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Declaration

NEAR LAUNCH
UNESCO,
Paris, France,
18 - 19 June 2001

WE, the assembled organisations active in the areas of human rights and education, gathered in Paris, France in June 2001, BELIEVING THAT:

  1. Human rights and academic freedom, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and elaborated in subsequent international instruments, are essential to the development of open, stable and democratic societies;
  2. Respect for these rights and freedoms, including adequate protection of members of the education community, is therefore incumbent upon governments, institutions and individuals;
  3. Members of the education community have a special responsibility to assist and support those for whom these rights and freedoms are threatened;

HEREBY RESOLVE to establish the Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR), and through NEAR and our individual organisations to:

  1. Protect the rights and freedoms of all members of the education community by marshalling opinion against those who violate these rights and freedoms;
  2. Provide support to those who suffer violations of these rights and freedoms;
  3. Inform members of the education community and public through the dissemination of accurate and timely information trough the NEAR network;
  4. Encourage the development and implementation of international laws promoting and protecting education, academic freedom and human rights;
  5. Follow and aid in the progress of education, academic freedom and human rights using the shared resources of our members.

AND FURTHER RESOLVE to ensure that other organisations active in the areas of human rights and education, and concerned individuals, have the opportunity to be represented in NEAR.

PRESENTED AND APPROVED by those assembled this 19th day of June 2001.