The role of the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO is to involve in United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO’s) activities, the various national, regional and international partners working for the advancement of education, science, culture, communication and information so that each Member State may play an ever-increasing role in UNESCO’s work and particularly in the information and execution of is programmes.
The Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO works to achieve the following goals:
1. Promote the free flow of ideas and advance mutual understanding of all people
- By collaborating with UNESCO Member States the Commission promotes educational, scientific and cultural activities to develop equality for all.
2. Maintain, increase and disseminate knowledge
- The Commission encourages international exchange of expertise and facilitates sharing items of artistic and scientific significance.
3. Advise the Government of Jamaica on issues relevant to UNESCO’s objectives
- The Commission ensures that government ministries working to advance education, science, culture and information are involved in UNESCO’s activities.
4. Facilitate implementation of UNESCO’s programmes at the national level
- The Commission administers specific resolutions adopted at UNESCO’s General Conferences, consistent with Jamaican Government policies.
5. Publicize UNESCO fellowships, study grants and appointments
- The Commission offers educational opportunities under general direction of the appropriate government authority..
In 1945, UNESCO was created in order to respond to the firm belief of nations, forged by two world wars in less than a generation, that political and economic agreements are not enough to build a lasting peace. Peace must be established on the basis of humanity’s moral and intellectual solidarity. UNESCO strives to build networks among nations that enable this kind of solidarity, by: Mobilizing for education: so that every child, boy or girl, has access to quality education as a fundamental human right and as a prerequisite for human development. Building intercultural understanding: through protection of heritage and support for cultural diversity. UNESCO created the idea of World Heritage to protect sites of outstanding universal value. Pursuing scientific cooperation: such as early warning systems for tsunamis or trans-boundary water management agreements, to strengthen ties between nations and societies. -UNESCO is known as the “intellectual” agency of the United Nations. At a time when the world is looking for new ways to build peace and sustainable development, people must rely on the power of intelligence to innovate, expand their horizons and sustain the hope of a new humanism. UNESCO exists to bring this creative intelligence to life; for it is in the minds of men and women that the defences of peace and the conditions for sustainable development must be built. – See more at: http://en.unesco.org/about-us/introducing-unesco#sthash.cXmKoQkJ.dpuf