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Network Link - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012
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Dear Colleagues,
With your support, 2012 has been a successful year for the UK National Commission for UNESCO (UKNC).
Over the past twelve months we've launched and developed our policy brief series, which has already had an impact on UNESCO reform at the UNESCO Executive Board and in UNESCO's "Priority Gender" review process. We've ensured a strong UK voice and presence at two UNESCO Executive Boards and multiple UNESCO meetings in the sciences, journalist safety, World Heritage and more. New UNESCO designations in the UK have been announced, including Norwich City of Literature and Galloway and southern Ayrshire Biosphere. These and our many other collective achievements have been possible through the dedication and enthusiasm of the UK Network of civil society experts such as yourselves.
We're pleased to round off the year with this edition of Network Link. We look forward to building on this success in 2013, which promises to be a busy year with the publication of the updated UK Multilateral Aid Review (MAR) on UNESCO and the 37th UNESCO General Conference. Until then,
Happy Christmas and New Year Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda Professor W. John Morgan James Bridge Chairman, UK National Commission for UNESCO Chief Executive/Secrétaire Général
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News from the Network
News and events from the UK UNESCO Network
Have news or an event you would like included in the next UKNC update? Email iwhite@unesco.org.uk
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UNESCO Events
Key forthcoming UNESCO events
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UNESCO Publications
Selection of recent UNESCO publications
Culture
Social and Human SciencesCommunication and Information
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 Updates on our work
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UNESCO has made gender equality one of its two global priorities. Against what criteria should its performance be measured? A new UKNC policy brief outlines 10 questions which are recommended for inclusion in the forthcoming evaluations by UNESCO and the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The brief draws on the substantial body of academic research and policy debate in the context of UNESCO and DFID review processes.
This brief is contributing to UNESCO's internal review of its global priority Gender Equality, which follows the recent assessment of its other global priority, Africa.
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UKNC Chairman Professor W John Morgan has been invited to join the Director General of UNESCO's international expert panel on Rethinking Education in a Changing World. The panel of thirteen experts, which also includes the UN Secretary General's Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, Ms Amina Mohamed of Nigeria; Former Minister of Education of Russia, Mr Vladimir Filippov; General Secretary of Education International, Mr Fred van Leeuwen and; Former Minister of Education and Cultures of Ecuador, Ms Rosa-Maria Torres, will revisit the 1972 Faure and 1996 Delors Reports. These were major UNESCO-commissioned publications on the future of education. The panel will meet regularly in 2013 to produce an updated report for educators, policy-makers and academics.
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Since the adoption of the World Heritage Convention in 1972, the perception of what constitutes 'heritage' has undergone dramatic change. On 1 December UKNC Director for Culture Sue Davies chaired the final panel discussion at an international conference discussing this and other issues relating to the role of World Heritage in the UK in the coming decades. The event, World Heritage for Tomorrow, was organised by ICOMOS-UK, The Open University and UCL. Among other topics, the conference reflected on how the UK might contribute to broader international debates on sustainability and the evolving role of World Heritage. The conference also highlighted the need for all organisations to work in partnership, a view promoted strongly by Baroness Andrews, Chair of English Heritage.
Ms Davies and Dr Christopher Young (Head of International Advice, English Heritage) also attended the meeting 'World Heritage Convention: Thinking Ahead' at UNESCO in Paris in early October. The meeting, part of discussions on change and reform, was convened by the Director-General with the World Heritage Convention's Advisory Bodies and member states.
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© UNIS, Opening Session. From left to right: Johannes Kyrle, Vice-Chancellour and State Secretary, Austria - Janis Karklins, Assistant Director General for Communication and Information, UNESCO - Jane Connors, Chief, Special Procedures Branch, OHCHR, Geneva - Adam Rogers, Head of Unit, Strategic Communication Coordinator, UNDP, Geneva - Sylvie Coudray, Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression, UNESCO
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A UN-wide plan to create a safer working environment for journalists was given new momentum at a UNESCO-organised meeting in Vienna from 22-23 November. The meeting brought together representatives from 15 UN bodies, two UN Special Rapporteurs and more than 40 NGOs and independent experts. As part of its long-standing policy work on journalist safety the UKNC supported the attendance of Professor Ivor Gaber, UK Representative to the UNESCO International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). The meeting discussed the implementation strategy for the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. The implementation strategy outlines more than 100 areas of work by different UN agencies and civil society groups to secure the safety of journalists. The UN Plan of Action is the result of a process that began in 2010 with a proposal put forward by the UK at the IPDC with the backing of the UKNC.
Read on...
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Lanark Bridge digital scan
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The UKNC policy brief Using Remote Access Technologies is now been available online. This brief is based on lessons learnt from the 'Remote Access to World Heritage Sites - St Kilda to Uluru Conference', which fostered an international discussion on remote access and new technologies for World Heritage Sites. Remote access is a major tool for sustainable tourism that will bring economic benefits to local communities, according to this brief.
The brief was produced by the UKNC Scotland Committee with funding from the Scottish Government. A brief on running more effective international conferences, which also draws on the experiences of the St Kilda to Uluru Conference, has also been published.
