UNESCO facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Flag of UNESCO
Abbreviation	UNESCO
Formation	16 November 1945; 79 years ago (1945-11-16)
Type	United Nations specialized agency
Legal status	Active
Headquarters	Paris, France
Director-General	Audrey Azoulay
Deputy Director-General	Xing Qu
Parent organization	United Nations Economic and Social Council
Staff (2022)	2,341
Website	unesco.org

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a special agency of the United Nations (UN). Its main goal is to help build world peace and safety. It does this by encouraging countries to work together in education, arts, sciences, and culture.

UNESCO has 194 member countries and 12 associate members. It also works with many other groups, including non-governmental organizations and private companies. UNESCO's main office is in Paris, France. It also has 53 offices around the world and 199 national groups that help with its work.

UNESCO was started in 1945 after World War II. Its mission was to promote peace, sustainable development (making sure our planet can support everyone for a long time), and human rights. It achieves this by helping countries talk to each other and work together. UNESCO focuses on five main areas: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication/information.

UNESCO supports projects that help people learn to read and write. It also provides technical training, helps science grow, and protects independent media and press freedom. The organization works to save regional and cultural history and promotes cultural diversity. A big part of its work is helping to find and protect World Heritage Sites, which are important places for culture and nature.

The General Conference, made up of all member countries, leads UNESCO. It meets every two years to decide on UNESCO's plans and budget. It also chooses members for the executive board, which manages UNESCO's daily work. Every four years, the General Conference picks a Director-General, who is the main leader of UNESCO.

How UNESCO Started and Grew

Early Ideas for Cooperation

The idea for UNESCO began in 1921 with the League of Nations. They wanted to create a group to see if countries could share their cultural, educational, and scientific achievements freely. This group, called the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation (ICIC), started in 1922. Famous people like Albert Einstein and Marie Curie were part of it.

Later, in 1924, the International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation (IIIC) was set up in Paris to carry out the ICIC's plans. However, World War II stopped much of their work. Another group, the International Bureau of Education (IBE), also worked on international education since 1925 and joined UNESCO in 1969.

UNESCO's Official Beginning

After World War II, leaders from different countries met in London from 1942 to 1945. They discussed the need for an international organization. In 1943, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the USSR agreed on this idea.

In November 1945, 44 governments met in London. They created the Constitution of UNESCO, and 37 countries signed it. UNESCO officially began on November 4, 1946, when 20 countries had agreed to its Constitution.

The first big meeting of UNESCO happened from November to December 1946. Julian Huxley was chosen as the first Director-General. In 1954, a change was made so that members of UNESCO's executive board would represent their governments, not just act as individuals. This helped countries work together more closely.

UNESCO's Important Work Over Time

UNESCO has done a lot of important work. For example, it has fought against racism. It published statements on race, starting in 1950, to show that humans are not naturally violent. In 1955, Republic of South Africa left UNESCO because of these statements but rejoined in 1994 under Nelson Mandela.

In education, UNESCO started a project in Haiti in 1947 to help people learn basic skills. In 1948, it suggested that countries should make free primary education required for all children. In 1990, the World Conference on Education for All started a global effort to provide basic education for everyone. In 2000, countries promised to achieve basic education for all by 2015.

UNESCO also adopted the World Declaration on Higher Education in 1998. This declaration set global standards for what higher education should be like and how accessible it should be.

In culture, UNESCO launched a big project in 1960 to save the Monuments of Nubia. They moved 22 ancient monuments, including the Great Temple of Abu Simbel, to protect them from being flooded by a new dam. This led to the 1972 agreement to protect World Heritage Sites. The World Heritage Committee was set up in 1976, and the first sites were added to the World Heritage List in 1978.

UNESCO also helped create the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in 1954. It also worked on projects to study dry areas and how science affects society.

In 1968, UNESCO held the first meeting to discuss how to balance protecting the environment with development. This led to the Man and the Biosphere Programme.

UNESCO has always promoted the "free flow of ideas." After World War II, they focused on rebuilding communication systems. In the 1950s, UNESCO started training journalists. It also created the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) to help media grow in developing countries. In 1993, UNESCO supported the Windhoek Declaration on media independence, which led to World Press Freedom Day on May 3 each year.

UNESCO in the 21st Century

Changes in Member Countries

In 2011, UNESCO accepted Palestine as a member. Because of laws in the United States, this meant the U.S. could not give money to UNESCO. So, the United States stopped its funding, which was about 22% of UNESCO's budget. Israel also stopped its payments.

