UNESCO

Commemorative
set of stamps
designed
at UNESCO
Headquarters
for the 70th
anniversary of
the Organization.
144
2015
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EDUCATION
NATURAL SCIENCES
CULTURE
COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION
SOCIAL & HUMAN SCIENCES
A conference held on 28 and
29 October, ‘Making a Difference: 70 Years
of UNESCO Actions’, examined the impact
of UNESCO’s ideas and initiatives on the
world. How have UNESCO’s values and
ideals been translated into practice over
the past 70 years? Why does history
matter for UNESCO? These questions were
2015
UN
2015
UN
2015
UN
2015
UN
2015
UN
$ 1.20
$ 1.20
$ 1.20
$ 1.20
$ 1.20
EDUCATION
NATURAL SCIENCES
CULTURE
COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION
SOCIAL & HUMAN SCIENCES
addressed by an international group of
researchers, covering a wide range of
topics from World Heritage conservation
to post-conflict reconstruction, from
peace building to dissemination
of knowledge.
These researchers are working on
a new history of UNESCO, covering not
only its ideas but also their relevance and
their impact on the ground. The great
Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez
commented in an interview in the UNESCO
Courier in 1991 that since its creation,
UNESCO has sought to ‘build a utopia
that would allow us to share an Earth
on which no one would take decisions
for other people’. Although it is much
easier to describe UNESCO’s projects and
programmes, or to outline their results,
than to study the Organization’s ethical
impact, a full history of UNESCO must
take account of the more intangible
aspects of its influence.
The 38th session of UNESCO’s
General Conference took place from 3 to
18 November. On 16 and 17 November
this anniversary conference included a
Leaders’ Forum which gathered a record
number of Heads of State and Government
at UNESCO. Together they denounced
terrorism and expressed determination to
work with the Organization to promote
dialogue, education and the safeguarding
of cultural heritage in its diversity. The
leaders had come to Paris for the 70th
anniversary of UNESCO and took part in
an event that was marked by mourning
for the victims of the terrorist attacks that
struck the French capital on 13 November.
The Director-General of UNESCO
reiterated the Organization’s solidarity
with France and the victims of terror
everywhere when she introduced an
evening programme that featured a
performance by the World Orchestra for
Peace, which has been designated an
UNESCO Artist for Peace.
During this meeting, the world’s
leaders spoke about the actions of
UNESCO since its creation 70 years ago,