The
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the
rule of law, and human rights along with fundamental
freedom proclaimed in the
United Nations Charter. It is the heir of the
League of Nations'
International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.
UNESCO has 195 member states and nine associate members.
Most of the field offices are "cluster" offices covering three or more countries; there are also national and regional offices.
UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs:
education,
natural sciences,
social/
human sciences,
culture, and
communication/
information.
Projects sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical, and teacher-training program; international science program; the promotion of independent media and
freedom of the press; regional and cultural history projects; the promotion of
cultural diversity; translations of world literature; international cooperation agreements to secure the world
cultural and
natural heritage (
World Heritage Sites) and to preserve human rights, and attempts to bridge the
worldwide digital divide. It is also a member of the
United Nations Development Group.
UNESCO's aim is "to contribute to the building of
peace, the
eradication of poverty,
sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information".
Other priorities of the organization include attaining quality
Education For All and
lifelong learning, addressing emerging social and ethical challenges, fostering
cultural diversity, a culture of peace and building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication.
The broad goals and concrete objectives of the international community — as set out in the internationally agreed development goals, including the
Millennium Development Goals (MDG) — underpin all UNESCO's strategies and activities.