I will be working abroad for the next couple of weeks and will probably be pretty busy and constrained by limited connectivity. I probably will not post much. Sorry!John Daly
Thursday, August 30, 2007
I will be working in West Asia for two weeks
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
UNESCO Americas Youth Forum
"Young People and the
Dialog among Civilizations, Cultures and Peoples"
From 9 to 15 September 2007, young people from 36 countries from North, Central and South America will meet in Mexico City and Acapulco to share experiences, consolidate their enthusiasm and propose new initiatives to tackle the regional youth issues.
This Forum will bring together young delegates from each participating country (nominated by the country’s National Commission for UNESCO and National Youth Council), facilitators and experts on the issues to be discussed, and observers from a wide range of youth NGOs and networks.
It is being co-organixed by UNESCO and the Mexican National Commission for UNESCO, in cooperation with the Estate of Guerrero (Youth Secretary and Secretary for Rural Development), the Mexican Institute of Youth and two NGOs, on behalf of the government of Mexico.
Through workshops, plenary sessions and meetings, the young leaders are to have the opportunity to discuss new strategies to promote cooperation amongst youth networks in the Americas, to strengthen youth participation in the regional community by engaging UNESCO and its partners, to develop tangible projects for the empowerment of young people in society, and to prepare for the upcoming 2007 UNESCO Youth Forum.
The Americas Youth Forum is part of the series of Regional UNESCO Youth Forums, focused on the theme of "Young People and the Dialog among Civilizations, Cultures and Peoples", which is to form the basis of discussion for the UNESCO Youth Forum, to be held on 12 and 13 October 2007 in the Paris Headquarters.
Apparently it is not all work!
International Literacy Day -- September 8
International Literacy Day has been celebrated every September since 1965, when it was first established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Many organizations and governments throughout the world take advantage of the day to consider the status of adult and child literacy, note progress, and identify work still to be done.Tuesday, August 28, 2007
What does the U.S. owe to developing nations?
The San Francisco Chronicle published comments from a number of people who were responding to an article from a couple of Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya. The PCVs said, as most of us concluded in the Peace Corps, that poor people have to change if they want to escape poverty. They said:
we were there to share our skills. Kenya - Africa - needs modern skills far more than it needs Western cash.The Volunteers also wrote:
Education is the key, and the Kenyans know it. In 2002, the government agreed to provide free primary schooling for all. Secondary schools, however, charge a fee, often beyond the reach of many students, even when the family pulls together to send them. This is indeed one area where Western donations can do the most good, because it gives young people hope.The folk who responded to the Chronicle gave a full spectrum of replies:
Tina Martin, San FranciscoThe website also generated a number of online comments.
Considering that the United States makes up less than 5 percent of the world population but uses more than 25 percent of the world's resources, I think it owes developing nations the chance to benefit from what they have before we liberate them from it.
Marcy Orosco, Guerneville
Nothing. Let's start with the United States first.
Bill Krumbein, Santa Rosa
We owe them fairness. We owe them a level playing field. Expecting them to play in the same league as our economic standards is impossible. We need to stop taking advantage of them.
Mike Haworth, Vallejo
It's not a matter of owing, it's more a matter of redemption. We need to redeem ourselves in the eyes of the world. Thanks to the current administration, the term "Ugly American" has been revived and multiplied a hundred times over. Repairing the damage will take decades, and every opportunity to do so should be acted upon immediately -- and we will, just as soon as all our resources stop funding this unwinnable war.
UNESCO is deeply involved in the efforts to help Kenya and all of Africa to help itself. It is the lead agency in the global effort to provide Education for All. It is also the key agency in the United Nations system seeking to promote culturally sensitive approaches to the changes that poor people and poor nations must make to climb out of the poverty trap.
Read the full article by Daniel Kohanski and Jean Dahlstrom Marcucci.
Read the responses from the public.
Visit the UNESCO Nairobi Office website.
Read the responses from the public.
Visit the UNESCO Nairobi Office website.
Leave us a comment below. What do you think America owes to developing nations? Do you think UNESCO is a good way to pay some of that debt?
