Sweden and UNESCO

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is the United Nations' organization for Education, Science, Culture and Communication. It was founded in 1946 and Sweden became a member in 1950. UNESCO has 193 member countries today.

The Swedish priorities in UNESCO concern first of all "Education for All" and "Education for Sustainable Development".

The work on conventions and other normative instruments has been intensive during the last years. A Convention against Doping in Sport was adopted at the General Conference in 2005. Sweden became the first country to ratify the convention. At the General Conference a Convention on Cultural Diversity was also adopted, as were a Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights and also broad Guidelines for Quality Provision in Crossborder Higher Education, which were elaborated in co-operation with the OECD.

The Convention of the World Heritage from 1972 arouses great interest among the member countries. Sweden is well represented with 15 world heritages on the growing list. The Convention of the World Heritage
UNESCO matters are being handled in Sweden by the Government Offices and managed by the Ministry for Education, Research and Culture where the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO is situated.

UNESCO has several sub organs, among others IOC, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, which is an expert organ in the ocean study and which, among other things, has a key role for warning of tsunamis. Sweden has contributed to the creation of a warning system in the Indian Ocean through IOC.

Read about Sweden and UNESCO here.

Last updated 14 Dec 2017, 4.11 PM