PM Transcripts

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PRIME MINISTER 56/ 94
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON PJ KEATING MP
THE 1995 GLOBAL CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE
I am proud to announce that the Australian Government, in conjunction with
the New South Wales Government, through the NSW Ethnic Affairs
Commission, and the Australian Multicultural Foundation, will host a major
international conference on cultural diversity next year.
The Conference will be the first international conference of its kind, and will
be a part of Australia's official celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the
United Nations and the International Year for Tolerance.
In keeping with the stature of the occasion, the UIN Secretary-General,
H E Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali has agreed to deliver the keynote address.
1995 is also the 50th anniversary year of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation ( UNESCO). The UNESCO Director-
General, Dr Federico Mayor will also address the Conference.
The event will be staged at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at
Darling Harbour, from 28 to 28 April 1995. We expect to attract around 1,000
national and international delegates.
Senior political, academic and community leaders from around the world will
be invited. The Conference will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas
and experiences on ways of dealing with the increasing diversity of our lives;
the result of the international movement of people', advances in
communications; and the globalisation of international markets.
The Conference will be held in the first year of the Decade of indigenous
People. indigenous issues will be woven throughout the Conference
program.
The focus willbe on developing public policy aimed at building social
cohesion and encouraging an appreciation of cultural, religious, racial and
linguistic diversity, including ways in which it can be developed as a social
and economic asset.
It will also be an occasion when our own proud record of achievement in this
area will be held up for international scrutiny.
CANBERRA 18 July 1994 PM PRESS OFFICE00( ii