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
UNESCO Venice Newsletter - Issue N°1 2007 (April-June)
The UNESCO Venice Newsletter is a quarterly newsletter published in English by the UNESCO Office Venice - UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe (BRESCE). In this firt issue, UNESCO Venice Newsletter features articles on actions and project activities in South East Europe (SEE).----------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE :
1 SEE REGION
- Integration of Natural & Cultural Heritage Conservation
- Events in the region
- New Director for the Office in Venice
2 UNESCO-BRESCE Events
3 IN FOCUS
- EuroMAB 2007: a Strategic Positioning of MAB in Europe
- World Heritage & Cooperation with SEE Member States
- Training & Capacity Building in SEE
- New Tool for Promotion of Romanian Cultural Heritage
4 INTERVIEW
- Michael Millward (former Director a.i.)
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
John Kamara - Amistad's deckhand and native of Sierra Leone triumphantly showing the Sierra Leonean colors while the Freedom Schooner sails into Albert Dock in Liverpool.
Photo courtesy of Albert Novelli via Amistad America
23 August 2007
is
The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
is
The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
Since 1998, UNESCO has been reminding the international community of the importance of commemorating 23 August, International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This date not only commemorates the historic night in 1791 when the slaves of Santo Domingo rose up to break their chains and launch the insurrection that eventually led to the Haitian revolution, it also serves to pay tribute to all those who worked collectively and individually to trigger the irreversible process of the abolition of the slave trade and slavery throughout the world. This commitment and the strategies of action used that were conducted to fight the inhumane system of slavery were to have a considerable impact on the human rights movement.The Voyage of the Amistad
Beyond the act of commemoration, this international Day aims at eliciting reflection on a tragic past that may be distant but whose repercussions continue to fuel injustice and exclusion today. This reflection on the barbarity our society is capable of unleashing with a clear conscience is all the more necessary, salutary even, as millions of men, women and children still today suffer the horrors of new forms of slavery. This is how the remembrance of past tragedies serves to enlighten us about present-day tragedies of exploitation and dehumanization.
Message from Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice honored the launch of the Freedom Schooner Amistad at a ceremony earlier this year. One passage read,
It is important to remember the struggles of the past as we work to transform the future. I very much have in mind our own history as I work to promote freedom and fundamental human rights around the world.The Amistad is making a fourteen-month transatlantic, international journey retracing the historic triangular trade in honor of the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Route. The vessel left the port of New Haven, Connecticut on June 21 to a fanfare attended by hundreds. The ship is a near-replica of the historic 19th Century schooner La Amistad. The crew of this expedition will include college students who will be using information communication technologies to report back to classrooms of the travels from port to port.
The Secretary Rice message added,
“This schooner is about to embark on a new journey. This time, the Amistad sails the Atlantic as a symbol of freedom. Her voyage will highlight education, tolerance, and freedom for all mankind.”The United Kingdom's Minister of Culture and the UN Ambassador from Sierra Leone also participated in the launching; large events are planned for the ships arrivals in Liverpool, England and Freetown, Sierra Leone later this year.
The Freedom Schooner Amistad sailed into Liverpool on Sunday with the UK's former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the helm. It's arrived at Albert Dock was timed to launch a week of events leading up to the opening of Liverpool's new International Slavery Museum on 23rd August.
The U.S. National Commission for UNESCO has a webpage dedicated to the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Route.
UNESCO Commemorates The Slave Trade and its Abolution
While the notion of a “duty to remember” was in large part developed in the aftermath of the Second World War, the tragedy of the slave trade and slavery has only recently entered the international debate, raising specific ethical and socio-political issues in the societies concerned. UNESCO's Slave Route Project endeavors to enhance mutual understanding among peoples by creating a dynamic process to help develop new forms of citizenship, respect for cultural diversity, intercultural dialog and the fight against prejudice and racism.
- International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition: Message from the Director-General of UNESCO
- The Slave Route project: Shedding new light on slavery
- A set of international conventions: Outlawing slavery and human trafficking
- Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade: United Kingdom commemorates
- Teaching about the slave trade: A new web resource
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The International Day for Peace
UNESCO Prize for Peace Education
Established in 1980, the aim of the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education is to promote all forms of action designed to ‘construct the defences of peace in the minds of men’ by rewarding a particularly outstanding example of activity designed to alert public opinion and mobilize the conscience of humanity in the cause of peace, in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the United Nations Charter.
Past laureates include:
- 1986 Professor Paulo Freire (Brazil).
