Friday, April 27, 2012

Petition Asking Congress to Fund UNESCO

There are several petitions available on Change.org asking the Congress to restore U.S. funding for UNESCO. The one with the most signatures reads:

Reinstate funding for UNESCO 
The US has stopped all funding for UNESCO as of Oct. 31, 2011. This is due to an outdated law mandating a cutoff of American financial support to any UN agency that accepts Palestine as a full member. Loss of funding for UNESCO hurts the philanthropic endeavors advance literacy, science, provide clean water and education, including sex education and promoting equal treatment for girls and young women. The loss of US funding for these programs is not only devastating for those in dire straits who benefit directly from them but to the US itself. This action has jeopardized economic benefits provided by UNESCO and has gone counter to our core security interests. Right this injustice immediately!
You can add your name to this petition here.... 

Friday, April 06, 2012

Quoted from UNESCO D.G. Bokova's Speech on STI in Aftica


UNESCO is already working with over twenty African countries to review existing STI policies and formulate national frameworks.

We are helping Nigeria and Tanzania to reform their national science systems.

We are strengthening the capacity of researchers, policymakers, development partners and the private sector.

We have done so with seven countries of the Economic Community of West Africa States, and with Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

Effective policies need sharp and precise data.

This is the unique roles of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the global UNESCO Science Reports.

We launched recently the Science, Technology and Innovation Global Assessment Programme and the Global Observatory on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Instruments to take this further.

UNESCO’s new Engineering Initiative to support engineering education has a focus on Africa.


UNESCO is also actively promoting links between science, technology, innovation and industry -- through our University-Industry Science Partnership Programme, on the governance of science and technology parks.

We are working also to help young scientists take part in research and development in biodiversity.

The World Association of Young Scientists, created by UNESCO in 2004, is active across the continent -- as is the network of UNESCO University Chairs. There is still a lot of work to do here.

These include UNESCO Chairs for Women in Science in Kenya, Sudan and Burkina Faso.

Women are a special focus of our work.

Just last week, I was honoured to award the L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Prizes for Women in Science to five outstanding researchers, including Professor Jill Farrant from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

This year, as part of the L’OREAL-UNESCO For Women in Science Partnership, a young woman scientist from Kenya, Peggoty Mutai, benefitted from the UNESCOL’Oreal International Fellowships programme.

Last May, I launched a new Global Partnership for Girls’ and Women’s Education, in the presence of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the United States Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Read the entire Address by Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of the opening of the Ministerial Conference African Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Youth Employment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth

Thursday, April 05, 2012

A Report from the Executive Board Meeting


American UNESCO veteran and international education expert Leslie Limage recently attended various sessions of UNESCO's 189th Executive Board, which adjourned in Paris last month.
 
She shares her perspective about UNESCO staff morale, the Obiang Prize, and importance of U.S. engagement here.

Welcome to the Inter-America UNESCO Club


The Inter-Americas UNESCO Club of Houston (based in Houston, Texas) recently became one of our nation's newest UNESCO clubs.

Scientists name new dinosaur after UNESCO


In a new study, scientists have named two new horned dinosaur species based on fossils collected from Alberta, Canada. One of the new species, Unescopceratops koppelhusae, was named in honor of UNESCO. It is from the Leptoceratopsidae family of horned dinosaurs. More....