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The German Commission for UNESCO
was founded on May 12, 1950, preceding
Germany’s official admission
to UNESCO on June 11, 1951. As a
result of German unification, it integrated
the functions of the dissolved
GDR National Commission into its
structure.
The German Commission for UNESCO
has a liaison function for German Multilateral
Foreign Cultural Policy. Its regular
budget is financed by the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. It is a registered organization
with up to 100 members
comprising representatives of the German
Federal Government and the governments
of the Laender, representatives
of institutions working at an international
or federal level within
UNESCO’s fields of competence as
well as experts for UNESCO’s major
programmes. Since 2002, Walter
Hirche has been the President of the
German Commission. Secretary-General
is Dr. Roland Bernecker (since
December 2004). The Secretariat of
the German Commission for UNESCO,
with about 20 staff members, has its
headquarters in Bonn. The Bureau and
the Executive Committee of the Commission
are appointed by the General
Assembly meeting once a year.
Activities of the German Commission
for UNESCO cover each of UNESCO’s
major programme areas: Education,
Natural and Social Sciences, Culture,
Communication and Information.
Purposes and Functions
The German Commission for UNESCO
is the national advisory, liaison, information
and executive body for all
fields of UNESCO’s programme. It
co-ordinates German contributions,
sends experts to UNESCO, organizes
expert meetings and exhibitions
and ensures public information about
UNESCO in German language.
The Commission’s main functions are:
■ to advise the German Federal
Government, the Laender Ministries
for Education, Science and
Culture, as well as other competent
institutions on all matters concerning
UNESCO,
■ to organize and implement
UNESCO’s programmes in the
Federal Republic of Germany,
■ to promote international collaboration
in Germany, and to establish
cooperation between UNESCO
and German organizations and institutions,
1945
Foundation of
UNESCO. On the
16th November,
UNESCO’s Constitution
is signed in
London by 37 countries.
The Upper Middle Rhine Valley
Photo: Hans-J. Aubert
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