- 1990 Ms Rigoberta Menchú Tum (Guatemala)
- 1991 Ms Ruth Leger Sivard (United States)
- 1992 Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
- 2001 Honourable Mention: Ms Betty Reardon (United States of America)
UNESCO Prize for Peace EducationSri Lankan judge Christopher Gregory Weeramantry will be awarded the $40,000 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education on 21 September at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on the occasion of the International Day of Peace.
The UNESCO Center for Peace in Frederick Maryland will hold its
2007 International Day For Peace Dinner
Date: Friday, September 21st, 2007 from 6:00 - 8:30 PM.Location: Gateway-Crossing on 40 Elgin Blvd Hagerstown, MD 21740
Speakers:
Dr. Elizabeth Morgan, Superintendent of Washington County Public Schools will be providing the opening speech during which she will address “the Role of Education in Peace Initiatives”.
Dr. Raymond E. Wanner, currently is senior adviser on UNESCO issues to the United Nations Foundation and Chair of the Governing Board of UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning. He will talk about “US engagement with UNESCO: 1945-2007″
Monday, August 20, 2007
Initiating and Managing SchoolNets
Initiating and Managing SchoolNets (ICT Lessons Learned Series Volume III). Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2007, 70 p.
ISBN 92-9223-111-1
This volume provides an overall summary of the lessons learned during the implementation of the UNESCO SchoolNet project, “Strengthening the Use of ICT in Schools and SchoolNet in the ASEAN Context”. It is the third volume in the ICT in Education Lessons Learned series. The UNESCO SchoolNet project succeeded in initiating new national SchoolNets, or strengthening existing SchoolNets, in eight member-countries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN): Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. The project also implemented innovative methods of using information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools and provided various types of training for teachers in the participating schools.
Contents
What is a SchoolNet?
Why set up SchoolNets?
The UNESCO SchoolNet project
Examples of SchoolNets
What makes a SchoolNet successful and sustainable?
Initiating and managing a SchoolNet
Summary of Lessons Learned
References
Links to further information
"Strengthening Community Learning Centres through Linkages and Networks" A Synthesis of Six Country Reports"
From the Preface" "This report examines the experiences of some CLCs with such linkages and networks. It is based on six country reports from Japan, China, Bangladesh, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. These country reports, though quite different in scope, nevertheless have several common elements and a common methodology. The first part of this study identifies both the common features and the distinctive characteristics of CLCs that are identified in the country reports. The main body of this study is the analysis of the six country reports."Strengthening Community Learning Centres through Linkages and Networks: A Synthesis of Six Country Reports.
Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2007, 46 p.+ 1 CD-ROM.
ISBN 92-9223-104-9
Contents
Part I: Background of the Report
Part II: Findings and Comparative Analysis
Part III: Guidelines for Networking and Recommendations
Part I: Background of the Report
Part II: Findings and Comparative Analysis
Part III: Guidelines for Networking and Recommendations
Changing Roles of Higher Education in a Globalized World
UNU/UNESCO International Conference: Globalization 2007
29 & 30 August, 2007
UNU Center, Tokyo
29 & 30 August, 2007
UNU Center, Tokyo
This international conference provides a forum for exploring how higher education can and should help humanity chart and navigate the pathways towards a shared future. Conference participants will discuss the challenges that globalization poses as well as the opportunities that it offers higher education. Attention will focus on institutions of higher education, their changing scope and responsibilities, the evolving environment in which they function, and their institutional responses.
