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UNESCO's Deputy Director-General, Mr Xing Qu, delivered a recorded speech on the occasion of the International Day of Conscience, which was approved by the United Nations on April 5 of each year based on the initiative of the Late His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, in which he emphasized that the world today is in a great need for peace, respect and tolerance, marked by the World Day of Conscience, amid the exceptional circumstances caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Mr. Xing Qu said that it is an honor for UNESCO and the United Nations to celebrate the International Day of Conscience proposed by the Kingdom of Bahrain, thanking the Kingdom for the artistic work by Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al- Khalifa, which constitutes a physical representation of the values of the World Day of Conscience, noting that the work respects the difference, harmony and balance between light And shade, simplicity and intricacy inside and out.
Mr. Xing quoted the words of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, in which he said that the world faced a "Tsunami of suffering" due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as many lost their lives, large economies were affected, endangering, thus, the fabric of society. He pointed that the epidemic touched the educational and cultural sectors and caused the emergence of differences between groups of society, differences caused by practices of discrimination on the basis of sex, religion and position in society, indicating that the risk of discrimination and racism continues to grow and with it the gap of inequality of opportunity between people, and these are all circumstances that challenged and tested the ability Human beings to live together in peace.

UNESCO's Deputy Director-General added saying that the pandemic showed the fragility of our world and highlighted the ability of states to act alone, but also reminded everyone that we all need to anchor a culture of peace, not just the absence of conflicts and wars. Indeed, peace has proved to be a way of life that emphasizes the importance of the relationship between people, technology, and the planet, and those who own the sources of livelihood, the Haves and Have Nots, he added. Mr. Xing called on everyone to fight discrimination, racism, hate speech and misinformation, and to promote multiculturalism and civilizational dialogue.

In 2019, the UN General Assembly, conscious of the need for the creation of conditions of stability and well-being and peaceful and friendly relations based on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, the General Assembly adopted and declared 5 April the International Day of Conscience.