Advocacy > Issues > Organizations Briefs > About UNESCO
UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION- UNESCO
UNESCO is an inter-governmental organization contributing to peace and security through education.
Mission
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The purpose of the Organization is defined as "to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture and communication in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations.”
Membership
UNESCO currently has 188 member States.
Background
Like the United Nations, UNESCO was founded after World War II (on 16th of November 1945).
Funding
Member contributions.
Structure
The Organization is comprised of three bodies:
- The General Conference of Member States acts as the supreme governing body, meeting every two years and approves the Organization' s program and budget (one vote per country).
- The Executive Board is composed of 58 representatives of Member States. Meeting twice a year it is responsible for administrative work, preparing the work of the General Conference. The Board must execute conference decisions.
- The Secretariat acts as the Organization’s executive branch under the authority of the Director General. This position is currently held by Koichiro Matsuura, who was elected in 1999 for a six-year term. The staff implement the program adopted by the Member States
Headquarters
Paris , France and 72 field offices and units in different parts of the world.
Staff
Women and men from 152 countries serve in the Secretariat: 1700 in Paris, a further 500 in the UNESCO field offices around the world.
Fields of activity
UNESCO performs five principle functions:
- Prospective studies : examines the future of education, science, culture and communication.
- The advancement, transfer and sharing of knowledge: mainly in research, training and teaching activities.
- Standard-setting action : preparation and adoption of international secondary legislation (i.e. instruments and statutory recommendations).
- Expertise : provided to aid the development policies and projects of Member States in the form of "technical co-operation".
- Exchange : of specialized information.
Relationship with IH&RA
Tourism matters are dealt with in a scattered fashion throughout the Organisation and it is difficult to have a clear picture of what is being done in this field. To date, IH&RA involvement has been basically with the “Memories of the Future” project (World Heritage Centre) designed to involve the tourism and lodging industry in the promotion of heritage sites.
Key contact
Mr. Koichiro Matsuura,
Secretary General
Ms Sonia Ramzi,
Chief Promotion & Communication, World Heritage Centre
e-mail:
Address
7, place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07SP, FRANCE
Tel: +33 1 45 68 10 00
Web site: www.unesco.org
E-mail:
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