“Since wars begin in the minds of men (and women), it is in the minds of men (and women) that the defenses of peace must be constructed.”  UNESCO Constitution, 1945

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is the UN body responsible for coordinating international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication & information. Its goal is to help prevent war by building the defenses of peace in the minds of men and women.

The UK National Commission for UNESCO (UKNC) – founded in 1946 by the UK government and established under Article VII of UNESCO’s Constitution – is a vital part of UNESCO’s unique global network of 190+ national cooperating bodies known as National Commissions.

The UK National Commission supports the UK’s contribution to UNESCO and brings the benefits of UNESCO to the UK. The UKNC is the central hub for all UNESCO-related matters within the UK.

The UKNC works to support the UK government’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO and to strengthen the ties between the UK’s educational, academic, scientific, cultural, creative, and artistic communities and UNESCO’s global programmes and policies.