Senior Programme Specialist (Higher Education)
You will provide support and assistance to Member States and other UNESCO offices in the region in project development, programme implementation, setting up and strengthening of systems and services.Senior Programme Specialist
The IBE is the UNESCO Institute specialized in content, methods, policies and processes of curriculum development.Programme Coordinator
Under the overall authority of the Director of International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, the incumbent will develop and implement the programme strategies and activities of the Institute, following the orientations given by the ADG/ED and tChief, Education Planning and Management Division
Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director General for Education and under the direct supervision of the Director of Education, United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the incumbent will coordinate planning, monitoring and evaluation...Senior Policy Analyst, P5
The annual Education for All Global Monitoring Report (GMR) is the world’s foremost publication on education.Research Officer, P3
The annual Education for All Global Monitoring Report (GMR) is the world’s foremost publication on education.Research Assistant, P2
The annual Education for All Global Monitoring Report (GMR) is the world’s foremost publication on education.
This blog seeks to spotlight noteworthy UNESCO education and culture programs; it emphasizes links between the United States and UNESCO.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
UNESCO Jobs Advertised in The Economist
Monday, August 08, 2011
Profile: Dr. Amii Omara-Otunnu
Dr. Amii Omara-Otunnu is the UNESCO Chair in Comparative Human Rights and Professor of History at the University of Connecticut. In addition to his UNESCO chairmanship, he is also the Executive Director of the Institute of Comparative Human Rights at the University of Connecticut. From his days as the first Secretary-General of Harvard University’s African Students’ Association to his current service as UNESCO Chair, Dr. Omara-Otunnu has long championed the cause of human rights, both in the United States and Uganda.
Read:
Read:
- more about Professor Omara-Otunnu from the University of Connecticut website
- his featured profile from the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network
To better understand the influence that Dr. Omara-Otunnu is having read this article about one of his former students, graphic poet/artist Sreyashi Ghosh, who has launched a project to achieve World Peace through art forms called ‘Peace Mode 365'
Sunday, August 07, 2011
A very good video on human rights
UNESCO has been involved with the United Nations efforts to recognize and promote human rights since its very beginning. Read:
- "UNESCO commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1948 - 2008"
- The UNESCO Strategy on Human Rights
Thanks to Jan Kunzi for bringing this video to our attention through the UNESCO's Friends group on Linked In.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Laura W. Bush Traveling Fellowship
The fellowship will help fund a proposal designed by the applicant to conduct brief work in a foreign country related to the mandate of UNESCO – using education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and/or communication and information to build strong ties among nations.
The fellowship is intended for American college/university students who express an interest in international collaboration but as of yet had not been afforded many opportunities to travel abroad.
The length of time for the travel is expected to be between 4 and 6 weeks and should include interaction with individuals from other nations. During his/her travel, the recipient should be willing to participate in public diplomacy events arranged with the pertinent U.S. State Department Consulate, Mission, and/or Embassy.
Following the travel, the recipient agrees to submit a report describing experiences and analyzing objectives achieved; share his/her experiences with others; and be available to make a presentation to the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.
Application Deadlines:
The fellowship is intended for American college/university students who express an interest in international collaboration but as of yet had not been afforded many opportunities to travel abroad.
The length of time for the travel is expected to be between 4 and 6 weeks and should include interaction with individuals from other nations. During his/her travel, the recipient should be willing to participate in public diplomacy events arranged with the pertinent U.S. State Department Consulate, Mission, and/or Embassy.
Following the travel, the recipient agrees to submit a report describing experiences and analyzing objectives achieved; share his/her experiences with others; and be available to make a presentation to the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.
Application Deadlines:
- Fall 2011: Monday August 8, 2011
- Spring 2012: Monday February 6, 2012
- Fall 2012: Monday August 6, 2012
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Do you know about the Peace Program"
As an interuniversity network which seeks to promote international academic cooperation with the Palestinian universities, PEACE focuses its action on those areas in which international cooperation has made full proof of its efficiency, notably by contributing to raising the quality, efficiency and relevance of teaching and research at Palestinian universities and enhancing their institutional and staff development.The support of UNESCO was instrumental in setting up the PEACE Network and developing its activities. When UNESCO launched its UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme in 1992, PEACE was recognized as a UNITWIN Network and has been functioning within that framework ever since. An office of the Programme was established at UNESCO, in Paris, in 1995.
