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Network Link - JULY 2013

Welcome!

  

This month we announced the latest additions to the UK Memory of the World Register - a list of some of the UK's most outstanding documentary heritage. Representatives of the 11 items and collections recognised this year attended an event in Tamworth, where they discussed how best to use this new UNESCO status to raise the profile of their important collections. The announcement received broad publicity and press coverage, an indication of the important stories these documents and archives tell about the UK's history and culture.

 

Other highlights from this month include an updated UK Government assessment of UNESCO, which notes some positive progress in the organisation's performance, and the UK's election to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Executive Committee - a positive note on which to head into the summer holidays.

 

Enjoy the summer and we look forward to bringing you the next edition of Network Link in September

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
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WorkUpdates on our work
UK documentary heritage awarded UNESCO status

 

Scotland inscriptions UK MoW 2013
Representatives of two of the UK Register inscriptions and the Chair of the UK Memory of the World Committee (centre), with certificates marking the inscriptions

The latest additions to the UK Memory of the World Register were honoured at a ceremony in Tamworth on Tuesday 9 July. Representatives of the winning institutions, which range from smaller, local archives to national libraries, attended the event.

The 11 items and collections inscribed on the UK Register were selected from the UK's libraries, archives and museums to represent the outstanding documentary heritage of the UK. From the Domesday Book to Hitchcock's Silent Films, these priceless items span nearly 900 years, come from across the country and embody pivotal moments in the history of their communities and the UK as a whole.

Two new Non Executive Directors will join the UK National Commission for UNESCO to help continue the organisation's success in contributing to a stronger and more effective UNESCO. The new Directors, Helen Maclagan, formerly Head of Heritage and Culture (Museums and Arts) at Warwickshire County Council and Professor Kiran Fernandes, Professor of Operational Management at Durham University Business School, will formally join the Board in December 2013. Ms Maclagan will lead on the organisation's culture portfolio and Processor Fernandes will assume the higher education portfolio. 
 
UK elected to UNESCO Committee on Oceans

 

UK IOC attendees
Part of the UK delegation to the 27th IOC Assembly (l to r), Stephen De Mora, Director of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Stephen Hall, Chair of the UK IOC Committee and Roland Rogers of the National Oceanographic Centre.

A delegation from the UK attended the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Assembly from 26 June - 5 July, where it contributed actively to the debate both in plenary and side groups. The core UK delegation of Stephen Hall, Chair of the UK IOC Committee and Roland Rogers of the National Oceanographic Centre, were present throughout the meeting. They were joined by additional delegates, including UK Ambassador to UNESCO Matthew Sudders, for key sessions.

The UK was re-elected to the IOC's Executive Committee, an important subsidiary governing body of the IOC. Capacity building, the role of Professional Bodies, Learned Societies and regional bodies such as IOCARIBE and WESTPAC and the challenge of maintaining an active science programme at a time of financial constraint, were clear themes during the meeting.

 Read more about the IOC... 

UK's top female scientists take science to the streets

 

Soapbox Science 2013 Zoe Snapp low res
Dr Zoe Schnepp, Fellow in Chemistry Department at University of Birmingham, presenting on "Superconducting seaweed (an adventure in green nanotechnology)"

On 5 July, London's Southbank was transformed into a hub of scientific learning and discussion, as some of the UK's leading female scientists took to their soapboxes to showcase science to the general public. The annual Soapbox Science event, a collaboration between L'Or�al-UNESCO For Women in Science and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), has a simple mission: to eliminate gender inequality in science by raising the profile, and challenging the public's view, of women and science.

 Read on... 

Working Group progresses proposal for new UNESCO-Geoparks relationship

Two Working Group meetings were held at UNESCO in June and July to further discuss a proposal to establish a UNESCO Global Geoparks Initiative. The UK was represented by the UKNC at both meetings, while two UK Geoparks also attended. A UNESCO Geoparks Initiative would provide improved governance of the relationship between UNESCO and Geoparks, as well as closer networking and better utilisation of resources.

The UK has been playing a leading role in this proposal, including through its policy brief on the subject and subsequent Executive Board discussions.

 Read on... 

 

 NewsUNESCO News for the UK
UK review of UNESCO notes 'reasonable progress'   

The UK Government's Department for International Development (DFID) has published its updated assessment of UNESCO performance. The 'Multilateral Aid Review (MAR) Update 2013 Interim Report', notes the progress UNESCO has made to improve effectiveness over the past two years and some areas where the UK would like to see further improvement. Improvements in work planning, budgeting, HR policies, transparency and cost control are noted in the report, which has strengthened UNESCO's organisational effectiveness. The update focuses only on the areas where the UK Government identified the greatest need for improvements.

In 2011 the UK Government conducted a review of all Multilateral Organizations to which it provided funding. At the time the Government committed to updating the review after 2 years. A full report on the MAR update will be published at the end of the year.

Edinburgh City of Literature - Season Celebrating the Work of Iain Banks

Edinburgh is celebrating the work of author Iain Banks/Iain M. Banks with a season of events this summer, culminating with an event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. A short season celebrating some of the massive body of work that made Banks one of Scotland's best-known authors will be produced by Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust in partnership with Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh City Libraries, Blackwell's Bookshop, Illicit Ink, Society of Young Publishers Scotland, Filmhouse and the Scottish Poetry Library.

Events are being held throughout July and August.

Short-term appointments at UNESCO

 

Several short-term project appointments are currently being advertised at UNESCO, primarily in education and the natural sciences. For further information, visit UNESCO's career portal.
AnnouncementsAnnouncements 
UNESCO Education Prizes now open for nominations

 

Education prize block Applications are now open for two UNESCO prizes in education. The UNESCO/Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah Prize is awarded to two individuals or organisations that have contributed to the promotion of inclusive quality education for persons with intellectual disabilities. The Prize consists of a certificate and a monetary stipend of US$ 20,000 to each awarded recipient. Deadline is 16 August 2013.

The UNESCO-Hamdan Prize recognises initiatives that contribute to improving educational practices around the world, with priority given to developing countries and to marginalised and disadvantaged communities. The Prize of $270 000 will be divided between three winners. Deadline is 11 October 2013.
 
Biosphere Reserves 2014 Young Scientists Awards now open

 

Since 1989 UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme (MAB) has been providing 10 young researchers each year with awards of up to US $5,000 in support of their research on ecosystems, natural resources and biodiversity.
 
Priority is given to interdisciplinary projects carried out in biosphere reserves designated under MAB or potential biosphere reserves. The deadline is 31 August 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.