4 Things To Know About UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, otherwise known as UNESCO, is a large organization that puts its best foot forward in order to serve the global community at large. However, despite the work that they do on a daily basis and the large impact they've had on many international communities, some people may not know what they're about or what they've been doing in order to achieve the goals they set.
Here are four things that everyone should know about the organization UNESCO and what it's doing for the global community it was founded to aid.
The Declared Purpose
The United Nations provides the Charter of the United Nations for anyone to view. The purpose of UNESCO is declared in accordance to the human rights, respect for justice, rule of law, and fundamental freedom that are meant to be protected under this charter. Through the promotion of scientific, educational, and cultural reforms, UNESCO aims to reach that goal and increase the respect for all of these things and more. By doing so, the overall aim is for UNESCO to help contribute to global peace and security. Essentially, they use education, science and culture to strengthen the ties between countries and foster understanding, tolerance and safety for all.
The Fields Of Focus
Wikipedia goes into detail regarding the fields of focus that UNESCO represents. In accordance with their declared purpose and name, five programs are set and followed to maintain their overall goals. This includes social and human sciences, natural sciences, education, communication and information, and culture. With these five programs, they attempt to preserve human rights and create bridges of understanding between different groups of people.
Of course, they don't limit themselves to those five programs alone. UNESCO also sponsors a number of other programs in different fields. This includes historical projects, literacy campaigns, teacher-training programs, promotion for free press, promotion for cultural diversity, and global translations for works of literature from different countries. They're also involved in the process of naming and protecting cultural, natural, and world heritage sites. Finally, they tackle more recent and modern problems such as the global digital divide, which highlights the gap between developing and developed nations by showing very starkly that the speed at which technology advances is simply not feasible for every country to keep up with on their own.
The Aim And Goals
According to UNESCO itself, the overall aim of this organization is to contribute to the eradication of poverty, sustainable development, and to build peace. Additionally, they try to create an intercultural dialogue through the sciences, culture, education, communication, and information. They must face new problems every day, including ethical and social issues emerging as global society evolves.
They often rely on the spread of information and education for their purposes, which is why they have many public and political figures as members to help spread their message and accomplish their goals. Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva is one notable name. A diplomat from Uzbekistan, Karimova-Tillyaeva has used her standing as the daughter of a prominent political figure in order to help the less fortunate. She uses her voice and influence to aid in the spread of messages of those voices that cannot be heard on their own, and often donates to those who are in need. As Uzbekistan's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, she has shown a fierce determination to use her privilege to the best of her abilities to aid in the completion of the goals UNESCO has set. The organization itself features many people like Karimova-Tillyaeva, who strive to better the world around them by using their own standing for the good.
The Global Impact
The global impact of UNESCO truly can't be understated. This organization has functioned since 1945 and from that first day, they've been constantly evolving and changing to keep pace with the world around them and the issues that are most impactful toward its modern day occupants. Whether they're focusing on issues of literacy or trying to bridge the widening gap that technology has created among the fortunate and less fortunate, UNESCO always keeps its aim and purpose at the forefront of its organization. They have published a number of documents, set up numerous organizations, designated important projects such as a linguistic diversity project and World Heritage Sites, and funded or founded projects that have had lasting impacts. The UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors, Free Software Directory, FRESH program which focuses on Effective School Health, and the Migration Museums Initiative are just a few of those projects.
Peace and harmony may seem like a difficult goal to reach, but organizations like UNESCO are making it seem increasingly possible. Day by day, they and the members that make this organization up strive for those goals by setting realistic plans and using every advantage at their disposal to push understanding, education, and cultural preservation and promotion.