Sunday, October 1, 2006

Celebrate Teachers Worldwide on October 5th!

UNESCO, ILO*, UNICEF and UNDP released a joint message on the occasion of the 2006 World Teachers’ Day to celebrate the latter’s priceless contribution to learning and social development.

World Teachers’ Day was inaugurated in 1994 to commemorate the signing of the Joint ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers on 5 October 1966. The Recommendation calls for international attention to the issues and restrictions attached to the challenging working conditions of teachers worldwide.

National education systems have been obliged to reform in order to respond to the new socio-economic challenges of a rapidly globalizing world. Yet, the persistent shortage of qualified teachers remains a fundamental constraint to the development of societies. An estimated 18 million teachers at least will need to be recruited over the next decade if quality basic education for all is to be achieved. Poverty reduction efforts, and the improvement of life conditions for all with respect to the basic rights of children and the creation of decent work opportunities for women and men would all benefit from an increase in the number of teachers around the world.

The statement reminds us that, while the Recommendation must be used as one of the basic tools for education reform, teachers’ voices ought to be more integrated into basic education reform decisions, too.

Click here to read the full Joint Message (pdf)

Participation form

Education International

*International Labor Organization

Celebrate Teachers Worldwide on October 5th!

UNESCO, ILO*, UNICEF and UNDP released a joint message on the occasion of the 2006 World Teachers’ Day to celebrate the latter’s priceless contribution to learning and social development.

World Teachers’ Day was inaugurated in 1994 to commemorate the signing of the Joint ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers on 5 October 1966. The Recommendation calls for international attention to the issues and restrictions attached to the challenging working conditions of teachers worldwide.

National education systems have been obliged to reform in order to respond to the new socio-economic challenges of a rapidly globalizing world. Yet, the persistent shortage of qualified teachers remains a fundamental constraint to the development of societies. An estimated 18 million teachers at least will need to be recruited over the next decade if quality basic education for all is to be achieved. Poverty reduction efforts, and the improvement of life conditions for all with respect to the basic rights of children and the creation of decent work opportunities for women and men would all benefit from an increase in the number of teachers around the world.

The statement reminds us that, while the Recommendation must be used as one of the basic tools for education reform, teachers’ voices ought to be more integrated into basic education reform decisions, too.

Click here to read the full Joint Message (pdf)

Participation form

Education International

*International Labor Organization

UNESCO to promote tourism with heritage programme

UNESCO to promote tourism with heritage programme .:. NewKerala.Com, India News Channel:

"In an attempt to make Indian tourism pro-poor, pro-local and more ethnic the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Friday launched a heritage passport programme for four states.

'The program mandates to protect cultural heritage and promote creative diversity through education and cultural industries,' UNESCO country representative Minja Yang said at a symposium on heritage tourism organised jointly by her organisation and the Confederation of India Industry (CII) here."

UNESCO to promote tourism with heritage programme

UNESCO to promote tourism with heritage programme .:. NewKerala.Com, India News Channel:

"In an attempt to make Indian tourism pro-poor, pro-local and more ethnic the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Friday launched a heritage passport programme for four states.

'The program mandates to protect cultural heritage and promote creative diversity through education and cultural industries,' UNESCO country representative Minja Yang said at a symposium on heritage tourism organised jointly by her organisation and the Confederation of India Industry (CII) here."

THE UNITED STATES AND UNESCO: Beginnings (1945) and New Beginnings (2005)


Click here to download the 36 page Word for Windows document.

Ray Wanner, a Director of Americans for UNESCO, has many years of experience working on UNESCO affairs, both as a U.S. foreign service officer and as a foundation officer. He presented a shorter version of this paper at this year's meeting of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, sharing with the Commission members some of his understanding of the 60 years of UNESCO history.

The paper examines the founding of UNESCO in 1945 and the key role played by Archibald MacLeish and his US delegation in that process, It compares the UNESCO related events at the end of World War II to those of the 2003-2005 period. Ray concludes
"a clash of ideas and values.... constitutes a threat to peace and security. The threat is cultural in nature and UNESCO is a principal front on which to address it. MacLeish and his delegation can help –- by example. In London, they made every effort to distract delegates from the enormous economic and military power they represented and asked them rather to give attention to the force of their ideas and the collegiality and quality of their work. It was a successful formula. We have the intellectual resources to generate ideas as strong and work as admirable. We have the ability to prevail in any clash of ideas. But like MacLeish and his team, we will have to work at it very hard. And like them, we will have to understand and respect and then employ the multi-dimensioned subtleties of multilateral diplomacy. The stakes are high. The challenge is ours."

THE UNITED STATES AND UNESCO: Beginnings (1945) and New Beginnings (2005)


Click here to download the 36 page Word for Windows document.

Ray Wanner, a Director of Americans for UNESCO, has many years of experience working on UNESCO affairs, both as a U.S. foreign service officer and as a foundation officer. He presented a shorter version of this paper at this year's meeting of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, sharing with the Commission members some of his understanding of the 60 years of UNESCO history.

The paper examines the founding of UNESCO in 1945 and the key role played by Archibald MacLeish and his US delegation in that process, It compares the UNESCO related events at the end of World War II to those of the 2003-2005 period. Ray concludes
"a clash of ideas and values.... constitutes a threat to peace and security. The threat is cultural in nature and UNESCO is a principal front on which to address it. MacLeish and his delegation can help –- by example. In London, they made every effort to distract delegates from the enormous economic and military power they represented and asked them rather to give attention to the force of their ideas and the collegiality and quality of their work. It was a successful formula. We have the intellectual resources to generate ideas as strong and work as admirable. We have the ability to prevail in any clash of ideas. But like MacLeish and his team, we will have to work at it very hard. And like them, we will have to understand and respect and then employ the multi-dimensioned subtleties of multilateral diplomacy. The stakes are high. The challenge is ours."