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Ray
of Hope - An Introduction to UNESCO
The
abbreviation 'UNESCO' stands for the 'United Nations Organisation
for Education, Science, Culture and Communications'. The 'C' not
only stands for Culture and Communications, it also stands for UNESCO's
work in 'Information and Informatics'. Plus, UNESCO does wide-ranging
work in the fields of Human Rights, Peace Studies and Sustainable
Development as well.
The
Constitution
of UNESCO was signed in London on 16 November 1945 by 37 countries
and came into force on 4 November 1946 following ratification by
20 of its signatories. The governments solemnly declared: "Since
wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the
defences of peace must be constructed (...) A peace based exclusively
upon the political and economic arrangements of governments would
not be a peace which could secure the unanimous, lasting and sincere
support of the peoples of the world, and the peace must therefore
be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the intellectual and moral
solidarity of mankind". The governments signing the Constitution
believed "in full and equal opportunities for education for all,
in the unrestricted pursuit of objective truth and in the free exchange
of ideas and knowledge".
The
purpose of the Organization was defined as: "to contribute to peace
and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education,
science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice,
for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms
which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction
of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United
Nations".
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