In 2013, the United States and Israel lost their voting rights in UNESCO because they had not paid their dues. In 2019, Israel left UNESCO. Israel's ambassador said UNESCO was "rewriting history" and acting against Israel.

In 2023, the United States announced it would rejoin UNESCO and pay its past dues. It was readmitted in July 2023. However, in July 2025, the United States again said it would leave UNESCO, with the withdrawal planned for December 2026.

In 2023, Russia was not re-elected to the executive committee. In May 2025, Nicaragua announced its plan to withdraw from UNESCO, effective December 2026.

Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development

During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNESCO restarted its MONDIACULT Conferences. These meetings focus on cultural policies and sustainable development. The first one was in 1982, and it was held again in Mexico in 2022. Another meeting is planned for 2025 in Spain.

What UNESCO Does

UNESCO offices in Brasília.

UNESCO works in five main areas: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information.

• Education: UNESCO supports research in education and helps countries improve their education systems. This includes:

* The UNESCO Chairs network, which connects over 770 universities in 126 countries. * The Convention against Discrimination in Education, adopted in 1960. * Organizing the International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) every 12 years. * Publishing reports like the Education for All Global Monitoring Report. * The Four Pillars of Learning document, which is very important. * UNESCO ASPNet, a network of over 12,000 schools in 182 countries. * UNESCO does not officially approve colleges or universities.

• Public Statements: UNESCO also makes public statements to teach people. For example, the Seville Statement on Violence (1989) said that humans are not naturally violent.

• Protecting Important Places: UNESCO names places and projects that are important for culture and science. These include:

* Global Geoparks Network * Biosphere reserves, through the Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB). * City of Literature (Edinburgh was the first in 2007). * Projects for Endangered languages (like the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger). * Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. * Memory of the World International Register, which protects important documents and archives. * Water resources management through the International Hydrological Programme (IHP). * World Heritage Sites. * World Digital Library.

• Promoting Free Flow of Ideas: UNESCO encourages the sharing of ideas through images and words by:

* Supporting freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and freedom of information legislation. * Working to keep journalists safe and making sure those who attack them are held responsible. * Helping people access and save information, and promoting open solutions for development. * Encouraging different viewpoints, gender equality, and cultural diversity in the media. * Promoting Internet Universality, meaning the internet should be based on human rights, be open, accessible to all, and involve many different groups (R.O.A.M. principles). * Creating reports and studies on media freedom and development.

• Organizing Events: UNESCO promotes many international events, such as:

* International Decade for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001–2010). * World Press Freedom Day (May 3). * Criança Esperança in Brazil, which raises money for community projects. * International Literacy Day (September 8). * International Year for the Culture of Peace (2000). * A health education program in Kenya for young people. * World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (May 21).

• Starting and Funding Projects: UNESCO also starts and funds various projects, including:

* The Migration Museums Initiative. * UNESCO-CEPES, a center for higher education in Europe. * The Free Software Directory, which lists free computer software. * FRESH, focusing on school health. * UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors. * The UNESCO Collection of Representative Works, which translated world literature.

UNESCO has a transparency portal where you can find information about its activities and budget.

New Ideas for UNESCO Lists

Two new lists have been suggested for UNESCO. One would focus on movable cultural items like paintings and artifacts. The other would list the world's living species.

UNESCO Publications

UNESCO publishes several magazines.

The UNESCO Courier magazine, started in 1945, aims to share UNESCO's ideas and create a space for different cultures to talk. Since 2006, it has been available for free online.

In 1950, UNESCO started Impact of Science on Society to discuss how science affects society. This journal stopped publishing in 1992.

