International Catholic Center for Cooperation with UNESCO (CCIC)
As part of the 70th anniversary of the CCIC, founded in 1947, there was organized the international forum “What kind of world do we want to build together?” at the UNESCO Headquarters.
This Forum was organized in collaboration with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to UNESCO and under the patronage of UNESCO and the French National Commission for UNESCO with the exceptional participation of His Excellency Cardinal Oscar Andrès Rodriguez Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Christine Roche, CCIC President, opened the day, followed by Mgr. Guy Réal Thivierge, CCIC Honorary President. He went through the history of the CCIC, which since its creation in 1947 has been actively involved in UNESCO. He also quoted Pope Paul VI’s message to Mr. René Maheu, Director-General of UNESCO at the time. At the centre of his discourse, he placed the human person “The centrality of the person is the fundamental paradigm of any reading of human reality, in this sense, it is the essential action since CCIC foundation.
HE Most Rev. Francesco Follo, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO, read the message that the Holy Father Pope Francis sent for this occasion
“The Holy Father wishes to congratulate and thanks the CCIC, which for 70 years, in faithfulness to the great Christian tradition, has offered a great contribution to UNESCO’s work to defend human dignity, peace in the world, promoting the humaity renewal”.
The most important speech was pronounced by S.E. Cardinal Oscar Andrès Rodriguez Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa.
“The world is not what they say, it’s what we do for it.” However “in the globalization of hope, education is the conversion of hearts and the transformation of the world, built on an exclusive solidarity that enlighten persons every day, their lives, families, social and environmental life.”
The discourse of S.E. Cardinal Oscar A. Perez, was followed in by public TV circuit installed.
“People of Peace and Hope Unite to Build a Better World,” with contributions by, among others, from Ms. Denise Houphouet-Boigny, Permanent Representative of Côte d’Ivoire to UNESCO, and M. Franck La Rue, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO for communication and information”.
. “Difficulties, Challenges and Hope”.
The second part of the day was opened by a video message from Mr Federico Mayor, former Director-General of UNESCO and President-Founder of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, followed by the panel “Art, Cultures and Religions” and Workshops on “Science and ethics” and “Educational Hope”.
Among many other speakers were Mrs. Maha El-Khalil Chalabi, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Vincent Defourny, Director of Public Information at UNESCO, Prof. Romain Murenzi, Director of the Policy Division Scientific and Capacity Building in UNESCO and Ms Euphrasie Yao-Kouassi, Director of the UNESCO Chair Water, Women and Decision-Making in Côte d’Ivoire.
To conclude this beautiful event, the book “Parole d’Espérance“, a book published on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the CCIC, was given as a gift by Christine Roche, Chairwoman of the CCIC, to each participant in appreciation of their participation at the day.
