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Browse our Legal Framework of #Culture
We implement UNESCO’s culture programme through four pillars: the monitoring of legal instruments the UK has ratified, our Policy Advice to Government, the advice of UK experts on culture, and through the UK’s cultural UNESCO designations such as its World Heritage Sites, Creative Cities and the Memory of the World Register.
#Quote
UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, at Culture Ministers Forum, November 2019
At the heart of UNESCO’s legal framework in the sphere of Culture lies a suite of Cultural Conventions and Recommendations. Together they establish a robust international framework for protecting culture and promoting participation and therefore laying the foundation for sustainable development. This legal framework is complemented by programmatic initiatives including the UNESCO Creative Cities network, in which UK Cities play an active part.
Since 1946, the UK National Commission for UNESCO has been ensuring the UK’s leading specialists, intellectuals and academics are contributing to and shaping UNESCO’s culture mandate. We also advise the UK and devolved governments on policy relating to UNESCO’s culture activities. This advice ensures the UK Governments are adhering to the text of these legal instruments by fulfilling their obligations and promoting their aims and intentions within the UK.
The UK National Commission has produced and published several long form policy briefs that cover many aspects of the field of Culture. These inform UK Government about the international opportunities in UNESCO’s programmatic sphere, opportunities and guidance on the implementation of more of UNESCO’s suite of Culture conventions, improving on UK obligations under existing legal frameworks and more.
This case study describes how, in her own words, UNESCO status has helped raise the profile of Kontinnen’s work as a photographer and ensures that these important sources continue to be preserved and celebrated.
The report, Cultural Heritage Innovation: Opportunities for International Development, finds that the UK cultural heritage sector plays a critical role in the UK’s world-leading research and innovation practices, and is significantly contributing to the UK Government’s international development objectives.
This case study details how UNESCO has played a key role in enhancing Kew’s capability to create new crucial knowledge and how the status has been especially helpful in attracting financial resources.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The UK National Commission has produced and published several long form policy briefs that cover many aspects of the field of Culture. These inform UK Government about the international opportunities in UNESCO’s programmatic sphere, opportunities and guidance on the implementation of more of UNESCO’s suite of Culture conventions, improving on UK obligations under existing legal frameworks and more.
This case study describes how, in her own words, UNESCO status has helped raise the profile of Kontinnen’s work as a photographer and ensures that these important sources continue to be preserved and celebrated.
The report, Cultural Heritage Innovation: Opportunities for International Development, finds that the UK cultural heritage sector plays a critical role in the UK’s world-leading research and innovation practices, and is significantly contributing to the UK Government’s international development objectives.
This case study details how UNESCO has played a key role in enhancing Kew’s capability to create new crucial knowledge and how the status has been especially helpful in attracting financial resources.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The UK National Commission has produced and published several long form policy briefs that cover many aspects of the field of Culture. These inform UK Government about the international opportunities in UNESCO’s programmatic sphere, opportunities and guidance on the implementation of more of UNESCO’s suite of Culture conventions, improving on UK obligations under existing legal frameworks and more.
This case study describes how, in her own words, UNESCO status has helped raise the profile of Kontinnen’s work as a photographer and ensures that these important sources continue to be preserved and celebrated.
The report, Cultural Heritage Innovation: Opportunities for International Development, finds that the UK cultural heritage sector plays a critical role in the UK’s world-leading research and innovation practices, and is significantly contributing to the UK Government’s international development objectives.
This case study details how UNESCO has played a key role in enhancing Kew’s capability to create new crucial knowledge and how the status has been especially helpful in attracting financial resources.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival shows that storytelling is a possible means of advancing sustainable development and is a remarkable example of how culture can lead in this area.
At the heart of UNESCO’s legal framework in the sphere of Culture lies a suite of Cultural Conventions and Recommendations. Together they establish a robust international framework for protecting culture and promoting participation and therefore laying the foundation for sustainable development. This legal framework is complemented by programmatic initiatives including the UNESCO Creative Cities network, in which UK Cities play an active part.
These standard setting instruments include the following:
At the heart of UNESCO’s legal framework in the sphere of Culture lies a suite of Cultural Conventions and Recommendations. Together they establish a robust international framework for protecting culture and promoting participation and therefore laying the foundation for sustainable development. This legal framework is complemented by programmatic initiatives including the UNESCO Creative Cities network, in which UK Cities play an active part.
The UK National Commission has produced and published several long form policy briefs that cover many aspects of the field of Culture. These inform UK Government about the international opportunities in UNESCO’s programmatic sphere, opportunities and guidance on the implementation of more of UNESCO’s suite of Culture conventions, improving on UK obligations under existing legal frameworks and more.
17 October 2003
UNESCO Declaration concerning the Intentional Destruction of Cultural Heritage
The UK National Commission has produced and published several long form policy briefs that cover many aspects of the field of Culture. These inform UK Government about the international opportunities in UNESCO’s programmatic sphere, opportunities and guidance on the implementation of more of UNESCO’s suite of Culture conventions, improving on UK obligations under existing legal frameworks and more.