An international conference on research development in Palestinian universities was held by UNESCO in Paris in 2007 in conjunction with the Research Network.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Before Dialogue: Fear, Responsibility, and the Path Towards a New Humanism
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for Transcultural Studies, Interreligious Dialogue and Peace
Dr. Steven Shankman
Steven Shankman, UNESCO Chair for Transcultural Studies, Interreligious Dialogue and Peace at the University of Oregon Center for Intercultural Dialogueis working to organize a conference entitled “Before Dialogue: Fear, Responsibility, and the Path Towards a New Humanism” in Paris this September.
In the context of humanism the conference will focus on the kinds of attitudes that need to be in place before dialogue beings vs. attitudes that inhibit the possibility of dialogue in the first place. You can see a working concept paper of the conference here.
Monday, July 25, 2011
The UNESCO Courier: How youth drive change
The International Year of Youth (August 2010 – August 2011) turned out to be more revolutionary than expected. At the beginning of 2011, young people rose up in Tunisia and then in Egypt, and the movement spread to other countries in the region, also rousing countries in Europe such as Spain. Elsewhere in the world, youth are mobilizing for a range of causes, as varied as the means they use. Much more involved than we tend to think, young people have decided to take things in hand. And in this issue of the Courier, it is they who are speaking out, expressing their concerns and explaining their actions.
To read this issue please click here (PDF-56 pages)

- Cover "How youth drive change" of the UNESCO Courier (July - September, 2011) - © UNESCO
- Young people in the world: So different and so alike, Monique Coleman
- Mobile revolution, Gigi Ibrahim
- Spring of outrage, Alfredo Trujillo Fernandez
- Miracle Weapons, Serge Amisi
- When poetry is louder than a bomb,Nate Marshall
- Moonlight stars, Carol Natukunda
- A young sughar, Noshan Abbas
- Rebels with a cause, Jens Lubbadeh
- Prescriptions for a sick planet, Zhao Ying
- Green architecture, Carlos Bartesaghi Koc
OUR GUEST
- Revolution: one of the great feats of civilization, Khaled Youssef
MILESTONES
- UNESCO welcomes, Hillary Clinton, Ban Ki-moon, Forest Whitaker, Shashi Tharoor...
Friday, July 22, 2011
PROFILES: AMERICANS AT UNESCO
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| Dr. Raymond Wanner |
World Bank and UNESCO: Expanding Opportunities for Collaboration on Culture and Sustainable Development
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| UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Ms Inger Anderson, World Bank Vice President, Sustainable Development, |
Thanks to this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by Inger Andersen, World Bank Vice President, Sustainable Development and Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, concrete joint initiatives have been identified in an effort to pursue common objectives of the two organizations in the areas of culture and sustainable development. Read more,,,,,
Opening of the UNESCO-related Center on the use of Space Technologies for Cultural and Natural heritage"
On 25 July 2011 the UNESCO space partner, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, opens an International Center under the auspices of UNESCO.
The new established International Center under the auspices of UNESCO is being hosted by the Centre of Earth Observation and Digital Earth (CEODE). CEODE is an outstanding institution of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that has, under the same roof, activities related to satellite data reception, satellite date processing and the Digital Earth initiative. This International Center, established in collaboration with UNESCO’s Natural Sciences Sector, will bring to UNESCO all the expertise and know-how of CEODE with the aim of strengthening inter-sectorial cooperation. Read more.....
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| © Cnes 2009 - Distribution Astrium Services / Spot Image. The Ilulissat Icefjord monitored from space. |
The new established International Center under the auspices of UNESCO is being hosted by the Centre of Earth Observation and Digital Earth (CEODE). CEODE is an outstanding institution of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that has, under the same roof, activities related to satellite data reception, satellite date processing and the Digital Earth initiative. This International Center, established in collaboration with UNESCO’s Natural Sciences Sector, will bring to UNESCO all the expertise and know-how of CEODE with the aim of strengthening inter-sectorial cooperation. Read more.....
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
United States UNESCO Youth Forum Representatives Announced
Blair Brettschneider of Chicago, Illinois and Andrew Hanna of Jacksonville, Florida will travel to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris this October to participate in the biennial conference.
The UNESCO Youth Forum brings together youth from over 80 countries and gives them a voice on how UNESCO addresses global problems within its mandate. At the Forum, youth delegates will discuss UNESCO’s work and provide recommendations on how UNESCO can better foster youth development and strengthen youth participation in civic life. The outcome from the Forum will be forwarded to the UNESCO General Conference for consideration.
