United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture
Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura

Search Open Yearbook

This information is part of the Open Yearbook, a free service of UIA's subscription-based Yearbook of International Organizations (YBIO). It includes profiles of non-profit organizations working worldwide in all fields of activity. The information contained in the profiles and search functionality of this free service are limited.

The full-featured Yearbook of International Organizations (YBIO) includes over 72,500 organization profiles, additional information in the profiles, sophisticated search functionality and data export. For more information about YBIO, please click here or contact us.

The UIA is a leading provider of information about international non-profit organizations. The aim of the Open Yearbook is to promote the activities of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs).

Contact Details

URL: https://www.unesco.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unesco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unesco/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNESCO

More detailed data available with paid subscription.

Founded

1945-11-16 London UK

History

Established on adoption of Constitution signed by 37 countries, at conclusion of United Nations Conference for Establishment of an Educational and Cultural Organization (ECO/CONF), 1-16 Nov 1945, London, comprising representatives of 44 governments. Establishment followed proposal of U-XU1719 - Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME), commenced Nov 1942, London, continuing until 5 Dec 1945, at which 18 governments were represented. Preparatory Commission was established on signature of UNESCO Constitution, 16 Nov 1945; first session of the General Conference took place 19 Nov-10 Dec 1946, Paris, with participation of representatives from 30 governments entitled to vote. Constitution came into force 4 Nov 1946, on 20th ratification, on which date agreement between the United Nations and UNESCO was approved by General Assembly of the United Nations at its Oct-Dec 1946 Session, New York NY (USA).

Main predecessors: H-XH0266 - Commission internationale de la coopération intellectuelle (CICI), Geneva (Switzerland) 1922-1946; H-XH2149 - International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation, Paris (France) 1925-1946; E-XE1427 - International Bureau of Education (IBE), Geneva 1925-1968; from 1969 the latter has been part of the Charter of UNESCO Secretariat under its own statutes. CICI and IICI together comprised H-XH0336 - International Organization for Intellectual Cooperation (IOIC), whose official establishment was prevented by World War II but which would have performed a similar function to that of UNESCO. UNESCO is a specialized agency of A-XA3375 - United Nations (UN) within F-XF1000 - United Nations System.

Aims

Contribute to lasting peace and security by promoting cooperation among nations through education, science, 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; give fresh impulse to education for all throughout a person's lifetime and to the spread of culture through fostering ever wider access to and sharing of knowledge, and through building of endogenous capabilities encourage cooperation among nations in all branches of intellectual activity; initiate methods of international cooperation aimed at giving the people of all countries access to printed, published and electronically transmitted materials produced by any of them.

/Strategic Objectives/

  • 'Education': promote education as a fundamental right in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; improve the quality of education through diversification of contents and methods and promotion of universally shared values; promote experimentation, innovation and the diffusion and sharing of information and best practices and policy dialogue in education.
  • 'Natural Sciences': promote principles and ethical norms to guide scientific and technological development and social transformation; improve human security by better management of the environment and social change; enhance scientific, technical and human capacities to participate in the emerging knowledge societies.
  • 'Social and Human Sciences': promote principles and ethical norms to guide scientific and technological development and social transformation; improve human security by better management of the environment and social change; enhance scientific, technical and human capacities to participate in the emerging knowledge society.
  • 'Culture': promote the drafting and implementation of standard-setting instruments in the cultural field; safeguard cultural diversity and encourage dialogue among cultures and civilizations; enhance links between culture and development through capacity-building and sharing of knowledge.
  • 'Communication and Information': promote free flow of ideas and universal access to information; promote expression of pluralism and cultural diversity in the media and world information networks; promote access for all to information and communication technology, especially in the public domain.

Events

2025-09-04 | Temuco, Chile – International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks

2134 past events available with paid subscription only.

Activities

Available with paid subscription only.

Structure

General Conference of representatives of member states (currently 193, plus 11 associate members) meets at Paris HQ every 2 years, elects Executive Board of 58 members. Board meets twice a year at Paris HQ and also after General Conference. Secretariat in Paris. National Commissions in most member states act as liaison bodies and advise their governments on UNESCO affairs; they comprise representatives of principal interested national bodies and civil society.

/Secretariat - Headquarters/:

  • 'Director-General (DG)';
  • 'Deputy Director-General (DDG)';
  • 'Executive Office of the Director General (CAB)';
  • 'Secretariat of the Governing Bodies (GBS)';
  • 'Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs (LA)';
  • 'Office of Internatioanl Oversight (IOS)';
  • 'Ethics Office (ETH)';
  • 'Bureau of Strategic Planning (BSP)';
  • 'Division for Gender Equality (CAB/GE)';
  • 'Division of Public Information (CAB/DPI)'.
  • Education Sector (ED);
  • Natural Sciences Sector (SC);
  • Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS);
  • Culture Sector (CLT);
  • Communication and Information Sector (CI);
  • Priority Africa and External Relations Sector (PAX);
  • Sector for Administration and Management (ADM);
  • E-XE1118 - Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).

/UNESCO Offices/ -

/Institutes and Centres/ -

Designated International and Regional Institutes and Centres as Category 2.

Languages

Available with paid subscription only.

Staff

Available with paid subscription only.

Finance

Available with paid subscription only.

Consultative Status

Available with paid subscription only.

Relations with Inter-Governmental Organizations

Available with paid subscription only.

Relations with Non-Governmental Organizations

Available with paid subscription only.

Publications

Available with paid subscription only.

Members

Available with paid subscription only.

Type I Classification

Available with paid subscription only.

Type II Classification

Available with paid subscription only.

Subjects *

Available with paid subscription only.

UN Sustainable Development Goals **

GOAL 1: No PovertyGOAL 2: Zero HungerGOAL 3: Good Health and Well-beingGOAL 4: Quality EducationGOAL 5: Gender EqualityGOAL 6: Clean Water and SanitationGOAL 7: Affordable and Clean EnergyGOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic GrowthGOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureGOAL 10: Reduced InequalityGOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesGOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionGOAL 13: Climate ActionGOAL 14: Life Below WaterGOAL 15: Life on LandGOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong InstitutionsGOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

UIA Org ID

XB3383

* Subject classification is derived from the organization names and aims.
** UN SDGs are linked to the subject classification.

You are viewing profile from the Yearbook of International Organizations Online.
← return to your search page to find additional profiles.
Terms of Use

UIA allows users to access and make use of the information contained in its Databases for the user’s internal use and evaluation purposes only. A user may not re-package, compile, re-distribute or re-use any or all of the UIA Databases or the data* contained therein without prior permission from the UIA.

Data from database resources may not be extracted or downloaded in bulk using automated scripts or other external software tools not provided within the database resources themselves. If your research project or use of a database resource will involve the extraction of large amounts of text or data from a database resource, please contact us for a customized solution.

UIA reserves the right to block access for abusive use of the Database.

* Data shall mean any data and information available in the Database including but not limited to: raw data, numbers, images, names and contact information, logos, text, keywords, and links.