UNESCO

Hello. We are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, but that’s a long name, so most people call us by our initials, UNESCO. Our story began in London, England, on November 16th, 1945. This was a very important time in history, as it was right after the end of a terrible conflict called World War II. After years of fighting, leaders from around the world came together and asked a powerful question: How can we make sure a war like this never happens again? They believed that true, lasting peace isn’t just about governments signing treaties. It has to be built in the minds of people. Our main purpose was born from this idea: to build peace by helping countries work together on education, science, and culture.

In our earliest years, the world was still healing from the war. Many cities were in ruins, and so were the places where people learn and grow. Our first major task was to help the world recover. We helped countries rebuild the schools, libraries, and museums that had been damaged or destroyed. This work was about more than just bricks and buildings. It was about restoring hope and opportunity. We believe that education is a basic human right, meaning it is something that every single person deserves. That's why we also started important projects to help more adults and children learn to read and write. For us, sharing knowledge and giving people the tools to learn was the very first step toward building a more understanding and peaceful world.

As the years went on, our work grew. One of our best-known projects is the World Heritage List, which we officially started in 1972. We had an important realization: some places in the world are so special and precious that they don't just belong to the country where they are located. They belong to everyone. We decided our job was to help identify and protect these places that have “outstanding value to all of humanity.” This means they are so important, historically or naturally, that they are part of the shared story of every person on Earth. We call these locations “World Heritage Sites,” and we work closely with countries to make sure they are preserved and protected.

You might have heard of some of these amazing sites. The great Pyramids of Egypt, which have stood for thousands of years, are on our list. So is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, a vast underwater world bursting with life. These sites can be human-made wonders that show incredible creativity, or they can be breathtaking natural places that show the beauty of our planet. By recognizing them as World Heritage, we send a message that these treasures must be cared for. Our goal is to ensure that your parents, you, your children, and all future generations will be able to experience and learn from them. Protecting our shared heritage helps us all appreciate the rich and diverse cultures and environments our world holds.

Our mission also includes the “S” in our name: science. We know that many of the biggest challenges facing our planet, like protecting our environment, can't be solved by one country alone. So, we bring scientists from different nations together to share their knowledge and work on solutions. For example, we run important programs that study the world's oceans, helping us understand them better and protect the life within them. We also help manage precious fresh water resources, which are vital for all communities. One of our most impactful scientific projects was helping to create the Pacific Tsunami Warning System. This system uses science to detect giant waves caused by underwater earthquakes. It can then send out alerts to warn coastal communities, giving people time to get to safety and helping to save countless lives.

Today, our mission to build peace continues all over the globe. We are still focused on making sure every child gets a quality education, and we pay special attention to making sure girls have the same opportunities as boys to learn and succeed. In a world full of information, we also work to defend the freedom of people to share ideas and speak their minds safely, which is essential for healthy societies. And as the world faces new challenges, our work adapts. We use our programs in science and education to help communities understand and respond to the effects of climate change. For more than 75 years, our goal has remained the same: to foster understanding and cooperation, because we believe that is the true foundation for lasting peace.