United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Aim
Create the conditions for dialogue among civilisations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values; contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information; attain quality education for all and lifelong learning; mobilise science knowledge and policy for sustainable development; address emerging social and ethical challenges; foster cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace; build inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication.
History
In 1945, UNESCO was created in order to respond to the firm belief of nations, forged by two world wars in less than a generation, that political and economic agreements are not enough to build a lasting peace.
IRD Activities
- Culture of Peace and Non-Violence
The culture of peace and non-violence programme is a commitment to peace-building, mediation, conflict prevention and resolution, peace education, education for non-violence, tolerance, acceptance, mutual respect, intercultural and interfaith dialogue and reconciliation. The main areas of action are Communicating Peace, Empowering Women and Gender Mainstreaming, Mutual Understanding Through Cultural Heritage, New Citizenship for Young Women and Men, PeacEducation, Scientific Cooperation for Conflict Prevention
- Interreligious Dialogue
UNESCO's programme, an essential component of Intercultural Dialogue, aims to promote dialogue among different religions, spiritual and humanistic traditions in a world where conflicts are increasingly associated with religious belonging. It stresses the reciprocal interactions and influences between, on the one hand, religions, spiritual and humanistic traditions, and on the other, the need to promote understanding between them in order to challenge ignorance and prejudices and foster mutual respect.
Main Focus Countries of Activities
Afghanistan - Albania - Algeria - Andorra - Angola - Antigua and Barbuda - Argentina - Armenia - Australia - Austria - Azerbaijan - Bahamas - Bahrain - Bangladesh - Barbados - Belarus - Belgium - Belize - Benin - Bhutan - Bolivia - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Botswana - Brazil - Brunei - Bulgaria - Burkina Faso - Burundi - Cabo Verde - Cambodia - Cameroon - Canada - Central African Republic - Chad - Chile - China - Colombia - Comoros - Congo - Cook Islands - Costa Rica - Ivory Coast - Croatia - Cuba - Cyprus - Czechia - North Korea - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Denmark - Djibouti - Dominica - Dominican Republic - Ecuador - Egypt - El Salvador - Equatorial Guinea - Eritrea - Estonia - Ethiopia - Fiji - Finland - France - Gabon - Gambia - Georgia - Germany - Ghana - Greece - Grenada - Guatemala - Guinea - Guinea-Bissau - Guyana - Haiti - Honduras - Hungary - Iceland - India - Indonesia - Iran - Iraq - Ireland - Israel - Italy - Jamaica - Japan - Jordan - Kazakhstan - Kenya - Kiribati - Kuwait - Kyrgyzstan - Laos - Latvia - Lebanon - Lesotho - Liberia - Libya - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Madagascar - Malawi - Malaysia - Maldives - Mali - Malta - Marshall Islands - Mauritania - Mauritius - Mexico - Micronesia (Federated States of) - Monaco - Mongolia - Montenegro - Morocco - Mozambique - Myanmar - Namibia - Nauru - Nepal - Netherlands - New Zealand - Nicaragua - Niger - Nigeria - Niue - Norway - Oman - Pakistan - Palau - State of Palestine - Panama - Papua New Guinea - Paraguay - Peru - Philippines - Poland - Portugal - Qatar - South Korea - Moldova - Romania - Russian Federation - Rwanda - Saint Kitts and Nevis - Saint Lucia - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Samoa - San Marino - Sao Tome and Principe - Saudi Arabia - Senegal - Serbia - Seychelles - Sierra Leone - Singapore - Slovakia - Slovenia - Solomon Islands - Somalia - South Africa - South Sudan - Spain - Sri Lanka - Sudan - Suriname - Swaziland - Sweden - Switzerland - Syria - Tajikistan - Thailand - Macedonia - Timor-Leste - Togo - Tonga - Trinidad and Tobago - Tunisia - Turkey - Turkmenistan - Tuvalu - Uganda - Ukraine - United Arab Emirates - UK - Tanzania - USA - Uruguay - Uzbekistan - Vanuatu - Venezuela - Viet Nam - Yemen - Zambia - Zimbabwe - Kosovo - Afghanistan - Albania - Algeria - Andorra - Angola - Antigua and Barbuda - Argentina - Armenia - Australia - Austria - Azerbaijan - Bahamas - Bahrain - Bangladesh - Barbados - Belarus - Belgium - Belize - Benin - Bhutan - Bolivia - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Botswana - Brazil - Brunei - Bulgaria - Burkina Faso - Burundi - Cabo Verde - Cambodia - Cameroon - Canada - Central African Republic - Chad - Chile - China - Colombia - Comoros - Congo - Cook Islands - Costa Rica - Ivory Coast - Croatia - Cuba - Cyprus - Czechia - North Korea - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Denmark - Djibouti - Dominica - Dominican Republic - Ecuador - Egypt - El Salvador - Equatorial Guinea - Eritrea - Estonia - Ethiopia - Fiji - Finland - France - Gabon - Gambia - Georgia - Germany - Ghana - Greece - Grenada - Guatemala - Guinea - Guinea-Bissau - Guyana - Haiti - Honduras - Hungary - Iceland - India - Indonesia - Iran - Iraq - Ireland - Israel - Italy - Jamaica - Japan - Jordan - Kazakhstan - Kenya - Kiribati - Kuwait - Kyrgyzstan - Laos - Latvia - Lebanon - Lesotho - Liberia - Libya - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Madagascar - Malawi - Malaysia - Maldives - Mali - Malta - Marshall Islands - Mauritania - Mauritius - Mexico - Micronesia (Federated States of) - Monaco - Mongolia - Montenegro - Morocco - Mozambique - Myanmar - Namibia - Nauru - Nepal - Netherlands - New Zealand - Nicaragua - Niger - Nigeria - Niue - Norway - Oman - Pakistan - Palau - State of Palestine - Panama - Papua New Guinea - Paraguay - Peru - Philippines - Poland - Portugal - Qatar - South Korea - Moldova - Romania - Russian Federation - Rwanda - Saint Kitts and Nevis - Saint Lucia - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Samoa - San Marino - Sao Tome and Principe - Saudi Arabia - Senegal - Serbia - Seychelles - Sierra Leone - Singapore - Slovakia - Slovenia - Solomon Islands - Somalia - South Africa - South Sudan - Spain - Sri Lanka - Sudan - Suriname - Swaziland - Sweden - Switzerland - Syria - Tajikistan - Thailand - Macedonia - Timor-Leste - Togo - Tonga - Trinidad and Tobago - Tunisia - Turkey - Turkmenistan - Tuvalu - Uganda - Ukraine - United Arab Emirates - UK - Tanzania - USA - Uruguay - Uzbekistan - Vanuatu - Venezuela - Viet Nam - Yemen - Zambia - Zimbabwe - Kosovo