Vietnam highlights role of history education

Geneva, September 11 (VNA) - Vietnam participated in a special discussion on history education and commemoration during the 27th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. All states should uphold the principle of granting their citizens total access to history education, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced throughout history, Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, Vietnam’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said. Throughout their struggle for independence and the process of nation-building, the people of Vietnam continuously valued human rights, especially those related to national self-determination and living in peace and prosperity with friendly relations amongst nations, he said. The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam believes human rights must be closely connected to the history, culture, traditions and socio-economic conditions of each country. In an increasingly diverse world, common standards and principles of international law needed to be aligned harmoniously with the history, politics, economies, societies, religions, faiths and traditional practices of each country and region, he stated. Participants in the discussion, including 36 ambassadors, the heads of diplomatic missions of UNHCR member states, and representatives of international organisations and non-governmental organisations, agreed that historical heritage, history and commemoration played a significant role in the formation of identity. They said that since a broader view of history contributed to sustainable conciliation, it is necessary to ensure comprehensive access to history education and teaching methods in the first place, along with conducting field research. One of the key roles of history education and commemoration is to encourage conciliation, which in turn promotes and protects human rights, they added. In her summary of the discussion, UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights Farida Shaheed stressed the importance of multi-dimensional access to commemoration processes and the development of teaching materials for history education. All countries should broaden the multi-dimensional space for history education, which is a prerequisite for a civil and democratic society, she said. A report on the outcomes of the discussion will be submitted to the 28 th UNHRC session in March next year.-VNA