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A/RES/49/213 



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General Assembly

Distr: General
23 December 1994
Original: English

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Forty-ninth session
Agenda item 102

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly

49/213. United Nations Year for Tolerance

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 48/126 of 20 December 1993, by which it proclaimed 1995 the United Nations Year for Tolerance,

Recalling also that the Charter of the United Nations affirms in its preamble that to practise tolerance is one of the principles to be applied to attain the ends pursued by the United Nations of preventing war and maintaining peace,

Stressing that one of the purposes of the United Nations, as set forth in the Charter, is the achievement of international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,

Mindful of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the International Covenants on Human Rights,

Bearing in mind the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights at Vienna in June 1993,

Convinced that tolerance is the sound foundation of any civil society and of peace,

Bearing in mind its decision 35/424 of 5 December 1980 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 concerning guidelines for international years and anniversaries,

Noting that the observance of the United Nations Year for Tolerance will not involve any financial implications for the United Nations,

Taking note of the note by the Secretary-General of 30 September 1994 transmitting the report of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,

1.Welcomes the fact that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will assume the role of lead organization for the United Nations Year for Tolerance;

2.Recommends that the specialized agencies, regional commissions and other organizations of the United Nations system consider in their respective forums the contributions they could make to the success of the Year;

3.Calls upon all Member States to cooperate with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization in the observance of the national and international programmes for the Year and to participate actively in the implementation of the activities to be organized within the framework of the Year;

4.Invites interested intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to exert efforts in their respective fields to contribute adequately to the programmes for the Year and to the follow-up programme;

5.Requests the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to prepare for the conclusion of the Year a declaration of principles and a programme of action as a follow-up to the Year, and to submit them to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session;

6.Decides to mark the end of the Year at a special commemorative plenary meeting at its fiftieth session and to review the follow-up to the Year at its fifty-first session.

94th plenary meeting
23 December 1994