In the keynote presentations and panel session on the 29 August 2007, eminent experts from around the world will present an overview of the changing roles of higher education in our increasingly knowledge-intensive, globalized world and discuss emerging patterns and themes. Special attention will be given to higher education in Africa. In the workshop sessions on the following day, panellists will explore today's challenges and opportunities in six parallel sessions focusing on
- (1) research, innovation and human and social development,
- (2) education for democracy, dialogue and peace,
- (3) intercultural leadership and change,
- (4) education for sustainable development,
- (5) access and success, and
- (6) e-learning.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
UNESCO Supports Iraqi Cultural Institutions
The Director General of UNESCO has submitted a report on the Cultural and Educational Institutions in Iraq in preparation for the next meeting of UNESCO's Executive Board. He reports on progress achieved by UNESCO in contributing to ongoing reconstruction and development efforts by the United Nations in Iraq since June 2006. He states in introducing the report:
The period of reporting was characterized by a highly volatile security situation despite stepped-up security measures. Escalating sectarian violence, as well as violence targeting journalists, artists, academics, teachers and students were of particular concern to UNESCO. On 13 June 2007, a second bombing at the Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra destroyed two 36-metre high minarets. The first bombing, which occurred in February 2006, had destroyed the golden dome of the shrine and sparked inter-sectarian violence throughout the country. The second bombing is stirring fears for renewed inter-community tensions, including further attacks on religious sites and monuments. The phenomenon of targeted violence affecting professionals and academics continued, with over 830 documented murders of university academics, medical doctors, journalists, media workers, lawyers, as well as teachers and students. Through advocacy, research and the development of professional support and solidarity networks, UNESCO sought to raise continuous attention on this matter within the international community.The report states, with respect to UNESCO's activities in the field of culture:
The number of displaced populations both internally and to neighboring countries have reached unprecedented levels. According to reports by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), an estimated 1.9 million persons are now internally displaced and 2 million have left Iraq temporarily for neighbouring countries. This situation creates important humanitarian needs as large population groups suffer from problems of access to basic services. Of particular concern to UNESCO is the continued access to education for displaced schoolchildren, as well as the conditions and status of Iraqi teachers and academics who have left the country.
Following the first bombing of the Holy Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra on 22 February 2006, UNESCO launched several preparatory activities to protect the damaged site through urgent preventive works. In February 2007, agreement on the nature and scope of the preventive works had been reached with all parties concerned and funding was received from the European Commission under the UNDG Trust Fund ($5.4 million) and the Government of Iraq through a selfbenefiting funds-in-trust ($3 million). In addition, the Government of Iraq committed itself to put in place all necessary security arrangements to allow the selected contractors to work in Samarra. Preventive works at the site were expected to start in July 2007. In parallel, UNESCO continued to provide technical assistance to the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage in the elaboration of the nomination file of “Samarra Archaeological City”. Within the framework of the Nordic World Heritage Foundation (NWHF) funded project, two workshops were organized to train Iraqi experts for the preparation of the nomination file, which was submitted to the World Heritage Centre on 1 February 2006, for consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 31st session in 2007. The World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe the site on the World Heritage List and on the List in Danger.
Regrettably, a second devastating bombing resulted in the destruction of two of the shrine’s minarets on 13 June 2007. As indicated in the press release issued in the immediate aftermath of the bombing, UNESCO remains committed to the reconstruction process and cooperation with Iraqi counterparts to this end.
In the follow-up to the recommendations of the two working meetings on the site of the Babylon respectively in June and November 2005, a working session on Babylon will be organized in November 2007 at UNESCO Headquarters during the third ICC Iraq meeting. A full assessment of the damage caused to Babylon is currently being undertaken, combining three different components: (i) a survey prepared by Stony Brook University, (ii) a detailed report prepared by Iraqi scholars, and (iii) a documentary screening the actual state of conservation of the Babylon site. Thanks to a contribution from Poland ($25,000), the assessment report on the status of the archaeological site of Babylon is planned to be completed before end 2007.
In response to an emergency request of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) related to the technical assistance for the safeguarding of the outstanding features of the Erbil Citadel, UNESCO provided assistance and expertise in May 2007, and is currently mobilizing funds for the establishment of the Erbil Citadel Conservation Master Plan.
As part of the Organization’s efforts towards the reviving of Iraqi cultural institutions, UNESCO organized two training sessions for talented young Iraqi students of the Music and Ballet School of Baghdad in Amman, under the title “Healing through Music”. The events gave a unique opportunity to the students from Baghdad to concentrate their efforts on improving their skills in peaceful conditions and to benefit from master classes by renowned international musicians.
In the context of the project on “Restoration of the Laboratories of the Iraq National Museum (INM) in Baghdad” ($1 million, Japanese FIT) a second three-month training course was carried out at the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties – Japan (NRICP) and focused on capacity-building of the Iraqi staff in conservation practices and on micro-environmental monitoring. Moreover several visits to archaeological sites, museums and other institutes in Japan were undertaken from October to December 2006.
