What is UNESCO?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO.)was established in 1946 to "contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations”.

（The Preamble to the UNESCO Constitution） 【Article I Purposes and functions】

• History
  Adoption of the UNESCO Constitution　November 16th,1945
  Establishment　November 4th,1946
  Japan’s entry　July 2nd,1951
• Headquarters is located in Paris, France
  Address：7, Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, FRANCE
  Website http://www.unesco.org
• UNESCO offices
   The offices of UNESCO are scattered in 52 places throughout the world. （as of August 2007）
  1. Its 27 Cluster Offices administer all UNESCO activities at the regional level.
  2. Its 21 National Offices are located in particular countries in principle for a certain period of time to implement projects smoothly.
  3. Its 10 Regional Bureaus （8 of the bureaus also serve as Cluster Offices） offer advice and concerning particular fields to the regional and cluster offices.
  4. The 2 Liaison Offices in Geneva and NY coordinate contact and develop cooperation between UNESCO and the UN offices and, UN agencies, foundations and other related institutions with headquaters located either in Geneva or NY.
  
   Japan is covered under the jurisdiction of UNESCO Beijing Office. （cluster office） JNCU develops UNESCO activities not only with UNESCO Headquaters but also has particulary strong collaborations and bonds with the Regional Bureaus of the Asia-Pacific region （Education: Bangkok Office, Science: Jakarta Office）
• Member States
   193 countries as of October 2007
   Macao and other 6 are regsistered as Associate Members.
• Director General
   Mr. Koichiro MATSUURA- Former Ambassador of Japan to France
   The Director-General term is 4 years. （6 years until 2005）. The Director-General can be re-eleceted only once. Mr. Matsuura was appointed in November 1999, re-elected in 2005 at the General Conference and will hold the post until 2009.
  
   ©UNESCO et UNESCO/Michel Ravassard
• Budget （2008~2009）: Biennium budget
  ● Regular Programme $631,000,000 （Japan’s contribution is 16.626%: $105,000,000）

For more details and budget information, visit Programme and Budget （C/5） at UNESCO Headquarters.