United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – UNESCO

Overview

  • Founded Date January 1, 1945
  • Posted Jobs 21
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Company Description

What is UNESCO? UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information.

Foundation

UNESCO was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of Nations’ International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation. Its constitution establishes the agency’s goals, governing structure, and operating framework. UNESCO’s founding mission, which was shaped by the events of World War II, is to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights by facilitating collaboration and dialogue among nations. It pursues this objective through five major programme areas: education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture and communication/information. UNESCO sponsors projects that improve literacy, provide technical training and education, advance science, protect independent media and press freedom, preserve regional and cultural history, and promote cultural diversity.

Organization Activities

UNESCO’s activities have broadened over the years. It assists in the translation and dissemination of world literature, helps establish and secure World Heritage Sites of cultural and natural importance, works to bridge the worldwide digital divide, and creates inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication. UNESCO has launched several initiatives and global movements, such as Education For All.

The General Conference, which consists of associate and member states, oversees UNESCO and convenes every two years to determine the agency’s financial and programmatic plans. In addition, it selects the executive board members who oversee UNESCO’s operations and names the organization’s main administrator, the Director-General, every four years. As part of the coalition of UN agencies and organizations working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, UNESCO is a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group .

Media

Created in 1945, The UNESCO Courier magazine states its mission to “promote UNESCO’s ideals, maintain a platform for the dialogue between cultures and provide a forum for international debate”. Since March 2006 it has been available free online, with limited printed issues. Its articles express the opinions of the authors which are not necessarily the opinions of UNESCO. There was a hiatus in publishing between 2012 and 2017.

To address the impact of science on society, UNESCO launched the quarterly review Impact of Science on Society (commonly known as Impact) in 1950. In 1992, the journal stopped being published. Museum International Quarterly was also produced by UNESCO starting in 1948.