United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Topic 1: Safeguarding endangered languages and dialects

 

Topic 2: Measures to achieve Global Education for girls by 2030

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) originated from the interest of European powers to reconstruct their systems of education and culture after the Second World War (WWII). In 1942, when the European powers confronting Germany met  for the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME) they devised strategies to rebuild their education systems once peace was restored. The project soon gained popularity, and states outside of Europe, like the United States of America (USA) , joined in . 

 

After the proposal of the CAME, the UN established a conference in 1945, which was meant to discuss education and culture. It was attended by representatives of forty four member states, who decided to design a new organization whose goal was to establish the “intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind”. This new organization was the UNESCO, whose constitution was signed on November 16th, 1945. 

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The political polarisation caused by the Second World War was reflected in the list of founding states of UNESCO. It was only after 1951 that Japan, the Federal Republic of Germany and Spain were accepted. The USSR joined in 1954, and was later replaced by the Russian federation and 12 former soviet nations. 

Some member states abandoned UNESCO for political reasons throughout history, but they all rejoined. These nations include South Africa, who withdrew from 1957 to 1994, USA, who left between 1985 to 2003 and the UK who was absent from 1986 to 1997.