As part of “Management enhancement and capacity-building in museums in Iraq”
($80,795, Norwegian FIT) a first working meeting was organized with Iraqi stakeholders on 18 and 19 March 2007 in order to identify the content and timing of the training workshops. The first training on museums management is scheduled to take place for three weeks, starting 29 July 2007.
UNESCO Supports Iraqi Education
The Director General of UNESCO has submitted a report on the Cultural and Educational Institutions in Iraq in preparation for the next meeting of UNESCO's Executive Board. He reports on progress achieved by UNESCO in contributing to ongoing reconstruction and development efforts by the United Nations in Iraq since June 2006. He states in introducing the report:
The period of reporting was characterized by a highly volatile security situation despite stepped-up security measures. Escalating sectarian violence, as well as violence targeting journalists, artists, academics, teachers and students were of particular concern to UNESCO. On 13 June 2007, a second bombing at the Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra destroyed two 36-metre high minarets. The first bombing, which occurred in February 2006, had destroyed the golden dome of the shrine and sparked inter-sectarian violence throughout the country. The second bombing is stirring fears for renewed inter-community tensions, including further attacks on religious sites and monuments. The phenomenon of targeted violence affecting professionals and academics continued, with over 830 documented murders of university academics, medical doctors, journalists, media workers, lawyers, as well as teachers and students. Through advocacy, research and the development of professional support and solidarity networks, UNESCO sought to raise continuous attention on this matter within the international community.With respect to education the report states:
The number of displaced populations both internally and to neighboring countries have reached unprecedented levels. According to reports by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), an estimated 1.9 million persons are now internally displaced and 2 million have left Iraq temporarily for neighbouring countries. This situation creates important humanitarian needs as large population groups suffer from problems of access to basic services. Of particular concern to UNESCO is the continued access to education for displaced schoolchildren, as well as the conditions and status of Iraqi teachers and academics who have left the country.
During the period under review, education remained the main area of UNESCO assistance to Iraq. Assistance focused on capacity-development of the Ministry of Education (MoE), of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), as well as of the provincial directorates to support educational planning and management, as well as effective service delivery. Within the United Nations Country Team for Iraq based in Amman, UNESCO continued acting as deputy cluster coordinator for Cluster B (Education and Culture), chaired by UNICEF. UNESCO was also an active member of the Education Sector Working Group (SWG), which meets in Baghdad under the chairmanship of the Iraqi Minister of Education (MoE).
UNESCO started three new projects in the field of education, one on Training of trainers in teacher education for sustained quality education ($2.3 million), and one ICT in education ($1.9 million) thanks to contributions from the European Commission (EC) through the UNDG Trust Fund. The third project, also funded through the UNDG Trust Fund, is a component of the Local area development programme ($30 million total), an inter-agency programme which focuses on three localized areas of Iraq. The programme aims at working with local partners to stimulate local economic development, generate short-term and sustainable employment using labour intensive approaches and improve the service delivery capabilities of local authorities in the three selected areas. UNESCO’s activities within the programme ($3.23 million) focus on strengthening capacities for delivering opportunities for vocational training. Finally, several projects approved in 2004 were operationally completed in December 2006, while three projects are still ongoing.
9. The following three projects funded by the UNDG Trust Fund for Iraq were completed:• Textbooks quality improvement project ($7.1 million, EC funds under UNDG Trust Fund). Following the successful completion of the printing and distribution of 9 million school textbooks in March 2006, focus was put on strengthening in-country capacities for future textbook development. Hence, a Prepress Centre was set up in Baghdad and training organized for MoE staff on the principles of writing and designing textbooks. UNESCO also established a Textbooks/CDs Library, and contributed to the formulation of a National Textbooks Printing and Distribution Policy.Ongoing projects included:
• Education management information system – EMIS ($1.5 million, earmarked funds to UNESCO from Japan through the UNDG Trust Fund). As a direct result of the equipment and capacity-building provided under this project, the educational data for four directorates have been compiled and the EMIS was used to develop indicators and produce statistical reports. The instructional material developed earlier in cooperation with the Open University Worldwide was translated into Kurdish and made available in July 2006.
