The UK National Commission for UNESCO

As an independent body, the Commission is the principle adviser to and works closely in partnership with UK government, enabling it to engage UK organisations in education, science, culture and communication & information. The Commission works within the context of the Government's main objectives in its relationship with UNESCO: to develop UK input to UNESCO policy-making and debate, to build a more effective UNESCO and to encourage support in the UK for UNESCO's ideals and work.

The Commission is governed by a Board of Directors and operations four sectoral committees (Education, Sciences, Culture and Communication & Information), two cross-sectoral committees (UNESCO Chairs and Peace) and two country committees (Wales and Scotland).

The Commission is part of the global community of 195 UNESCO National Commissions, each acting as an essential partner to UNESCO in its respective country to engage key national actors towards achieving UNESCO's ideal of promoting the inseparable goals of peace, mutual understanding and equitable and sustainable human development.

The Commission is not an internal part of UNESCO. Rather, it is an essential partner to UNESCO and acts as a catalyst to involve key national players in the Organization’s five programme sectors – education, natural sciences, social & human sciences, culture and communication & information. National Commissions are unique to UNESCO in the UN system.

BRIEF HISTORY

1945 The UK was one of the founding members of UNESCO.

In the wake of the 1939-45 world war the Governments of the UK and France convened a conference with a view to setting up an organisation dedicated to education and culture. 44 countries were represented at this conference, held in London from 1 to 16 November 1945.

Two British scientists Sir Julian Huxley (biologist, 1887-1975) and Dr Joseph Needham (scientist and sinologist, 1900-1995) put the “S” into UNESCO, ensuring science was included in the founding of the Organization in 1945.

Sir Julian Huxley was the first Director-General of UNESCO (1947-8) and Dr Joseph Needham the first head of UNESCO’s Science Division.

The Constitution of UNESCO was signed in the Great Hall of the Institute of Civil Engineers in London on 16 November 1945 by 37 countries and came into force on 4 November 1946 following ratification by 20 signatories.

1985 - 1997 The UK Government withdrew from UNESCO at the end of 1985 on the grounds of its reservations regarding UNESCO policy of the day. The United States withdrew a year earlier for the same reason.

Nevertheless, there remained UK interest in UNESCO, both through the ad hoc activity of individuals and through the specific actions of the civil society organisation Friends of UNESCO. In May 1997, with the new Labour Government, Clare Short announced the UK’s intention to return to UNESCO. The return occurred in short order.

1997 - 2003 In its initial form, the Commission operated between 2000 and 2003. While work began with enthusiasm, difficulties arose which caused it to be discontinued in March 2003. A year-long campaign to re-establish the Commission started.

2004 The current Commission was formally re-established by Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for International Development, on 31st March 2004.

2006 As of October 2006, the UK National Commission for UNESCO is a private company (registered in England and Wales) limited by guarantee (not for profit).

OBJECTIVES

The Commission is an independent body. It works in partnership with Government and UK civil society with the overarching objectives of developing UK input into UNESCO policy making; effecting reforms in UNESCO; and encouraging support in the UK for UNESCO's ideals and work. In particular, it works in close collaboration with the Department for International Development's (DFID) UK Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in Paris.

The main objectives are:

to provide expert analysis, comment and advice as input to UK policy-making on key UNESCO Programmes and issues;
to bring to the attention of relevant Government Departments aspects of UK policy towards UNESCO or matters in which UNESCO has a legitimate interest which in its opinion need to be reviewed or enhanced by Government;
to participate as far as practical in UNESCO’s programmes, their preparation and evaluation, in debates and in decision-making activities;
to develop a capacity to reach out as broadly as possible to UK civil society, through a wide variety of channels, to enable as many people and organisations as possible to understand more about UNESCO, and to participate as widely as possible in its programmes and debates;
to facilitate the management of UNESCO activities in the UK ;
to develop constructive working relationships both with the UNESCO Secretariat and with other National Commissions.

STRUCTURE

The Commission is governed by a Board of Directors currently chaired by Professor Alec Boksenberg CBE FRS FInstP. The Board currently has nine non-Executive Directors.

The Commission operates four sectoral committees (Education, Sciences, Culture and Communication & Information), two cross-sectoral committees (UNESCO Chairs and Peace) and two country committees (Wales and Scotland). Members of sectoral and country committees are all voluntary experts.

Work of the Commission is supported by a Secretariat with five full-time salaried staff members. The Secretariat acts as point of coordination in day-to-day matters, liaison and carries forward agreed programmes and activities of the Commission. (more)

Download
DFID Strategy paper: Working in Partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
Memorandum and Articles of Association of the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO