Kabul, 19 September 2007- As the world commemorates the International Day of Peace on 21 September; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) urge everyone to recognize that children and teachers at schools and literacy centres in Afghanistan should be protected against all violent acts.
The Education programmes serving over six million children and the UN joint Literacy programme for 120,000 people in Afghanistan are the keys to empowerment of every Afghan child and family and necessary steps towards peace building in a country that has experienced over two decades of conflict.
Education can further respect for mutual understanding and tolerance among all people.
UNESCO and UNICEF re-affirm their commitments to peace-building through support for education and literacy for every child and in every community in Afghanistan.