• In-service training of secondary-school teachers of science, mathematics and English language ($2.35 million, funded by Japan under the UNDG Trust Fund). By March 2007, the "Institute of Educational Training and Development" at the MoE in Baghdad had been fully equipped with film, projection and editing material for classroom observation for teacher training purposes. Training material was also produced and mentors trained on the use of new material and methods in intermediate and secondary schools.• Training of trainers in teacher education for sustained quality education ($2.3 million, EC funds under the UNDG Trust Fund). Under this project, five of ten master trainers in peace, democracy and human rights are currently studying in Turin, Italy. Master trainers in English language and in computer skills attended training courses in Amman in March 2007. The first Teacher Training Network for Iraq (TTNI) Steering Committee meeting took place in May 2007, with a view to launching the Teacher Training Network for Iraq, establishing a work plan for the implementation of the remaining capacity-building programmes under the project and formulating a national strategic action plan for teacher training in Iraq.In the field of higher education, all activities under the “International Fund of higher education in Iraq” are being completed. The Fund, which benefited from a generous $15 million donation from the First Lady of Qatar, was a major contribution to the reconstruction of main universities in Iraq, through the provision of equipment for laboratories, reference materials to libraries and textbooks to students. In addition, more than 300 short-term fellowships were granted to university professors and students, of which 157 have already completed their programme and are back in Iraq with new knowledge and skills.
• The project Strengthening secondary education in Iraq ($4.7 million, EC funds under the UNDG Trust Fund) focused on training on specific aspects related to the reconstruction and reform of secondary education, such as: low-cost equipment for science education; laboratory skills and competencies for science teachers, library supervision, and the development of science experiment manuals. As a result, teacher experiment manuals in physics, chemistry and biology were developed. Also, furniture, equipment and materials for science laboratories and school libraries are being provided and installed.
• The Literacy and life skills development project ($2.3 million, earmarked funds to UNESCO from Japan through the UNDG Trust Fund). One national literacy resource centre (NLRC) in Baghdad and three community learning centres (CLCs) in the cities of Baghdad, Dyala and Samawa have been established, including refurbishment of the centres and provision of furniture and equipment. A training for non-formal education (NFE) facilitators, animators and volunteers on the function of CLCs and NLRCs was organized (Cairo, July 2006), and so was an expert group meeting to formulate the national NFE policy paper (Amman, December 2006).
• Revitalization of technical and vocational education and training in Iraq ($3 million, funded by Japan and the European Commission under the UNDG Trust Fund). MoE instructors were trained on programme design and review of equipment specifications, while training material was prepared by international experts for the following vocational disciplines: electronics, sewing, agriculture, communication, electrics, automotive, mechanics, food service and production and construction. UNESCO is currently in the process of delivering the last lots of supplies and equipment to the MoE, which are expected to be distributed and installed in the different vocational centres by September 2007.
UNESCO To Track Film Distribution Worldwide
Snow WhiteHarry Stockwell. a family friend, sang the role of the Prince. JAD
The UIS has launched a survey to track trends in the production and distribution of feature films. The only global survey of its kind, it covers a range of issues such as the language of films and a breakdown of market shares for national and foreign productions.
The survey was launched in more than 200 countries and territories in early July 2007. Initial results are scheduled for release in 2008 on the UIS website. The findings will also be published in international reports and UNESCO publications. Given the importance of cinema as a cultural expression, the statistics will contribute to the monitoring of issues related to cultural diversity.
Editorial comment: This illustrates the importance that UNESCO can have for United States industry. Our film industry is a major exporter, and depends on foreign admissions for a significant part of its income. UNESCO, as an interngovernmental organization is well placed to obtain information from its member states on the distribution of films, providing the U.S. industry with information that may prove valuable for its planning and operation. JAD
Read more about this initiative of the UNESCO Institute of Statistics.
Prospects: quarterly review of comparative education
Prospects: quarterly review of comparative educationPROSPECTS, UNESCO's journal of comparative education, has been produced since 1971. IBE is responsible for its publication since 1994. As of 2002, Springer publishes the English version of the review.
The English version is made available by Springer Science and Business Media.
The French and Spanish versions of issues No. 121-130 and of the editorials from No 131 onwards are now available on this site free of charge.
Editions in Arabic, Chinese and Russian are available in paper format from the IBE Publications Unit, IBE, P.O. Box 199, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland (E-mail: b.deluermoz@ibe.unesco.org)
Table of Contents, Editorials and Introductions to the Open Files of issues published during 1995-2001 are available here.