Blair Brettschneider graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelors degree in Communication and American Studies in 2009. Brettschneider currently serves as a Development Assistant for RefugeeOne, a program that helps refugee girls adjust to life in the United States. Andrew Hanna is a sophomore studying Public Policy at Duke University. Hanna serves as the Duke University Class of 2014 President and was a Global Youth Summit American Delegate in 2010.
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Blair Brettschneider |
Blair Brettschneider graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelors degree in Communication and American Studies in 2009. Brettschneider currently serves as a Development Assistant for RefugeeOne, a program that helps refugee girls adjust to life in the United States. Andrew Hanna is a sophomore studying Public Policy at Duke University. Hanna serves as the Duke University Class of 2014 President and was a Global Youth Summit American Delegate in 2010.
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| Andrew Hanna |
UNESCO Clubs to meet in Viet Nam in August
The Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations has been authorized to host the 8th World Congress of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations (WFUCA) in Hanoi from 18th to 22nd August 2011.
Check out:
Check out:
- The website of the World Federation
- The press release announcing the meeting
- The UNESCO website supporting UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations
The U.S. National Commission for UNESCO identifies three UNESCO clubs in the United States. While there are an estimated 3,800 clubs in 80 nations worldwide, the number in the United States is quite small, probably due to the fact that the United States withdrew from UNESCO for 18 years. Apparently, only Americans for UNESCO of the U.S. UNESCO clubs remained active during all of that interval. With the reentry of the United States into UNESCO in 2003, it would seem time to renew and revive the network of U.S. UNESCO clubs.
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| Left to Right: Guy Djoken of the UNESCO Center of Peace, Eric Woodard of the U.S. Naitonal Commission for UNESCO, and Andre Varchaver of Americans for UNESCO. |
Guy Djoken, the President of the UNESCO Center for Peace in Frederick Maryland has recently been named to chair a working group to help coordinate the UNESCO clubs in the United States. Read more...
Monday, July 18, 2011
Frank Lloyd Write Buildings for the World Heritage List
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| Falling Water |
Read:
- "Fallingwater may gain global historic status" in the Pittsburg TribLive
- "Frank Lloyd Wright buildings to be nominated to World Heritage List" in JSOnline
- "Wright buildings, Louisiana’s Poverty Point to be nominated for World Heritage List" in the Washington Post
- "Price Tower listed for possible UNESCO World Heritage designation" in KJRH.com
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The International Center for Capacity in Africa
Part 1 - Dr. Temechegn Engida, UNESCO-IICA... by MSEthiopiaNGODay2011
Dr. Temechegn Engida, UNESCO-IICA describes some of the programs of the IICA.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
UNESCO center in Frederick Maryland to host summer camp
The Frederick-based UNESCO Center for Peace is receiving students from around the world for its International Model United Nations Summer Camp running through July 30. The Center for Peace expects between 65 and 70 students ages 13 to 21 from China, India, Brazil, Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Canada and the United States, according to Lola Bokini, special director for the summer camp.
The camp will feature meditation sessions by Sahaja Meditation, swimming and a mini Olympics at the Hagerstown Pool and Community College grounds, shopping in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, and trips to the National Mall and museums, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the U.N. headquarters in New York.
The camp will feature meditation sessions by Sahaja Meditation, swimming and a mini Olympics at the Hagerstown Pool and Community College grounds, shopping in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, and trips to the National Mall and museums, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the U.N. headquarters in New York.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Congratulations to the UNESCO Youth Forum Finalists
Every other year, before UNESCO holds its General Conference, the organization also hosts a youth forum, where delegates from around the world identify common concerns and shared experiences. The delegates, all of whom are under 24 years old, then deliver their suggestions directly to the UNESCO General Conference. Two delegates from the United States will be designated from the following group of finalists:
The U.S. Had Great Hopes for UNESCO When UNESCO Was Founded
President Harry Truman believed UNESCO could make "the greatest contribution in the history of the world to the welfare of the world as a whole", as quoted in the Miami News article covering the meeting of the U.S. National Commission on Educational, Scientific and Cultural Co-operation (now known as the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO) on September 27, 1946.
