United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation

 International Scientific Conference under the auspices of UNESCO

“Cultural and Biologic Diversity – Basis of Sustainable Development of Arctic Regions of Russian Federation (by the example of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia))”

May 31, 2005, Paris, France

Information letter

Program of the Conference

Recommendations of the Conference

International Scientific Conference under the auspices of UNESCO 

“Cultural and Biologic Diversity – Basis of Sustainable Development of Arctic Regions of Russian Federation (by the example of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia))” in the framework of events dedicated to the Days of the Republic of  Sakha (Yakutia) in UNESCO

Date: May 31, 2005

Time: 10:00 – 13:00, 14:00 – 17:00

Place: Hall 6, UNESCO Headquarters, 7, place de Fontenoy, Paris, France

Organizers:

UNESCO Secretariat

Committee of the Russian Federation on UNESCO Activities

Permanent Representative Office of the Russian Federation in UNESCO

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Participants:

UNESCO Secretariat officials

UNESCO experts

Scholars of France, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Official Delegation of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

The territories of 16 regions completely and 11 regions partially are referred to regions of Extreme North in the Russian Federation. The area is somewhat 11 mln. sq. km., which is almost two thirds of the whole territory of the Russian Federation. The area is inhabited by indigenous peoples of the North, who have come to adapt to the environment and elaborate their own models of sustainable development. Total population is 10,7 mln. people, or 7,4% of Russia’s population. The Northern territories are implied to include the Arctic regions.

Russian Arctic is:

-              unique ecosystems and natural reserve of biodiversity;

-              one of the most significant climate-forming factors of the Planet;

-              place of one of the most viable human civilisation adapted to extreme climatic conditions;

-              untouched natural resources and unused territories.

However, the existing economic problems play a negative role in social sphere – primarily, that of indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic. In addition, a number of ecological issues has arisen recently.

Today, Russian legislation, Federal Targeted Programs are being united into an integral Strategy of Sustainable Development of the Northern Territories of the Russian Federation, aimed primarily at improving living standards in permafrost zone, which is topical for UNESCO as well.

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), which occupies one fifth of Russia with its territory of somewhat 3,2 mln. sq. km., is in the North East of Asia, where one of the largest rivers – Lena river – is located. The Republic has a great economic and natural potential. Its geography and bio-ecological content make the Republic capable of sustainable development and contributing to overall development of Russia, in particular, and the world, on the whole.

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is aiming at integration into UNESCO international projects on sustainable development of Arctic region, biologic and cultural diversity, preserving languages, and non-material cultural heritage.

The Conference is based on the very principles of sustainable development and recommendations of UN Conferences on Environment and Sustainable Development (Rio-de-Janeiro, 1992, Johannesburg , 2002 and etc.). In the framework of UNESCO Program on Biologic and Cultural Diversity for Sustainable Development of Indigenous Peoples of the World, the Conference is held as the concluding stage of the period of Days of Asian Sovereign States of CIS in UNESCO. The issues of discussion include problems of preserving biodiversity and cultural development of the multinational Republic as a main factor of development of circumpolar civilisation, founded in permafrost zone.

Aims and goals of the Conference. The Conference is aimed at attracting attention of the international community, namely UNESCO, to topical issues of studying and preserving Arctic biologic phenomena and non-material cultural heritage of indigenous peoples of the Arctic. The results of the Conference may serve a basis of elaborating and implementation of models of sustainable development of indigenous peoples of the Arctic. It is expected that the Conference will determine topical educational, scientific, and cultural projects among projects presented with Russian and international organisations under UNESCO auspices.

The structure of the Conference. The Conference is planned in the form of discussion of issues, exchange of opinions and suggestions on presented issues, inspection of projects, and adopting the recommendation of UNESCO Conference on Sustainable Development of the Arctic Regions of Russia, Preserving and Developing Cultural Diversity of Peoples Inhabiting the Permafrost Zone.