PROSPECTS has also produced a special series entitled '100 Thinkers on education' presenting profiles of famous educators from throughout the world.
A memoir on the history of Prospects by Zaghloul Morsy, a former editor of the journal, is available (in French) in the May issue of Lien/Link, the bulletin of the Association of Former UNESCO Employees.Saturday, August 18, 2007
UNESCO Good Will Ambassador Tossed Out of Mexican Hotel
I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in GuatemalaStaff at Cancun's five-star Hotel Coral Beach appear to have assumed Rigoberta Manchu was another street vendor or beggar, so without asking questions they ordered her to leave. Rigoberta Menchu of course is a Nobel peace prizewinner, UNESCO goodwill ambassador, Guatemalan presidential candidate and figurehead for indigenous rights.
Source: Rory Carroll, Guardian Latin America correspondent via Free Internet Press, 2007-08-18
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Learned Articles About UNESCO
These two articles can be downloaded from JSTOR:
International Organizations as Teachers of Norms: The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cutural Organization and Science Policy
Martha Finnemore
International Organization, Vol. 47, No. 4 (Autumn, 1993), pp. 565-597
Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 1, No. 28 (Apr., 1968), pp. 12-15
doi:10.2307/1965365
International Organizations as Teachers of Norms: The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cutural Organization and Science Policy
Martha Finnemore
International Organization, Vol. 47, No. 4 (Autumn, 1993), pp. 565-597
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: Report of the Special Committee of Experts on the Definition of UNESCO's Responsibilities in the Field of PopulationAbstract: Most explanations for the creation of new state institutions locate the cause of change in the conditions or characteristics of the states themselves. Some aspect of a state's economic, social, political, or military situation is said to create a functional need for the new bureaucracy which then is taken up by one or more domestic groups who succeed in changing the state apparatus. However, changes in state structure may be prompted not only by changing conditions of individual states but also by socialization and conformance with international norms. In the case of one organizational innovation recently adopted by states across the international system, namely, science policy bureaucracies, indicators of state conditions and functional need for these entities are not correlated with the pattern for their adoption. Instead, adoption was prompted by the activities of an international organization which "taught" states the value of science policy organizations and established the coordination of science as an appropriate, and even a necessary, role for states. This finding lends support to constructivist or reflective theories that treat states as social entities shaped by international social action, as opposed to more conventional treatments of states as autonomous international agents.
Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 1, No. 28 (Apr., 1968), pp. 12-15
doi:10.2307/1965365
Our bibliography on UNESCO has lots more materials on the organization.
"UNESCO Challenges Designers to Tackle Social Issues"
Re-written Aesop's Fables
by Hwani Lee
by Hwani Lee
There is a nice article featuring a UNESCO sponsored contest in Design News. I quote:
UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) and design firm Felissimo recently teamed up to host three international design competitions asking just this question. Open to members of the Design 21: Social Design Network, the Design 21 competitions challenged designers to imagine design with a social conscience that can create positive change in the world.
The initiative drew over 800 entries--from more than 59 countries--addressing social issues in three categories: Heated Issue, ; Child’s Play, ; and ShelterMe, which challenged participants to design a temporary, lightweight, strong and easily deployed emergency shelter.
American designers did well:
- Heated Issue (which called for an educational campaign to raise awareness of global warming)
First Prize Re-written Aesop's Fables by Hwani Lee, USA
DESIGN 21 Award of Excellence- One Day At A Time by Christopher Miller, USA
- Ice-Age by jeff bare, USA
- Child's Play (which asked participants to create an object inspiring a child to invent his or her own way of playing and interacting)
DESIGN 21 Award of Excellence
- Children's Building System by Danielle Pecora, USA
- ShelterMe (which challenged participants to design a temporary, lightweight, strong and easily deployed emergency shelter)
First Prize Lightweight Emergency Shelter by Patrick Wharram, USA
Third Prize and Most Popular Prize Sanctuary by Jonathan Kim, Thomas Herrström, Calle Uggla, Magnus Sparrman, USA
Lightweight Emergency Shelter by pwharramWednesday, August 08, 2007
The New Issue of the UNESCO Courier is Out
© UNESCO/Stefan HoehSydney Opera House
Six thousand years separate the Sydney Opera House from Twyfelfontein. These two sites just inscribed on the World Heritage List add to its extraordinary richness, which the UNESCO Courier aims to illustrate. Among twenty-two new sites, the Courier focuses on five that reflect the diversity of world heritage down through the ages. (More)Contents:
People for the university - the university for the people
World Heritage readings
UNESCO launches ICT-in-Education online community
As part of a new “Knowledge Communities” project, UNESCO Office in Bangkok has launched an online ICT-in-Education community -- an interactive forum which welcomes educators, teachers, administrators, policy makers and others to share their ideas and opinions on topics relating to the use of ICT in education.
