Why in News?
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Two years after rejoining UNESCO, the United States announced that it will leave the organisation by December 2026, citing anti-Israel bias and UNESCO’s recognition of Palestine.
Regarding the United States’ Decision to Leave UNESCO:
UNESCO: What is it?
• A specialised UN organisation dedicated to promoting world peace via the exchange of knowledge, education, science, and culture is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
• Established: November 16, 1945 (the Constitution became operative in 1946)
• Headquarters: France’s Paris
• Originated from post-World War II attempts to restore international cooperation and understanding.
Essential Roles:
• Encourage literacy and access to education in all of the member states.
• Use its World Heritage Sites to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the world.
• Encourage collaboration among scientists (e.g., biosphere reserves, tsunami warning systems).
• Keep safe heritage sites, traditional knowledge, and intangible heritage (e.g., rescue of Nubian Monuments).
• Establish moral guidelines for genetic research, AI, and digital governance.
• Promote global knowledge equity, copyright protection, and freedom of speech.
Notable Projects:
• Program on Man and Biosphere (1971)
• Convention on World Heritage (1972)
• Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention (2003)
• During the COVID-19:
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Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Recommendation (2021)
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Global Education Coalition (2020)
