“Peace is not only a legitimate right of all peoples and every human being, it is a fundamental condition for the enjoyment of all human rights, especially the supreme right to life,” Cuban Ambassador to UNESCO Dulce Buergo said during the general debate.

Accompanied by Cuban Ambassador at UNESCO Yahima Esquivel, Buergo pointed out that the world needs peace to concentrate all its capacities, intelligence, and resources to face its challenges.

The diplomat defined the enemies of humanity as hunger, poverty, climate change, illiteracy, diseases, misinformation, the depletion of natural resources, and growing marginalization.

Buergo underlined UNESCO’s potential to fight this battle through solidarity, cooperation, and the unity of its member states.

Concerning peace and the urgency to achieve it, she recalled the step taken by Latin America and the Caribbean in 2014, when the 2nd Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held in Havana proclaimed itself a Zone of Peace, the first in the world.

The Cuban representative also drew attention on the fact that 2030, set to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, is approaching with targets for poverty and hunger, education, health, gender equality, and access to water, among others.

The 219th session of the Executive Council, one of UNESCO’s governing bodies, is being held from March 13 to 27.

Cuba is participating as one of its 58 members, and it is represented by Ambassadors Yahima Esquivel and Dulce Buergo.

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