17 October 2003
UNESCO Declaration concerning the Intentional Destruction of Cultural Heritage
Our Expert Network is a pro-bono network of specialists working in the fields of education, culture, the natural and social sciences and communication and information from across the UK. The Network helps to advise the UK and Devolved Governments on policy relating to UNESCO’s educational conventions, recommendations and declarations. This advice ensures that the Government is adhering to the text of these legal instruments by fulfilling its obligations and promoting their aims and intentions within the UK. The Network enables us to engage with the intellectual and scientific commnities of the UK in producing policy advice, and analysing UNESCO’s programmes and global trends in education, science, culture, and communication and information.
Our most extensive group of experts, UK National Commission for UNESCO Advisors, form the bedrock of much of our work. Advisors review applications for UNESCO prizes or prospective UNESCO designations (such as UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks).
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
The relevant UK government department approves Accredited Experts. They have an official role, representing the UK in UNESCO Committees, Commissions and Programmes. They also work with us and the UK Permanent Delegation to UNESCO based with the Department for International Development in London and Paris, to advise the UK and/or devolved governments on UNESCO related matters.
David is an international ambassador for the creative cities programme, regularly speaking and presents at film, business and community events on culture and sustainable development, in addition to writing about creativity, film and sustainable development.
Passionate about equality, inclusion and empowering young people to build a better world with words, Sandeep is responsible for providing creative and strategic leadership and effective management of Nottingham’s UNESCO designation and charitable company.
The UNESCO Chair/UNITWIN programme seeks to foster international cooperation and knowledge sharing between higher education institutions. UNESCO Chairs are based within an Institute for Higher Education, and their work identifies with a current UNESCO priority.
Durham’s Chair addresses the social, ethical and economic impacts facing heritage managers by co-designing solutions and training programmes for its protection and inclusive promotion, particularly at living sites.
Our experts represent the UK on a number of committees which implement and oversee UNESCO’s work on culture.
Established in 1978, the committee deals with the restitution or return of cultural property, which has been lost as a result of foreign or colonial occupation or through illicit trafficking. It facilitates bilateral negotiations between the countries concerned and encourages them to conclude agreements.
The World Heritage Committee oversees the World Heritage Convention, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties. It has the final say on whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List, evaluates reports and asks Member States to take action when properties are not being properly managed.
We see tangible links to our living past within each day, through our places of worship, museums and architecture. Documents and images recollect and recreate the experiences of past generations linking the communities of the present to those that have gone before.
People also experience culture constantly through the music that they listen to, the language they speak, the food that they eat, oral traditions that are passed down through generations and the festivities they take part in with their neighbours and their families. This heritage creates continuity and cohesion for those disrupted by change, economic instability and can be carried across great distances.
The four nations of the UK and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies have a vibrant network of UNESCO culture projects that are working with like-minded people around the world to foster and create peace.
The UK’s cultural and natural heritage is represented by 33 UNESCO World Heritage Sites which serve as reminders of our past from every era from the Neolithic to the 1950s. They span the breadth of all four constituent nations of the United Kingdom and across its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. The UK is also host to 11 UNESCO Creative Cities which show us the power of the UK’s creativity as a force for economic and sustainable development.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site in Orkney is home to some of the most important Neolithic monuments in Northern Europe which testify to the 4000 year old ceremonial, funerary and domestic components of cultural traditions.
In Dundee, culture and innovation lie at the centre – quite literally. Having grappled with serious post-industrial challenges such as depopulation and job loss, the city has been embracing creativity to boost its economy and enhance public well-being.
The UK National Commission collaborates on, and endorses projects that enhance, promote and preserve the culture in the UK, both past and present.
Since it was established, the UK National Commission for UNESCO has worked in partnership with likeminded organisations and colleagues to help promote and enhance visibility of our Culture, as well as working together to tackle challenges.
UNESCO Prizes in culture are prestigious awards addressing global issues and themes, which are conferred on individuals or organisations by the Director-General for UNESCO upon recommendation by an independent and international jury. They each carry a high symbolic value, and are awarded with a substantial monetary award.
Begun in 2001, the UNESCO World Book Capital is designed to promote books, reading and a love of literature. One city is chosen per year to be the UNESCO World Book Capital. The designation period runs for 12-months from 23 April, World Book and Copyright Day.
The UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture rewards two laureates each year. To be successful, the individuals, groups or institutions must have contributed significantly towards the development, dissemination, and the promotion of Arab culture in the world.
Since 1946, the UK National Commission for UNESCO’s role is to ensure the UK’s leading specialists, intellectuals and academics are contributing and shaping UNESCO’s science manadate. We also advise the UK and Devolved Government on policy relating to UNESCO’s scientific activities. This advice ensures the UK Government is adhering to the text of these legal instruments by fulfilling its obligations and promoting their aims and intentions within the UK.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
Since 1946, the UK National Commission for UNESCO’s role is to ensure the UK’s leading specialists, intellectuals and academics are contributing and shaping UNESCO’s science manadate. We also advise the UK and Devolved Government on policy relating to UNESCO’s scientific activities. This advice ensures the UK Government is adhering to the text of these legal instruments by fulfilling its obligations and promoting their aims and intentions within the UK.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
We work closely with experts and professionals in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and information from across the United Kingdom. From our Non-Executive Directors who advise the UK Government.
Take #Culture Further
UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, at Culture Ministers Forum, November 2019
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