:: About UNESCO International ::

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is a United Nations agency working for world peace and international understanding through education, natural and social sciences, culture and communications.

UNESCO was founded in November 1945. For this specialized United Nations agency, it is not enough to build classrooms in devastated countries or to publish scientific breakthroughs. Education, Social and Natural Science, Culture and Communication are the means to a far more ambitious goal : to build peace in the minds of men.

Today, UNESCO functions as a laboratory of ideas and a standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues. UNESCO is working to create the conditions for genuine dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture.

This role is critical, particularly in the face of terrorism, which constitutes an attack against humanity. The world urgently requires global visions of sustainable development based upon observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which lie at the heart of UNESCO’s mission and activities.

Members
190 countries are members of UNESCO and six countries are Associate Members.

UNESCO serves as a clearinghouse – for the dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge – while helping Member States to build their human and institutional capacities in diverse fields. In short, UNESCO promotes international co-operation among its Member States and Associate Members in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.

Most members have a National Commission representing their education, scientific, cultural and communication/information communities and providing a focal point for their relations with UNESCO headquarters in Paris and its field offices. Member States assist UNESCO in developing its two-year work programme.

Governance
The General Conference of UNESCO meets biennially to approve UNESCO’s successive programmes and budgets.

An Executive Board made up of 58 Member States develops UNESCO’s policies and programmes between sessions of the General Conference. Fiji currently represents the Pacific sub-region on the Executive Board. New Zealand was most recently a member of the Board from 1995 to 1999.

UNESCO Headquarters are in Paris, France, and UNESCO has regional and national offices around the globe.

The New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO has a particular focus on the Pacific sub-region and supports the work of the UNESCO Office for the Pacific in Apia, which co-ordinates UNESCO’s programme for the 17 Member States of the sub-region.

Management
The Director-General of UNESCO is Koïchiro Matsuura, a Japanese career diplomat and the first person from the Asia-Pacific region to hold the position. Under Mr Matsuura’s leadership there has been significant organisational reform to improve the performance, accountability and visibility of UNESCO.

For more information on UNESCO International visit unesco.org