According to that article, the National Commission made several recommendations:
According to that article, the National Commission made several recommendations:
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Jazzman Herbie Hancock named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova will designate American jazz musician Herbie Hancock as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in a ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 22 July.
Recognizing Herbie Hancock’s “dedication to the promotion of peace through dialogue, culture and the arts,” the Director-General has asked the celebrated jazz musician “to contribute to UNESCO’s efforts to promote mutual understanding among cultures, with a particular emphasis on fostering the emergence of new and creative ideas amongst youth, to find solutions to global problems, as well as on ensuring equal access to the diversity of artistic expressions.”
Read:
Recognizing Herbie Hancock’s “dedication to the promotion of peace through dialogue, culture and the arts,” the Director-General has asked the celebrated jazz musician “to contribute to UNESCO’s efforts to promote mutual understanding among cultures, with a particular emphasis on fostering the emergence of new and creative ideas amongst youth, to find solutions to global problems, as well as on ensuring equal access to the diversity of artistic expressions.”
Read:
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Crooks Use UNESCO in Scam in the United States
Approaches were made to the Oglala Sioux, the Colusa and perhaps other tribes by a person purporting to represent an organization affiliated with UNESCO. Tribal councils were apparently offered large sums of money to support tribal development. UNESCO's total budget is much less than the amount that was mentioned to the Oglala Sioux. While UNESCO does support native populations in areas such as preservation of endangered languages, it would not make large grants for general development.
Brian O’Dwyer appointed to UNESCO commission
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has appointed New York Irish-American attorney Brian O’Dwyer as Commissioner of the United States National Commission for UNESCO. The panel works with the State Department to further American participation in the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization.
O’Dwyer, managing partner of the renowned Manhattan-based law firm of O’Dwyer and Bernstien, regularly commentates on legal issues for Fox TV, Court TV, CNBC, New York 1 and CNN en Español.
Widely known for his advocacy in support of the rights of labor unions and immigrants, he presently serves as chairman of New York’s Emerald Isle Immigration Center and Asociacion Tepeyac, which serves the city’s Mexican immigrant community.
O’Dwyer, managing partner of the renowned Manhattan-based law firm of O’Dwyer and Bernstien, regularly commentates on legal issues for Fox TV, Court TV, CNBC, New York 1 and CNN en Español.
Widely known for his advocacy in support of the rights of labor unions and immigrants, he presently serves as chairman of New York’s Emerald Isle Immigration Center and Asociacion Tepeyac, which serves the city’s Mexican immigrant community.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
American film star Forest Whitaker's new role: UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
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| Forest Whitaker with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova |
The designation comes in recognition of Mr Whitaker’s humanitarian and artistic commitment. This is most visible in his projects, such as “Better Angels”, a film about Ugandan child soldiers or “Common Destiny”, a documentary about the common goals of achieving peace and mutual understanding, and the power of education in promoting peace and reconciliation between and within communities.
Forest Whitaker was born in 1961 in Texas, USA. He studied opera in California to become a tenor singer but decided to focus on film acting eventually and moved to study in London. Since his film debut in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” in 1982, he has been one of Hollywood’s most accomplished figures. His best known performances include his roles as jazzman Charlie Parker in “Bird”, for which he was awarded the Palme d’Or in Cannes for best actor in 1989, and as Ugandan leader Idi Amin in “Last King of Scotland”, for which he received an Academy Award in 2006.
China Moses for US UNESCO
American jazz singer, China Moses, performs with pianist, Alain Jean-Marie, at a U.S. Mission to UNESCO dinner. The dinner was held in honor of the High-Level Panel on Girls Education, created as part of the Global Partnership for Girls' and Women's Education.
Interview with George Papagiannis
The U.S. Mission to UNESCO sat down with George Papagiannis, the Officer in charge of the UNESCO Office in Baghdad, to find out how he ended up in Iraq, what work he is doing there with UNESCO, and why UNESCO matters. This is one of a series of interviews with Americans working in UNESCO.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Israel, UNESCO to Promote Holocaust Education
According to the Embassy of Israel in Washington:
An agreement was signed today (March 7) in Paris between the State of Israel and UNESCO on the establishment of a center within the organization devoted entirely to developing and promoting Holocaust education and combating its denial worldwide. The new center will function in accordance with the resolutions adopted at the UN General Assembly in New York and UNESCO.