UNESCO's Official Partners

UNESCO works closely with 322 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Some of the closest partners have "formal associate" relations and even have offices at UNESCO. These include:

• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies (CIPSH)
• International Council of Museums (ICOM)
• International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
• International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
• International Music Council (IMC)
• International Science Council (ISC)
• International Theatre Institute (ITI)
• International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
• World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO)
• World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (WFUCA)

UNESCO Institute for Water Education in Delft

UNESCO Institutes and Centers

UNESCO has special institutes and centers that help with its programs. They provide expert support to offices around the world. Some examples are:

• International Bureau of Education (IBE) in Geneva
• UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in Hamburg
• UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) in Paris
• Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) in New Delhi
• UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Bonn
• IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education in Delft
• International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste
• UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) in Montreal

UNESCO Awards and Prizes

UNESCO gives out 26 prizes for achievements in education, sciences, culture, communication, and peace. Some of these include:

Education Prizes

• UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize
• UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy
• UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development
• UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education

Science Prizes

• L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards
• UNESCO/Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science
• UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences
• UNESCO/Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation

Social Sciences and Culture Prizes

• UNESCO Avicenna Prize for Ethics in Science
• UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence
• UNESCO/International José Martí Prize
• Melina Mercouri International Prize for Cultural Landscapes

Communication and Information Prizes

• UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
• UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize

Peace Prizes

• Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize

International Days UNESCO Observes

UNESCO observes many international days throughout the year to raise awareness about important topics:

• January 24: International Day of Education
• February 13: World Radio Day
• February 21: International Mother Language Day
• March 8: International Women's Day
• March 21: World Poetry Day
• April 23: World Book and Copyright Day
• May 3: World Press Freedom Day
• May 21: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
• June 5: World Environment Day
• June 8: World Oceans Day
• September 8: International Literacy Day
• October 5: World Teachers' Day
• November 10: World Science Day for Peace and Development
• December 10: Human Rights Day

UNESCO Member Countries

     UNESCO member states      UNESCO member state dependent territory with separate NOC      UNESCO associates      UNESCO observers

As of July 2023, UNESCO has 194 member countries and 12 associate members. Most UN member countries are part of UNESCO, except for Liechtenstein and Israel. Cook Islands, Niue, and Palestine are also members. Israel left UNESCO on December 31, 2018.

Nicaragua announced in May 2025 that it plans to leave UNESCO by December 31, 2026. The United States left UNESCO in 1984, rejoined in 2003, left again in 2018, and rejoined in 2023. In July 2025, the United States again said it would withdraw, with the withdrawal planned for December 31, 2026.

UNESCO's Leaders

Director-General

Since 1946, there have been 11 Directors-General of UNESCO. Nine were men and two were women. They have come from different parts of the world.

The current Director-General is Audrey Azoulay from France, who started in 2017.

Directors-General of UNESCO

Order	Image	Name	Country	Term
1st		Julian Huxley	United Kingdom	1946–1948
2nd		Jaime Torres Bodet	Mexico	1948–1952
–		John Wilkinson Taylor	United States	acting 1952–1953
3rd		Luther Evans	United States	1953–1958
4th		Vittorino Veronese	Italy	1958–1961
5th		René Maheu	France	acting 1961; 1961–1974
6th		Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow	Senegal	1974–1987
7th		Federico Mayor Zaragoza	Spain	1987–1999
8th		Koïchiro Matsuura	Japan	1999–2009
9th		Irina Bokova	Bulgaria	2009–2017
10th		Audrey Azoulay	France	2017–Incumbent

General Conference Meetings

The General Conference is where all member countries meet to make big decisions for UNESCO. They meet every two years.

