UNESCO's first 45 years

UNESCO Courier, Nov, 1991 by Michel Conil Lacoste

General policy

* Meeting in Florence, the General Conference defines a "basic programme" of 120 activities grouped under 10 major tasks.

* The first UNESCO expert is sent into the field as part of the UN technical assistance programme on a scientific mission to Iran.

* The first conference of representatives of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) co-operating with UNESCO is held in Florence. Ever since its early days UNESCO has sought to collaborate with the NGOs, which constitute a precious link with specialists in UNESCO's fields of competence and help the Organization to accomplish its programme. In 1990, UNESCO was officially associated with 585 NGOs. In 1988-1989, from UNESCO's own resources, contracts amounting to almost $2.6 million were concluded with NGOs. During the same biennium subventions allocated by UNESCO to NGOs approached $4 million.

* The first regional conference of UNESCO National Commissions is held at Havana. The National Commissions are bodies established by Member States, in accordance with UNESCO's constitution, in order to associate their major institutions in education, science, culture and communication with UNESCO's work. UNESCO is the only specialized agency of the UN which has this system.

* UNESCO's Co-Action Programme is created to aid development projects in Member States. Between 1950 and 1990 $14,546,291 collected by national Co-Action partners, NGOs, schools, etc. have been allocated to several hundred projects.

Education

* A joint UNRWA-UNESCO education programme on behalf of Palestine refugee children in the Middle East is launched (UNRWA: the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East). In 1950-1951 there were 42,122 pupils in schools in refugee camps; today the figure is 370,600. 5,200 vocational and teacher training centres are involved in the programme.

Exact and natural sciences

* The first issue of the quarterly Impact of Science on Society appears.

Impact, today published in English, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Portuguese, presents to a wide audience the achievements of modern science and describes their impact on society, notably in the developing world.

Social sciences

* The first studies on social tensions, stereotypes and their connection with international understanding are undertaken, and UNESCO produces its first publications in this field (by Otto Klineberg, Margaret Mead, J. Stoetzel and others).

Culture

* The History of Mankind: Cultural and Scientific Development is launched under the responsibility of an international commission headed by P. de Berredo Carneiro. 6 volumes are published between 1963 and 1976 with the collaboration of a thousand specialists from over 60 countries. A new, updated edition is currently being prepared to take account of political changes and the latest historical research. The 48 quarterly issues of the Journal of World History, published as part of the project between 1953 and 1972, are still a valued information source.

Communication

* The "Florence Agreement" for the abolition of customs duties on certain educational, scientific and cultural materials (including books), to which over 79 countries are today contracting parties, is signed. This agreement, which comes into force in 1952, extends and strengthens the Beirut agreement.

1951

Education

* The UNESCO Institute of Education (UIE) is established in Hamburg. Today it is mainly concerned with research and documentation relating to lifelong education.

* UNESCO sets up in Mexico a Regional Centre for Fundamental Education in Latin America (CREFAL).

The first regional centre of its kind, it is mainly concerned with drawing up strategies and methodologies in the fields on fundamental education, community development and literacy work, and with the implementation of pilot experiments and the production of teaching materials. It later plays an important role in the major project for education in Latin America and the Caribbean launched by the General Conference at the beginning of the 1980s.

Exact and natural sciences

* The first session is held in Algiers of UNESCO's Advisory Committee on Arid Zone Research, which leads to the first development-oriented international scientific research programme. This is the first concerted attempt to combat desertification, a crucial problem in many Third World countries.

Social sciences

* Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, a member of the US delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations, takes part in an expert meeting at UNESCO on human rights, with Rene Cassin, Gianfranco Pompei, and Charles Malik.

Culture

* Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, opens the first public library

in Delhi, the result of a UNESCO pilot project.

1952

General policy

* The Director-General, Jaime Torres-Bodet (Mexico), resigns because of disagreement over the budget. John W. Taylor (U.S.A.) is appointed Acting Director-General.

* The Universal Copyright Convention is adopted at Geneva (revised 1971). In 1991, 84 States are Parties to the 1952 Convention, and 50 to the revised Convention.