Members of the online community will have the opportunity to share their knowledge about the use of ICT in education, to discuss recent developments and announce events and conferences. They will also be able to review and exchange teaching materials, such as lesson plans, training guidelines and toolkits with other participants.
EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007
Every year, the Education For All Global Monitoring Report assesses where the world stands on its commitment to provide a basic education to all children, youth and adults by 2015. The EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007
features
early childhood care and education
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
The Slave Trade
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9 August International Day of the World's Indigenous People
© UNESCO/Ramon LepageWarao women, Venezuela
August 9th is a great opportunity to celebrate the more than 370 million indigenous men, women and children worldwide. UNESCO’s Education Sector fights against the plight of indigenous people through the promotion of rights and values in Education and, via a developmental approach to learning needs, within the realm of inclusive Education.
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UNESCO calls for international support for literacy
"The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) called for international support and made proposals to address the challenges of reducing illiteracy. And China is confident to reduce its illiterate population by half by 2015."Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, said on July 31 in Beijing at the UNESCO Regional Conference in Support of Global Literacy that 774 million adults around the world cannot read or write, of whom two-thirds are women.
"The latest data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics shows some 72.1 million children are out of school. Fees are the main barrier of the access to primary schools. And in 89 countries fees are still charged to be admitted to primary schools......
"Dr. Qian Tang, UNESCO Deputy Assistant Director-General for Education, highlighted at the press conference on August 1 proposals as results of the literacy conference, including government’s leading role, planning and implementation of measures in the context of the specific groups, partnership with local institutions, the application of new technologies and the establishment of benchmarks.
"Dr. Tang said UNESCO appreciated greatly China’s contribution in the forms of both experience sharing and financial aid. UNESCO’s literacy initiatives value the South-South cooperation and China has set a "good example" on this regard, Tang commented."
Read the full article from People's Daily Online.
Read more about UNESCO's Regional Conferences in Support of Global Literacy.
Read more about UNESCO's Regional Conferences in Support of Global Literacy.
The Conferences build upon the work begun at the White House Conference on Global Literacy and are organized in the framework of the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) and UNESCO's Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE).
Sunday, August 05, 2007
UNESCO Field Office in New York
UNESCO maintains an office in New York, primarily for liaison with the United Nations organizations headquartered there. However, that small office is staffed by very friendly and helpful personnel with extensive knowledge and understanding of the organization and is a resource for Americans interested in knowing more about UNESCO.
UNESCO Office in New York
E-Mail: s.bilello@unesco.org
Work Phone: 1 (212) 963 59 95
Fax: 1 (212) 963 80 14
Street Address: 2, United Nations Plaza, room 900,
City: New York
The director of that office is Ms Helene-Marie Gosselin.
UNESCO Office in New York
E-Mail: s.bilello@unesco.org
Work Phone: 1 (212) 963 59 95
Fax: 1 (212) 963 80 14
Street Address: 2, United Nations Plaza, room 900,
City: New York
The director of that office is Ms Helene-Marie Gosselin.
UNESCO and Non-Governmental Organizations
Since its foundation, UNESCO has given great importance to partnership with civil society organizations, in particular NGOs. The role of civil society representatives is increasingly important in every sector of daily life, and partnership with civil society organizations is becoming indispensable for governmental organizations in pursuing their strategic objectives.Every six years, UNESCO's secretariat makes a report to the General Conference on the contributions that NGO's have made to UNESCO's operations. A new report has recently been published in preparation for this year's meeting of the General Conference.
UNESCO provides this list of NGO's maintaining official relations with UNESCO that are headquartered in the United States:
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