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What is the full form of UNESCO?

By Anushree Goswami Last updated : April 20, 2024

UNESCO is an abbreviation of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is a specialized organization of the United Nations. In 1946, it is established to support and encourage safety, protection, and peace through global association. It supports and encourages education, science, culture and human rights along with basic independence. There are 195 member states and 9 associate members in UNESCO. Its head office is known as the "World Heritage Center", which is situated in Paris, France and has offices in other countries too. Its current Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO

UNECSO accomplishes its goal through the five most significant programs:

• Education
• Natural Sciences
• Culture
• Social/Human Sciences
• Communication/Information

Projects sponsored by UNESCO

• Literacy Programs
• Freedom of Press
• Technical Training Programs
• Teachers Training Programs
• Regional and Cultural Diversity Promotion
• Human Rights Protection
• Translation of World Literature
• Secure World Heritage Sites
• International Cooperation

UNESCO Education

UNESCO supports and encourages research in comparative education; and makes available knowledge and cultivates and promotes collaborations to build up national educational leadership and the faculties and facilities of countries to provide quality education for everyone. This comprises:

• UNESCO Chairs, an international network of 644 UNESCO Chairs, comprising over 770 institutions in 126 countries.
• Environmental Conservation Organisation.
• In 1960, the Convention against Discrimination in Education is adopted.
• Organization of the International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) in 12 years.
• Publication of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report.
• Publication of the Four Pillars of Learning seminal document.
• UNESCO ASPNet, an international network of 8,000 schools in 170 countries.

UNESCO Designating Projects and Places

Designating projects and places of cultural and scientific importance, such as:

• Global Geoparks Network.
• Global Geoparks Network.Biosphere reserves, through the Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB), since 1971.
• City of Literature; in 2007, the first city to be given this title was Edinburgh, the site of Scotland's first circulating library. 
• In 2008, Iowa City, Iowa became the City of Literature.
• Endangered languages and linguistic diversity projects.
• Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
• The memory of the World International Register, since 1997.
• Water resources management, through the International Hydrological Programme (IHP), since 1965.
• World Heritage Sites.
• World Digital Library.