65 ways Unesco benefits countries

Cultural Organisation benefits them, Unesco published in December 2010 a document that highlights 65 ways the organisation benefits countries of the world.
The document, which was issued to mark the organisation’s 65th anniversary, puts all the 65 areas Unesco works in collaboration with “family of partners” into eight categories. Each activity is briefly explained in terms of its objectives, the concerned players as well as the scope of operation.
Safeguarding and sharing our culture
In this category the document highlights the World Digital Library which was launched in co-operation with the Library of Congress of the United States and has 100 partner institutions that offer publications in their libraries and archives. The digital library is freely accessed in Spanish, English, Russian, Portuguese, French, Chinese and Arabic and provides content in 40 languages. Also in this category is the Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger. Available in both print and through an interactive online version, the atlas monitors some 2 500 languages which are considered in dander of disappearing.
The Index Translatinum, which is an international bibliography of translations in 1 000 languages of four million works, is another project in this category.
The project, which was initiated in 1932, involves 100 member states. Its online version provides national and international data and statistics on works published since 1979. Within the area of safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, the document indicates that 213 practices and expressions of living heritage in 80 countries that have been inscribed on a list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and the 16 elements of intangible cultural heritage are on a the Urgent Safeguarding List.
Also included in this category is the inscription on the World Heritage List natural and cultural properties considered to be of outstanding value.
By the end of 2010, there were 911 natural and cultural properties in 151 countries on the list. It is a major objective of this programme to encourage conservation practices that foster local development while preserving the heritage sites.
The Memory of the World Programme, which plays a lead role in protecting the memory of humanity by providing access to priceless heritage in the form of video, visuals and anecdotal memory from different countries, is another activity in this category.
Safeguarding our planet
The document highlights projects activities and programmes such as the International Geo-Sciences Programme where 400 international projects in sub-surface earth and ground water resources share knowledge about the mineral and ground water resources and the evolution of biodiversity and climate changes. Also in this category is the Biosphere Reserve that lists 564 biosphere reserves in 109 countries and is a network that assists in increasing of knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity as well as fostering sustainable development.
The Global Ocean Observatory System that monitors the realtime state of the oceans including sea levels, sea temperatures and living resources is also in this category of activities, programmes and projects. The other project is the Global Ethics Observatory, which is the only global systems of databases in bioethics and other areas of applied ethics in science and technology that is accessed online.
Fighting for Human Rights
The area of fighting for human rights include the following
l The World Press Freedom Day activities which are held on May 3 each year to promote freedom of expression as a basic human right.
l The Unesco Bilbao Prize for Promotion of a Culture of Peace that is awarded every two years.
l The Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights which enshrines bioethics in international human rights and ensures respect for the life of human beings.
l Cities Against Racism – a network of 5 000 cities in six regional coalitions against racism, discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance
l Freedom of information activities that are facilitated in over 40 countries that include country level technical assistance, workshops and dissemination of comparative legal survey.
Creativity, Dialogue and the Community
The Community Multimedia Centres project that provides an innovative combination of community radio and walk-in telecentre facilities offering internet access to local communities and the Community Learning Centres which have been set up outside formal education system in 25 countries are some of the projects in this category of creativity, dialogue and community.
Others include the Creative Cities Network which is an international partnership that promotes creativity as an essential component of socio-economic development. The network cultivates urban spaces as creative hubs and stimulates economic growth through creative industries and contemporary approaches to urban regeneration.
Other activities in this category include the Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity launched in 2002 to foster partnerships among private, public and civic society in strengthening local cultural industries in developing countries. The Cities for Sustainable Development is a programme that addresses the challenges of accommodating modernisation and transformation in historic cities without compromising their identity and that of the local communities or their role as drivers of cultural creativity and regeneration.
Also in this category of activities in the Intercultural Dialogue project that encompasses inter-religious dialogue, challenges established opinions and provides a lens through which a global environment conducive to mutual understanding can be created. The Slave Route Project is another one of the activities highlighted in this category. The Network of Young TV Producers on HIV and Aids that links more than 300 young television producers from 50 countries is also highlighted.
Promoting International Standards
The document highlights the following convention and declarations; Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960); Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954); Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property(1970); Convention concerning the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972).
Other international standard setting instruments include: International Convention Against Doping in Sport; Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001); Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2000); Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003); Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005), Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights (1997); International Declaration on Human Genetic Data (2003) and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Promoting Gender Equality
Activities in the area of promoting gender equality include the Unesco Fellowships Programme that awards fellowship study and travel grants to hundreds of women to enable them to pursue studies in different disciplines.
The Female Education Planners Project, which is a training course that strengthens the participation of women in decision-making positions within ministries of education, and the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment which offers a global strategic framework focusing, in particular, on adult literacy and out-of-school children who in the large majority are female are highlighted projects in this area.
The Gender Equity in Media which provides guidelines on gender equality in media organisations as well as encouraging gender-sensitive reporting and the development of gender-sensitive media development indicates is another activity in this category.
Sharing Knowledge
Activities in the area of sharing knowledge which were highlighted include the following: Database on National Cultural Heritage Laws which was launched in 2005 as a free and user friendly online database containing 2 000 cultural heritage laws from 170 countries in 42 languages; World Water Development Report which is the most authoritative view of the state of the world’s fresh water resources and the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems – an integrated online database on health maintenance and on future of life on earth.
The Portal on Higher Education Institutions which is online information on higher education institutions recognised by 38 participating countries and the Education for Global Monitoring Report that is the leading reference for all partnership working to achieve the goals of education for all are also projects in this area of sharing knowledge.
Reaching the Marginalised
In the area of reaching the marginalised are activities, programmes and projects that include the following: the E-9 Initiative in which nine highly population countries work together on developing strategies for improving education provision; Digital Inclusion Programme that aims at bridging the digital divide; and Media in Emergency Settings where local media in post-conflict and post-disaster setting is supported.
Other activities in this area include the National Disaster Reduction Programme which are initiatives in the earth sciences, hydrology and engineering adapted to seismically active regions as well as facilitating the development of flood forecasting system and the Education in Emergency Settings Programme where Unesco helps ministries of education to adapt to conditions created by conflict.
l Stephen Chifunyise is a one of Zimbabwe perspective playwrights. He can be contacted on [email protected]

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