Session	Location	Year	Chaired by	from
1st	Paris	1946	Léon Blum	France
2nd	Mexico City	1947	Manuel Gual Vidal	Mexico
3rd	Beirut	1948	Hamid Bey Frangie	Lebanon
1st extraordinary	Paris	1948
4th	Paris	1949	Edward Ronald Walker	Australia
5th	Florence	1950	Stefano Jacini	Italy
6th	Paris	1951	Howland H. Sargeant	United States
7th	Paris	1952	Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan	India
2nd extraordinary	Paris	1953
8th	Montevideo	1954	Justino Zavala Muniz	Uruguay
9th	New Delhi	1956	Abul Kalam Azad	India
10th	Paris	1958	Jean Berthoin	France
11th	Paris	1960	Akale-Work Abte-Wold	Ethiopia
12th	Paris	1962	Paulo de Berrêdo Carneiro	Brazil
13th	Paris	1964	Norair Sisakian	Soviet Union
14th	Paris	1966	Bedrettin Tuncel	Turkey
15th	Paris	1968	William Eteki Mboumoua	Cameroon
16th	Paris	1970	Atilio Dell'Oro Maini	Argentina
17th	Paris	1972	Toru Haguiwara	Japan
3rd extraordinary	Paris	1973
18th	Paris	1974	Magda Jóború	Hungary
19th	Nairobi	1976	Taaita Toweett	Kenya
20th	Paris	1978	Napoléon LeBlanc	Canada
21st	Belgrade	1980	Ivo Margan	Yugoslavia
4th extraordinary	Paris	1982
22nd	Paris	1983	Saïd Tell	Jordan
23rd	Sofia	1985	Nikolai Todorov	Bulgaria
24th	Paris	1987	Guillermo Putzeys Alvarez	Guatemala
25th	Paris	1989	Anwar Ibrahim	Malaysia
26th	Paris	1991	Bethwell Allan Ogot	Kenya
27th	Paris	1993	Ahmed Saleh Sayyad	Yemen
28th	Paris	1995	Torben Krogh	Denmark
29th	Paris	1997	Eduardo Portella	Brazil
30th	Paris	1999	Jaroslava Moserová	Czech Republic
31st	Paris	2001	Ahmad Jalali	Iran
32nd	Paris	2003	Michael Omolewa	Nigeria
33rd	Paris	2005	Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan	Oman
34th	Paris	2007	Georgios Anastassopoulos	Greece
35th	Paris	2009	Davidson Hepburn	Bahamas
36th	Paris	2011	Katalin Bogyay	Hungary
37th	Paris	2013	Hao Ping	China
38th	Paris	2015	Stanley Mutumba Simataa	Namibia
39th	Paris	2017	Zohour Alaoui	Morocco
40th	Paris	2019	Ahmet Altay Cengizer	Turkey
41st	Paris	2021	Santiago Irazabal Mourão	Brazil
42nd	Paris	2023	Simona Miculescu	Romania

Executive Board Members

The Executive Board helps manage UNESCO's work. Members are elected every two years and serve for four years.

UNESCO Offices Around the World

The Garden of Peace at UNESCO headquarters

UNESCO's main office is in Place de Fontenoy in Paris, France. Many architects helped design it. It has a "Garden of Peace" that was a gift from Japan. This garden was designed by a Japanese-American artist named Isamu Noguchi. In 1994–1995, a special meditation room was built by Tadao Ando.

UNESCO also has many offices around the world. These "field offices" help UNESCO work with different countries and regions. They are grouped into cluster offices, national offices, regional bureaus, and liaison offices.

Offices in Africa

• Abidjan – Office for Côte d'Ivoire
• Abuja – Office for Nigeria
• Accra – Office for Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo
• Addis Ababa – Office that works with the African Union
• Bamako – Office for Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger
• Brazzaville – Office for the Republic of the Congo
• Dakar – Regional Education Office for Africa and other countries
• Nairobi – Regional Science Office for Africa and other countries

Offices in Arab States

• Amman – Office for Jordan
• Beirut – Regional Education Office for Arab States and other countries
• Cairo – Regional Science Office for Arab States and other countries
• Doha – Office for Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen
• Rabat – Office for Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia

Offices in Asia and Pacific

• Almaty – Office for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
• Apia – Office for Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, and many other Pacific island nations
• Bangkok – Regional Education Office for Asia and the Pacific and other countries
• Beijing – Office for North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, China, and South Korea
• New Delhi – Office for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka
• Jakarta – Regional Science Office for Asia and the Pacific and other countries

Offices in Europe and North America

• Brussels – Office that works with the European Union
• Geneva – Office that works with the United Nations in Geneva
• New York City – Office that works with the United Nations in New York
• Venice – Regional Science and Culture Office for Europe

Offices in Latin America and the Caribbean

Carondelet Palace, Presidential Palace – with changing of the guards. The Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador, is one of the largest, least-altered and best-preserved historic centres in the Americas. This centre was, together with the historic centre of Kraków in Poland, the first to be declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO on 18 September 1978.

• Brasília – Office for Brazil
• Havana – Regional Culture Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and other countries
• Kingston – Office for Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, and many other Caribbean nations
• Mexico City – Office for Mexico
• Montevideo – Regional Science Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and other countries
• Quito – Office for Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela
• Santiago de Chile – Regional Education Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and Office for Chile

UNESCO's Digital Tools

UNESCO offers digital tools to help people access information.

• UNESDOC Database: This online library has over 146,000 UNESCO documents. You can read them all online.
• Information Processing Tools: UNESCO also creates free software for managing databases and analyzing data. These include CDS/ISIS and OpenIDAMS.

Images for kids

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  UNESCO logo

See also

In Spanish: Unesco para niños