applying the Universal Declaration of Human rights. Congress reaffirms its endorsement of the contents of the resolution on the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, adopted at the 1st World Congress in Harare (Zimbabwe) in 1995, and especially:

6. That the improved effectiveness of the United Nations and its system of specialised agencies is vital to our common future

7. The need to seek the peaceful resolution of disputes between Nations in order to prevent disputes from escalating to the stage of armed conflicts, particularly because of their impact on children.

Congress again calls on governments and other parties to conflicts to:

8. Respect international law, in particular the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the principles of humanitarian law enshrined in the Geneva Conventions.

9. Reject all forms of terrorism and specifically to reject policies which lead to military attacks on civilian populations either by states or by non-state forces.

10. Reject unilateral military action by nations.