UNESCO logo

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1946. Its main objective is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms (Article 1 of UNESCO Constitution). Download high resolution version (851x596, 12 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (851x596, 12 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 member states, which includes virtually all internationally recognized independent countries. ... 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

191 nations belong to UNESCO. The Organization is headquartered in Paris, France, with over 50 field offices and several institutes and centres throughout the world. UNESCO pursues its action through five major programmes: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture and communication and information. Projects sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical, and teacher-training programmes; international science programmes; regional and cultural history projects, the promotion of cultural diversity; international cooperation agreements to secure the world cultural and natural heritage and to preserve human rights; and attempts to ameliorate the worldwide digital divide. The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Cultural diversity is the variety of human cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. ... The digital divide is a social/political issue referring to the socio-economic gap between communities that have access to computers and the Internet and those who do not. ...

UNESCO has at times been highly controversial. During the 1970s and 1980s, Western countries, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, believed it was being used as a forum for Communist and Third World countries to attack the West. UNESCO developed a plan called the "New World Information Order", to stop alleged lies and misinformation being spread about developing countries. The West rejected it as an attempt by Third World and Communist states to destroy freedom of the press; the United States withdrew from the organization in protest in 1984, and the United Kingdom withdrew in 1985. (The UK rejoined in 1997, and the US rejoined in 2003.) UNESCO has also been criticized by some for its large and ponderous bureaucracy. *This article is about communism; a form of society. ... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ... The West can refer to : The U.S. West or the American West The Western world, or Western Civilization. ... A Communist state is a term for a state governed by a single political party which declares its allegiance to the principles of Marxism-Leninism. ... Freedom of the press (or press freedom) is the guarantee by a government of free public speech for its citizens and their associations, extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their published reporting. ...

The organization's reforms included the following measures: the number of divisions in UNESCO was cut in half, allowing a corresponding halving of the number of Directors -- from 200 to under 100, out of a total staff of approximately 2,000 worldwide. At the same time, the number of field units was cut from a 1999 high of 79 to 52 today. Parallel management structures, including 35 Cabinet-level special advisor positions, were abolished. 209 negotiated staff departures and buy-outs took place from 1999-2003, causing the inherited $10 million staff cost deficit to disappear. The staff pyramid, which was the most top-heavy in the UN system, was cut back as the number of high-level posts was halved and the “inflation” of posts was reversed through down-grading many positions. Open competitive recruitment, results-based appraisal of staff, training of all managers and field rotation were instituted, as well as SAP systems for transparency in results-based programming and budgeting.

One of UNESCO's missions is to maintain a list of world heritage sites. These sites are important natural or historical sites whose preservation and safe keeping are deemed important for the world community. However UNESCO does not get involved with the preservation of the site. UNESCO also maintains the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and, since 1997, The Memory of the World International Register. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain range, lake, desert, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated for the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. ... The Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity is a list maintained by UNESCO with pieces of intangible culture considered relevant by that organization. ... The Memory of the World International Register is a list of documentary heritage identified by an International Advisory Committee of the UNESCO since 1997. ...

UNESCO was also responsible for the founding of OANA, the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies. It provides funding to the International Council of Science. UNESCO is represented by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The International Council for Science (ICSU), formerly called the International Council of Scientific Unions, was founded in 1931 as an international non-governmental organization devoted to international co-operation in the advancement of science. ... UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors are celebrity advocates of UNESCO and utilize their talent or fame to spread the UNESCO ideals. ...

Every year, UNESCO promotes freedom of expression and freedom of the press as a basic human right by marking World Press Freedom Day on May 3. The event is held to remember, celebrate and emphasize the importance of press freedom as a crucial ingredient of any healthy, democratic and free society. Freedom of speech is the right to freely say what one pleases, as well as the related right to hear what others have stated. ... Freedom of the press (or press freedom) is the guarantee by a government of free public speech for its citizens and their associations, extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their published reporting. ... World Press Freedom Day honours sacrifices around the world made for freedom of the press and reminds governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression that is enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ...

Directors General of UNESCO

1. Julian Huxley, United Kingdom (1946–1948)
2. Jaime Torres Bodet, Mexico (1948–1952)
3. John Wilkinson Taylor, United States (acting 1952–1953)
4. Luther Evans, United States 1953–1958
5. Vittotino Veronese, Italy (1958–1961)
6. René Maheu, France (1961–1974; acting 1962)
7. Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow, Senegal (1974–1987)
8. Federico Mayor, Spain (1987–1999)
9. Koïchiro Matsuura, Japan (1999–present)

Sir Julian Sorell Huxley, FRS (June 22, 1887 – February 14, 1975) was a British biologist, author and internationalist, known for his popularisations of science in books and lectures. ... 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... John Wilkinson Taylor (born 1906) was a U.S. educator. ... In law, when someone is said to be acting in a position it can mean one of three things. ... 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1961 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1961 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... In law, when someone is said to be acting in a position it can mean one of three things. ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Koïchiro Matsuura is the current Director-General of UNESCO. Date of birth: 29 September 1937 Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan Professional: 1999- Present UNESCO Director-General (elected to a 6-year term on 15 November 1999) 1998-1999 Chairperson, World Heritage Committee of UNESCO 1994-1999 Ambassador of Japan... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

External links

• Official UNESCO website
• UNESCO's Reforms at a Glance
• Directors-General of UNESCO
• World Heritage website
• UNESCO - Division of Freedom of Expression