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Mr James Bridge with delegates from Korea, China, Thailand and Japan, including the Korean National Commission Deputy Secretary General Mr Utak Chung, Head of International Mr Jinsung Jeon, Head of Culture and Communication Team Mr Kwi-bae Kim and Assistant Programme Specialist, Ms Ho Hee Cho. Mr Utak Chung will begin his term as the Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (Category II Centre, located in Seoul) from 24 December 2012. Photo reproduced by kind permission of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO.
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The Korean National Commission for UNESCO hosted an annual international workshop of National Commissions this November. The meeting in the Republic of Korea, which was attended by UKNC Chief Executive James Bridge, brought together the National Commissions of Korea, Thailand, China, Japan and the UK. The National Commissions were kindly invited by the Korean hosts to present on their work and discuss areas for potential cooperation and sharing of best practice, including on an inter-regional basis. It was the first time in 30 years that the workshop had been run with this format. Mr Bridge had the honour of meeting and discussing mutual priorities with the new Korean National Commission for UNESCO Secretary-General, Mr Dong-seok Min.
The trip featured workshops to share the extensive activities of the Korean National Commission, seminars with experts and senior officials, working trips to local World Heritage Sites and attending the World Humanities Forum, where UNESCO Deputy Director-General Mr Getachew Engida spoke. A thematic discussion on reform of UNESCO's relationship with National Commissions was held, which feeds into a global UNESCO review on this subject. Mr Bridge also presented to a class at Haegang High School, Busan, Korea about UK World Heritage Sites and their wider value, including a discussion about Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, UK.
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 | | Writers, Writers' Centre Norwich stakeholders, bid supporters and MP for Norwich North, Chloe Smith MP at launch event outside House of Lords. From left: George Szirtes, Anjali Joseph, Neel Mukherjee, Andrew Cowan, Elif Shafak, Helen Lax, Brenda Arthur, Laura McGillivray, Chris Gribble, Chloe Smith and Alex Preston. |
Norwich City of Literature, the UK's newest edition to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, was launched at the House of Lords on 5th November. Kindly hosted by Baroness Hollis of Heigham, the event was an opportunity to introduce Norwich to newcomers and showcase the city's unique literary heritage and status as a literary hub.
Baroness Hollis' speech encompassed the history of the city, including the subversive nature of Norwich, and the writers who have upheld the unofficial city motto of "Do different". Chris Gribble, the CEO of Writers' Centre Norwich, which led on the Creative Cities bid, focused on the future of the city, revealing the new projects which will launch Norwich nationally as a UNESCO City of Literature.
The launch event was followed by a meeting between the UKNC and representatives from five Creative Cities from UK and Ireland.
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UNESCO News for the UK
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European Commission and UNESCO promoting media accountability in South East Europe | |
Representatives of European Commission and UNESCO's Janis Karklins (bottom right) during the signing ceremony on 6 December 2012 - © UNESCO/Landry Rukingamubiri
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UNESCO and the European Commission have signed an agreement to continue their joint work to improve media accountability in South East Europe. The signing marks the launch of a new three-year project promoting the development of professional self-regulatory mechanisms, and supporting press freedom and freedom of information. The European Commission will contribute 500,000 Euros to the project. Both UNESCO and the EU have declared freedom of expression to be a strategic priority in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2012.
Read on...
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The 2013 G8 Summit will be held in Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark. Marble Arch will use the opportunity to raise the profile of the Global Geoparks Network and Geopark's work in education, culture, science and geotourism. Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark is one of the UK's seven Geoparks, which are unified areas with geological heritage of international significance.
Earlier this year the UKNC published a policy brief on the future relationship between UNESCO and Geoparks. UNESCO is considering formalising its link to Geoparks under an international Geoparks initiative. Read about Marble Arch Global Geopark... Read about the Global Geoparks Network... |
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UK Resource Centre honours UNESCO laureate
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Professor Athene Donald gives a brief speech of thanks after her portrait is unveiled © IOP
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On 10 December Professor Athene Donald spoke at the unveiling of her UK Resource Centre (UKRC) portrait which honours her outstanding contributions to physics. The photo is part of a UKRC photo collection of women physicists hosted by the Institute of Physics (IOP). The unveiling was well attended, including by representatives of the UKRC, IOP and UKNC.
In 2009 Professor Donald was named the 2009 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science Laureate for her work in unravelling the mysteries of the physics of materials, ranging from cement to starch. She was only the second British scientist to receive the prize.
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North Atlantic and Mediterranean tsunami warning system put to the test
A simulated tsunami struck the western and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the North East Atlantic shoreline on 27 and 28 November, to test the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System for the North-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas. The exercise is organised under UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). While the UK is one of the 39 States that are part of the region's Early Warning and Mitigation System, it wasn't among the 19 States which directly took part in this exercise in this instance.
This Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System is one of four such warning systems coordinated by the IOC. The others are situated in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and the Caribbean. Their purpose is to assess risks, issue and relay warning signals and contribute to the education of populations at risk.
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UK Choir performs at Desmond Tutu UNESCO Prize ceremony
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has been named laureate of the 2012 UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights. In selecting Desmond Tutu, the international prize jury recognised the outstanding role he played in building the new democratic, non-racial South Africa and his invaluable contribution to national reconstruction.
The UNESCO Director-General awarded the Prize at UNESCO Headquarters on 10 December. At the ceremony, the 80 singers of the UK's Choir Invisible performed compositions inspired by South African Gospel and soul music to lyrics by Archbishop Tutu.
Read on...
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