PROGRAM

10:00 – 11:00 Opening, Plenary Session

10:00 – 10:07 Welcoming speech by UNESCO representative on science, Chair of the plenary session;

10:08 – 10:15 Welcoming speech by Vladimir Kalamanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Representative Office of the Russian Federation in UNESCO;

10:15 – 10:35 Welcoming speech and presentation by Vyatcheslav Shtyrov, the president of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), “Sustainable Development of Arctic Regions of the Russian Federation by the example of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)”

11:00 – 11:30 Reports

10:35 – 11:00 Report by Nikita Solomonov, corresponding member of RAS, academician of AS of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of Biology, “Co-evolution of Man and Biota in Arctic Regions by the example of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)”;

11:00 – 11:15 Report by Anatoliy Alekseev, academician of AS of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of History, Rector of Yakutsk State University, “Main Stages of Ethnic History of Indigenous Peoples of Northern Asia”;

11:15 – 11:30 Report by Vasiliy Ivanov, academician of AS of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of History, Director of the Institute of Humanitarian Studies of AS of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), “Spiritual Heritage of Indigenous Peoples of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)”.

11:30 – 11:45 Break

11:50 – 13:00 Reports and discussions

Time-limit of reports – 12 minutes.

1.     Henk ten Have, Director of the Department of Ethics of Science and Technologies of the Sector of public and Humanitarian Sciences of UNESCO

2.     Representative of Center of World Heritage of UNESCO

3.     Aleksand Kanygin, corresponding member of RAS, Doctor of Humanitarian Sciences, Head of the Department of Palaeontology and Statigraphy of Siberian Branch of the Institute of Geology, Oil and Gas. Head of the Department of Historical Geology and Palaeontology, professor of Novosibirsk State University

4.     Representative of Sector of Natural Sciences of UNESCO

5.     Professor Anatoliy Gogolev, academician of AS of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of History

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break

14:00 – 15:40 Reports and discussions

Time-limit of reports – 12 minutes.

1.     Riks Smits, Head of the Department of Non-material Heritage of Sector of Culture of UNESCO, head

2.     Aleksandr Sannikov, Head of Co-ordination Group of Sector of Education of UNESCO

3.     Elvira Kunina, Director of Russian House of Craftsmanship, Chair of the Committee on Cultural Heritage of the Committee of the Russian Federation on UNESCO activities

4.     Jacque Roshe, author of “World Culture” project (non-governmental organisation, France)

5.     Vasiliy Robbek, academician of AS of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of Philology, Director of the Institute of Indigenous Peoples of the North of SB of RAS

6.     Meszaros Csaba (Hungary)

7.     Researcher from France

15:40 – 15:55 Coffee break

15:55 – 16:40 Continuation of reports

Time-limit of reports – 12 minutes.

1.     Feodosiya Gabysheva, Minister of Education of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of Pedagogy

2.     Gennadiy Tolstykh, Minister of Science and Professional Education of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of History

3.     Svetlana Dodoka, Director of the Center of New Information Technologies of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Doctor of Engineering

4.     Vera Solovyeva, coordinator “Sakha Open World” website created by Yakutians living abroad, Doctor of biology.

5.     Representatives of scientific circles of France

16:40 – 17:00 Drawing conclusion of the Conference, adopting Recommendations

1.     Mounir Boushenaki, Assistant Director General for Culture, Culture Sector

2.     Evgeniya Mikhaylova, Deputy Chair of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Co-ordinators of UNESCO:

1.     Henk ten Have, Director of the Division of Ethics of Science and Technologies of the Sector of public and Humanitarian Sciences of UNESCO

2.     Saori Terada, Associate Expert of the Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue of Sector of Culture of UNESCO

Co-ordinators of Russia’s Permanent Representative Office in UNESCO:

1.     Andrey Volkov, Advisor of the Permanent Representative Office (Chief co-ordinator)

2.     Vadim Razumovskiy, Advisor of the Permanent Representative Office (co-ordinator of technical support and simultaneous translation)

Co-ordinators of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia):

1.     Elizaveta Sidorova, Co-chair of the UNESCO Committee in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

2.     Afanasiy Vasilyev, Specialist of the Ministry of Science and Professional Education of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)