UKNC logo small
Network Link - MAY 2013

Welcome!

  

Since July of last year the UK National Commission has published a policy brief a month on average, with the tenth in this series released just last month. After a policy brief is published, we work with UK Government, UNESCO, other National Commissions and the UK UNESCO Network to disseminate the brief and translate its recommendations into new policies and practices.

 

In this month's Network Link, we feature two examples of this follow-up work - recent cooperation with other National Commissions to strengthen the UNESCO Chairs programme (Policy Brief 7) and input into the Welsh Government consultation on a Sustainable Development Bill via the Wales case study in our Policy Brief 9.

If you missed one of the previous editions of Network Link, don't forget that they're available from our website. If you have been sent Network Link by a colleague, you can also sign-up to the distribution list directly.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

James Bridge

Chief Executive, UK National Commission for UNESCO  

 
In This Issue
Updates on our work
UNESCO News for the UK
Announcements
 
 
 
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 [email protected] 

 

 

Latest UKNC Policy Briefs 
 

See the full policy brief series here

 

 

UNESCO Events

Key forthcoming UNESCO events

 

UNESCO Publications

Selection of recent UNESCO publications

 

 
UK National Commission for UNESCO
Suite 98, 3 Whitehall Court
London, SW1A 2EL
[email protected]
 
WorkUpdates on our work
Wales sustainable Development bill coverThis month, the Welsh Government published a summary of responses to its consultation on a proposed Sustainable Development Bill. The UKNC submitted a response to this consultation, which included a copy of the Wales case study on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in UKNC Policy Brief 9.

UKNC recommendations were echoed in the summary report, including building on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC), the importance of embedding in corporate planning and an alignment to the United Nations 'The Future We Want' outcomes document. Consultation responses will inform the development of the Sustainable Development Bill, which is intended to be introduced to the National Assembly for Wales in autumn 2013.
 

 

National Commissions cooperate on UNESCO Chairs programme

 

Lugano meeting 2013
Delegates at the Lugano meeting of National Commissions and UNESCO Chairs

A meeting of National Commissions and UNESCO Chairs this month has identified new ways to strengthen the UNESCO Chairs programme. This three day event in Lugano, Switzerland, brought together a small, focused group of National Commissions and UNESCO Chairs from the European region to discuss this issue.

The UK National Commission was represented by its Deputy Chair Tim Williams and staff member Ian White, where they presented the findings of the UKNC policy brief, Developing the role of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks, and discussed the development of the Chairs programme in the UK. This event was the latest in a series of regular meetings hosted by the Swiss National Commission for UNESCO for National Commissions to share experiences and review their cooperation.

Discussion outcomes included a range of recommendations on strengthening the contribution of the Chairs programme to UNESCO's overall objectives. A report from the event, which will be available shortly, will include suggested focus issues to be taken up by UNESCO, National Commissions and UNESCO Chairs.

 Read the UKNC Policy Brief... 

 


The UKNC is seeking to appoint two new Non-Executive Directors to its Board with a range of relevant expertise and experience in the fields of education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication, and experience of working with not for profit organisations. Preference may be given to candidates with expertise in the Culture and Higher Education sectors.

The closing date for applications is 7th June 2013.

 
 NewsUNESCO News for the UK
Heritage in conflict lecture 

A country's cultural heritage is crucial to its nationhood and is a source of pride and dignity. The destruction of cultural property in armed conflicts and the theft and looting of museums and archaeological sites has a catastrophic and lasting impact on a country's cultural heritage. How can the international community best prevent this?

This was the topic of a lecture, Heritage and Conflict: Culture at Risk, hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute in London on 29 May. The lecture was given by UNESCO Assistant Director-General (ADG) for Culture Francesco Bandarin. During his lecture which referred to the UKNC's policy briefings in this area, ADG Bandarin spoke on UNESCO's role in improving and extending the protection of cultural heritage in conflict around the world.

 
World Press Freedom Day promotes journalist safety  



On 3rd May UNESCO marked its 20th annual World Press Freedom Day in San Jose, Costa Rica. This year's international conference was devoted to promoting journalist safety and ending impunity. At the event, imprisoned Ethiopian journalist Reeyot Alemu was named the winner of the 2013 UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

The meeting concluded with the San Jose Declaration, a call to action around journalist safety, including the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists. Other messages from the day included a joint message from UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Mr Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN.

In the UK, an event at The Frontline Club, Attacks on the press: Stamping out impunity, discussed the work being done to combat attacks on journalists. At City University, Obstacles to Free Speech and Safety of Journalists, addressed some of the most topical issues affecting the protection of journalists.

 
Special session of UNESCO Executive Board called for July
UNESCO Executive Board in session � UNESCO
At the April UNESCO Executive Board a major topic of discussion was the organisation's financial crisis, particularly in the context of new programme and budget negotiations. Given the importance of this issue and the need for the Organisation to be prepared to face a possible reduced cash flow situation in 2014-2015, it was agreed to set up an open-ended working group to examine the issue.

The working group will be chaired by the Chairpersons of the two Executive Board Commissions, which includes Ambassador Matthew Sudders of the UK. The group will work with the UNESCO Director-General in order to identify programmatic priorities for application and selection, to be pursued in the event of a significant cash flow shortfall. The working group will report to a special session of the Executive Board on 4 July 2013.

 

UNESCO to adopt new Open Access policy

 

UNESCO will make its digital publications available free-of-charge with an open license. Following a decision by the Organization's Executive Board in April, UNESCO has become the first member of the UN to adopt such an Open Access policy for its publications. The new policy means that anyone will be able to download, translate, adapt, distribute and re-share UNESCO publications and data without paying.
 

 

English Riviera Geopark Festival   

The sixth annual English Riviera Geopark Festival, which runs from 25 May to 2 June, kicked off this month with activities ranging from arts and educational events to Geopark Cruises. The annual festival is a celebration of the areas geology, landscape, culture and heritage. Thanks to �9,000 of Arts Council Grants for the Arts funding, Situations - a Bristol-based arts organisation - have been awarded a contract to help develop a world class artistic vision for the Geopark and the annual festival for the future.

The English Riviera is part of a global network of Geoparks assisted by UNESCO, which brings the UK's unique geological offerings to the international stage.

 
UK's first MA in World Heritage Studies

 



The University of Birmingham has launched the UK's first MA in World Heritage Studies. This one year programme is aimed at providing students with a deeper understanding of the concepts and processes surrounding cultural and natural World Heritage and the necessary skills to effectively manage World Heritage in a sustainable way. The programme is linked to the World Heritage Site of Ironbridge Gorge, one the UK's first designated World Heritage Sites.
 

 

AnnouncementsAnnouncements 
UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2013 call for nominations

 

Institutions, organisation and individuals promoting literacy through effective and innovative projects are invited to submit nominations to the 2013 UNESCO Literacy Prizes.

 

The two prizes open for nominations are The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize (focusing on supporting literacy in multilingual contexts) and The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy (focusing on supporting literacy in rural areas, rural adults and out-of school youth, particularly women and girls).

Note that all nominations from the UK must be submitted through the UK National Commission for UNESCO. Deadline for nominations is 14 June 2013.
 
Cool it Schools launches Hot Water Competition

 

2013 is the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation and time to make everybody aware of water and why it's so critical to everyday life.

 

Cool it Schools are inviting young people and students between the age of 4 and 25 to make a 'bite-size' film on the subject of water. The winning films will be screened and prizes given at the Hot Water Awards taking place at the British Film Institute on London's famous South Bank on November 26th 2013.