Patrick J. McGovern Foundation

UNESCO contributes to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication, and information. It encourages international peace and universal respect for human rights by promoting collaboration among nations.UNESCO is the abbreviation of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It is known as the ""intellectual"" agency of the United Nations. In 1945, upon the proposal of Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME), a United Nations Conference for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF) was convened in London. At the end of the conference, thirty-seven countries founded the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. The Constitution of UNESCO, signed in 1945, came into force in 1946 after ratification of twenty countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States. The first session of the General Conference of UNESCO was held in Paris in 1946 with the participation of representatives from 30 governments entitled to vote. UNESCO attempts to build networks among nations to enable peace, by mobilizing for education, building intercultural understanding, pursuing scientific cooperation, and protecting freedom of expression. Some countries withdrew from the Organization for political reasons at various points in time, but they have today all rejoined UNESCO.UNESCO was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Ile-de-France.