The agreement is the outcome of an Israel Foreign Ministry initiative, according to which Israel will fund part of the project, after reaching understandings with UNESCO regarding its treatment of political issues on the agenda. The agreement was signed by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Ambassador Nimrod Barkan, Permanent Delegate of Israel to UNESCO.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Friday, March 04, 2011
UNESCO suspends cooperation with Libya
Source: The Associated Press via the Washington Post.
UNESCO's chief says the organization is stopping all cooperation with Libya's government and suspending a partnership with a charity group headed by Moammar Gadhafi's son.
The Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization says director-general Irina Bokova took the measures after recent U.N. actions critical of Libya's human rights record.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011
The report cautions that the world is not on track to achieve by 2015 the six Education for All goals that over 160 countries signed up to in 2000. Although there has been progress in many areas, most of the goals will be missed by a wide margin – especially in regions riven by conflict.
“Armed conflict remains a major roadblock to human development in many parts of the world, yet its impact on education is widely neglected,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. “This groundbreaking report documents the scale of this hidden crisis, identifies its root causes and offers solid proposals for change.”
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
UNESCO does not fare well in UK review
The Department for International Development of the United Kingdom has just completed a review of the multilateral agencies it has been funding. Here is the summary table:
DfID also provided a comparison chart among the multilateral agencies that were evaluated:
The development objectives of the United Kingdom are very similar to those of the United States. The top graph indicates that. in the opinion of the evaluators, the organization has considerable room for improvement, The lower graph indicates that UNESCO was judged almost uniquely weak among a wide variety of development agencies.
The Government of the United Kingdom decided on the basis of this information to continue funding UNESCO, but to impose "special measures". Here is the statement it provided in its document "Taking Forward the Findings of the UK Multilateral Aid Review":
DfID also provided a comparison chart among the multilateral agencies that were evaluated:
The development objectives of the United Kingdom are very similar to those of the United States. The top graph indicates that. in the opinion of the evaluators, the organization has considerable room for improvement, The lower graph indicates that UNESCO was judged almost uniquely weak among a wide variety of development agencies.
The Government of the United Kingdom decided on the basis of this information to continue funding UNESCO, but to impose "special measures". Here is the statement it provided in its document "Taking Forward the Findings of the UK Multilateral Aid Review":
UNESCO contributes to a range of UK government objectives, including monitoring progress on Education for All. The UK’s membership of UNESCO also brings broader benefits to the UK, in Culture, Heritage, Education and Science. UNESCO’s new leadership team is committed to reform. DFID will continue to support UNESCO, including by funding the core assessed contribution, which will be about £16m in each of the next two years. DFID will reassess progress towards improved effectiveness, with other government departments, in autumn 2012. DFID is discussing with UNESCO, and its member states, what measures need to be taken to urgently improve its performance.
Priorities include:-
If these measures are not implemented satisfactorily and performance does not improve, then the UK will consider whether it should continue to be a member of UNESCO, or whether there are more effective ways of supporting our objectives on education, culture and heritage.
- Greater transparency
- A more focused, evidence based programme
- A focus on controlling transaction, administration and other costs
- A major improvement in results based management.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Official International Launch Ceremony for IYC 2011 will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 27-28 January 2011. The agenda includes an international seminar, an exhibition, and other related social and cultural events.
2011 is the International Year of Forests
The World Heritage Center welcomes the International Year of Forests. With 100 WH sites recognized wholly, or in part, for their rich forest biodiversity, the WH Convention is the most effective intergovernmental convention for the in-situ conservation of forest biodiversity. Today, over 760,000 square kilometres (nearly 300,000 square miles), or 1.5 times the surface area of France, or slightly larger that the state of Texas, are strictly protected as World Heritage Forests.
The World Heritage Forest network is diverse and rich. Home to the largest remaining populations of Bengal tigers, vast mangrove forests are protected in the Sundarbans (India, Bangladesh). In Peru, Manu National Park is home to 10% of all of the world's bird species. The endangered Eastern (Mountain) Gorillas survive almost exclusively in three WH Forest sites: Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega National Parks (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda).
The World Heritage Forest network is diverse and rich. Home to the largest remaining populations of Bengal tigers, vast mangrove forests are protected in the Sundarbans (India, Bangladesh). In Peru, Manu National Park is home to 10% of all of the world's bird species. The endangered Eastern (Mountain) Gorillas survive almost exclusively in three WH Forest sites: Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega National Parks (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda).
It's the International Year of Youth (IYY)!
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