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Worldwide Action in Education
YOU and UNESCO |
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Worldwide Action in Education
YOU and UNESCO |
This programme is designed to strengthen partnership between Member States, or between NGOs and UNESCO, by contributing mutually to its implementation. This co-operation is based on a written agreement between UNESCO and the government(s) or the intergovernmental organization or international non-governmental organization or institution concerned. Such agreements may also be concluded with a national commission for UNESCO when duly empowered by the government of the Member State or Associate Member making the request.
Participation may take a variety of forms: the provision of specialists or fellowships, or of equipment and documentation; the organization of meetings, conferences, seminars or training courses (translation and interpretation services, travel of participants or consultants, other services deemed necessary by common consent). UNESCO can also endeavour to meet exceptional situations through emergency assistance.
The Participation Programme is being increasingly used to fund activities aimed at supporting the development efforts of the Member States at the country level and at strengthening the national commissions. This is the reason for the substantial increase in the volume of its resources. In education alone these have been doubled, rising from $4 million to $8 million for the 1994-1995 biennium.
UNESCO Clubs are groups of people of all ages and social and professional
backgrounds who share UNESCO's ideals, endeavour to make it known
and associate themselves with its work by undertaking activities
directly inspired by those of the Organization. Up to 1993 there
were about 4,000 Clubs in more than 110 countries representing
different regions.
The UNESCO Club is a centre for lifelong education. It aims to
get its members to think and to work with open-mindedness and
an understanding of other people.
Most Clubs are to be found in secondary schools, with a few in
primary schools or universities, although there are many for working
men and women, organized in cultural or social centres, popular
education movements, factories, workers' groups, libraries, information
centres, voluntary associations, etc. A 'World Federation of UNESCO
Clubs and Associations' was founded in 1981; its General Secretariat
is located in Paris at UNESCO's Headquarters.
UNESCO's rule has always been to respect the Clubs' freedom. It
therefore refuses to become unduly involved in their establishment
and development.
However, it does try to help them whenever the occasion rises.
UNESCO encourages initiative, suggests where it believes the establishment
of new Clubs is desirable, replies to requests for advice on activity
programmes. It attempts to establish a two-way flow of information
with the Federations or Clubs. UNESCO makes available to all Clubs,
free of charge, publications of general interest about the Organization.
Those wishing to set up a UNESCO Club should get in touch with
their National Commission which will give them the necessary information
and advice.
A guide to some of the activities of UNESCO Clubs
Listed below, as a guide, are some of the activities which have been successfully undertaken by UNESCO Clubs representing an extremely wide variety of members, age-groups and geographical locations.
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| New Initiatives |
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In many countries ancient craft professions reflecting deep cultural
roots are disappearing and are being replaced by modern, industrialized
goods. In an attempt to sensitize young people to the valuable
role of craft professions in nurturing cultural identity, ensuring
a link between the past and the present, developing an appreciation
for aesthetics, craftsmanship, and enhancing our universal cultural
heritage, an ASP interregional pilot project on education and
craft professions is currently underway in several countries around
the world.
THE ASP North/South Dialogue and Support Programme (NSP) provides schools with a unique opportunity to establish a direct link with a school in another continent interested in exchanging views and similar ideas on topics of world concern, promoting international understanding and taking part in solidarity projects. Come Visit our Country is a new series of booklets prepared for young people and by young people. Each booklet presents ASP students' views of their family life, school life, community life, places of interest in their country, their preferences with regard to literature, music, films, etc., their preoccupations and aspirations for the future. Booklets on Sweden are now available and booklets on India, Morocco and Senegal will soon be available upon their publication. |
In the Member States, many individuals and institutions in the private sector currently support this programme. However modest their aid - whether it is intended for the repair of a village school or the supply of a length of jute for young blind women - it is always a practical contribution to development.
Every year, some one hundred projects receive financial aid through the UNESCO Co-Action Programme. For this purpose $1,000,000 are raised and distributed annually.
The programme is administered by a special section of the UNESCO Secretariat; all administrative costs are borne by UNESCO.
Some 10,000 suppliers and 2,000 institutions regularly use UNESCO coupons. The system is administered in each user country by a responsible body (usually the relevant National Commission for UNESCO).
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