I have chosen to study and share this week
about UNESCO’S Organization. I have even decided to become a donor to this
organization as I am interested in the work that they are doing worldwide in
all aspects of life but especially education.
The United
Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) was founded on
16 November 1945 and “Education is one of UNESCO’s principal fields of
activities. Since its formation, the organization continues to work to improve
education worldwide because they “believe that it is the key to social and
economic development.”
UNESCO is
very much involved in Early Childhood Education and at this point I wish to
share from their website their Mission for Early Childhood.
Mission
©UNESCO/Katy
Anis
The foundations of human development
are laid during the child's early years and thus early childhood requires an
integrated approach to the child's care, development and learning.
Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than a preparatory stage assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling. Today, early childhood policies are placed within a broader context of social development, gender equity and poverty reduction.
UNESCO leads the international
policy drive for an integrated early childhood care and education system that
encompasses both the well-being and holistic development of the child. Our
mission is to support early childhood policy development with the aim to build
a solid foundation for a child’s lifelong learning.
UNESCO actively works with Member
States in their efforts to develop and strengthen their national capacity to
meet the first goal of the 2000 Dakar Framework for Action, which aims to
expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education for all.
As we are focusing this week on
changing demographics and diversity, I wish to post also the great work in
which UNESCO is involved in at Mali to help them rebuild their Cultural
Heritage. Please read and enjoy.
Monday for Mali, Monday for hope
©UNESCO/T.
Joffroy/CRATerre-EAG-
Restoration of the coating on the Sankaré Mosque in 2003
Restoration of the coating on the Sankaré Mosque in 2003
Monday, 18 February, is an exceptional day of solidarity,
dedicated to Mali. Decision-makers and experts from Mali, France and UNESCO
will join forces at UNESCO Headquarters to set out an action plan, aimed at
rebuilding Mali’s cultural heritage and safeguarding its historic manuscripts.
Along with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova, Bruno Maïga and Aurélie Filippetti, the Culture Ministers of Mali & France respectively, will open the event. Experts and managers of Mali’s heritage sites, museums and libraries will offer an overview of the damage that cultural heritage suffered during the conflict. They will also examine how the crisis affects the future preservation of cultural objects, such as the project of creating a digital library for Timbuktu’s famous manuscripts. UNESCO and its partners’ strategic response to the crisis will then be discussed. By 5:30 pm, an action plan is expected to be ready, and will be presented at a press conference. The day will conclude with a star-studded concert featuring Mali’s most distinguished musicians, including Rokia Traoré, Bafing Kul & the Appolo Band, Mali Den, Cheick Tidiane Seck, Pedro Kouyaté, and Inna Modja.
Along with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova, Bruno Maïga and Aurélie Filippetti, the Culture Ministers of Mali & France respectively, will open the event. Experts and managers of Mali’s heritage sites, museums and libraries will offer an overview of the damage that cultural heritage suffered during the conflict. They will also examine how the crisis affects the future preservation of cultural objects, such as the project of creating a digital library for Timbuktu’s famous manuscripts. UNESCO and its partners’ strategic response to the crisis will then be discussed. By 5:30 pm, an action plan is expected to be ready, and will be presented at a press conference. The day will conclude with a star-studded concert featuring Mali’s most distinguished musicians, including Rokia Traoré, Bafing Kul & the Appolo Band, Mali Den, Cheick Tidiane Seck, Pedro Kouyaté, and Inna Modja.
© Présidence
de la République
UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, made a visit to Mali on Saturday 2 February 2013 with French President François Hollande and the interim President of Mali Dioncounda Traoré
UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, made a visit to Mali on Saturday 2 February 2013 with French President François Hollande and the interim President of Mali Dioncounda Traoré
“Rebuilding cultural heritage
will give the Malian people the strength and confidence to rebuild national
unity and look to the future,” said Irina Bokova. Indeed, protecting
heritage means protecting people. It is about protecting their way of life,
values, and identities. It provides them with essential resources to rebuild
when war ends. Destroying culture hurts societies for the long term. It
deprives them of collective memory banks as well as precious social and
economic assets.
The day-long event follows the Director-General’s visit to Mali on 2 February, together with French president François Hollande, and repeated appeals by UNESCO to protect the country’s heritage. Since the conflict first erupted, UNESCO has worked closely with Malian authorities to implement relevant and appropriate emergency measures.
The day-long event follows the Director-General’s visit to Mali on 2 February, together with French president François Hollande, and repeated appeals by UNESCO to protect the country’s heritage. Since the conflict first erupted, UNESCO has worked closely with Malian authorities to implement relevant and appropriate emergency measures.
Heritage maps
with geographical coordinates were developed to help Malian forces
identify, and avoid damaging, cultural heritage sites during turmoil. A “Heritage Passport” was created to raise awareness and
protect cultural heritage in the north of Mali.
This is a great post and your organization sounds like it is very involved with early childhood education and development around the world. UNESCO's mission statement says it all. The development of children takes part in the child's early years and the foundation to their education is extremely important to how the rest of their education is going to go throughout their lives. Great job.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon-
ReplyDeleteI really liked that the UNESCO Organization values the need to look at a child holistically. Understanding that children's development is influenced by multiple factors is extremely important in order for children to succeed. I look forward to continually learning about the topics that the UNESCO identifies as important as their influence on children across the world. :)
Thank you Lindsay and Rebecca and Lindsay for your insightful comments.We hope that we will all be able to learn from these Web resources to assist us in our field of early childhood.
ReplyDeleteSharon.
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteUSESCO is a wonderful organization and their developmental efforts for early childhood care and education holds the promise of making significant advances in the field.
Thank you for your post. It is wonderful information presented about UNESCO. I can tell that you are very excited about the work of this organization and I look forward to learning more about it through your post.
ReplyDelete