The L'Oreal - UNESCO Partnership For Women In Science Program

© Photo: GAMMA, 2006 L'ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards Laureates (left to right): Esther Orozco (Mexico, Laureate Latin America), Pamela Bjorkman (USA, Laureate North America), Jennifer Graves (Australia, Laureate Asia/Pacific), Habiba Bouhamed Chaabouni (Tunisia, Laureate Africa), Christine Van Broeckhoven (Belgium, Laureate Europe).

The following article is excerpted from a Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release, provided by CSRwire, 08/14/06

In Search Of Scientific Excellence: L’Oréal USA Announces Call for Applications for 2007 Fellowships for Women In Science Program

On August 14, 2006, L’Oréal USA announced the start of the application period for its esteemed L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science program. Now in its fourth year, this national program aims to annually recognize, reward and support five women post-doctoral researchers in the U.S. who are pursuing careers in the life and physical/material sciences, as well as mathematics, engineering and computer science. As part of its commitment to further help exceptional women scientists reach their goals, L'Oréal USA has doubled the value of its fellowship grants from a current $20,000 to $40,000 for the 2007 program.

Since its inception in 2003, the L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science program has attracted a number of talented applicants from diverse scientific fields, representing some of the nation’s leading academic institutions and laboratories. A distinguished jury of nine eminent scientists – presided over by Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone, President, National Academy of Sciences - reviews the applications, and selects the L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science recipients each year.

The five beneficiaries of the 2007 L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science will be invited to attend a week of events that include an awards ceremony, professional development workshops, media training and networking opportunities. In 2007 these workshops, developed and facilitated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), will encompass job search techniques, interviewing skills and strategies for peer review publication.

Candidates may visit the L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science website to obtain more information about program eligibility and requirements. The program is open to women post-doctoral researchers only. All applications must be post marked by October 31, 2006.

The L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science compliment the international L’ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Science program -- which annually awards $100,000 each to five leading women career scientists, one from Europe, Asia, North America, South American and Africa – and the UNESCO-L’ORÉAL International Fellowships, which annually grant $20,000 each to 15 promising young women scientists, doctorate or post-doctorate, from around the globe. Depending on the research project of the applicant, in 2007 this grant may also be increased to a maximum of $40,000 over a two year period.

"Build The Defences Of Peace In People's Minds"

This message from Pope John Paul II was delivered in 2002, but it remains vivid and relevant today. He said:

The intuitions that prevailed at the foundation of UNESCO more than 50 years ago, stressed the importance of education for peace and solidarity, not losing sight of the fact that "if wars are born in people's minds, it is in the human spirit that the defences of peace must be built" (Constitution of UNESCO, 16 November 1945). Today these intuitions have been fully confirmed. The phenomenon of globalization has become a reality defining economics, politics and culture, bringing with it positive and negative values. They are areas that offer a challenge to our sense of responsibility so that a truly worldwide solidarity can be organized that alone can give our earth a secure future and lasting peace.

The State Department on the United Nations

The Department of State has a number of interesting documents posted on the website of its Bureau for International Organization Affairs. These include:

* "Founding of the United Nations: 'A Profound Cause of Thanksgiving'" by Gary B. Ostrower
* "The United States and the Founding of the United Nations, August 1941 - October 1945" by Office of the Historian of the U.S. Department of State and
* "U.S. Participation in the United Nations: Our Vision and Priorities" from State's Bureau of Public Affairs

While these do not deal with UNESCO specifically, they may be of interest to many UNESCO fans.

2006 U.S. National Commission for UNESCO Annual Conference

Click here to download the minutes of the meeting in a PDF file (2.4MB).

On June 1 and June 2, 2006, the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO held its annual conference in Washington, DC. The detailed minutes of the meeting are available on the NatCom website, They include a summary of the conference, including those who attended, matters discussed, and conclusions reached.

"UNESCO Chief Condemns Killing of Chinese Reporter Beaten by Officer"

Read the full article in NewsBlaze.Com (an independent, online, news aggregator headquartered in Folsom California).

Lead: "Continuing his campaign to spotlight the deplorable killing of journalists worldwide, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) today condemned the beating death of a Chinese reporter by a police officer.

"'I condemn the killing of Xiao Guopeng,' declared Ko�chiro Matsuura in a statement released in Paris on the incident, which took place in the province of Guizhou on 18 July."

Reporters Without Borders indicated that an officer beat the 39-year old reporter outside the building of his newspaper, Anshun, and continued hitting Mr. Xiao when he was already on the ground, despite protests from a crowd of onlookers.

Welcoming the fact that the alleged perpetrator has been arrested, the Director General said: "I trust that there will be a transparent investigation and trial to help prevent the recurrence of such events in the future."

Unfortunately, attacks on reporters and on the free press are frequent in many parts of the world, and Director General Matsuura frequently issues statements and declarations condemning those responsible for specific incidents of suppression of freedom of the press.

DG's Declaration on the Crisis in the Middle East

The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, issued a declaration on the crisis in the Middle East on August 11, 2006. It includes the following:

“In my capacity as Director-General of an organization dedicated to the construction of the defenses of peace in the minds of women and men through education, science, culture and communication, and in view of the spiraling conflict in the Middle East, I wish to express my dismay at the growing loss of life, suffering, and destruction on each side, and express my fear that the grief caused by present events will jeopardize the future.

“We can only be alarmed by the impending humanitarian disaster in Lebanon that will compound the environmental disaster already unfolding before us. But an even greater threat looms: what future for a country where so many people have been displaced, lived through fire, turmoil and death omnipresent? What future for a country where so many children have seen their schools destroyed, a country whose memory is ravaged along with its rich heritage of prestigious sites that are the heritage of humanity as a whole? And what prospects can there be for the construction of a knowledge society in a country sapped by the loss of its vital energy and talent?"

Click here to read the full declaration.

Earlier, the Director-General had convened a special session of the UNESCO Middle East Task Force to discuss UNESCO’s response to the crisis in Lebanon. In his opening remarks at the meeting, the Director-General joined the United Nations Secretary-General in calling for a way out of the crisis referring to the three pillars of the UN position expressed by the Secretary-General, namely, a cessation of hostilities, a political framework which includes the deployment of an international force, and agreement on a reconstruction programme. Mr Matsuura expressed his “deep concern about the escalation of violence and the tragic loss of human life”, and urged for “preparedness to assist the Lebanese authorities in early recovery and reconstruction efforts.” Click here to read more about the Task Force.

These expressions of concern about the current situation are part of the six decade long effort of UNESCO to promote peace. See, for example, this statement made a decade ago by a former Director General of UNESCO, Federico Mayor, to the Nuclear Age Foundation, in which he said:

In 1995, the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations and UNESCO and the United Nations Year for Tolerance, we stressed that it was only through a daily effort to know others better - I am the 'other'! - and respect them that we would be able to tackle at source the problems of marginalization, indifference, resentment and hatred. This is the only way to break the vicious circle that leads from insults to confrontation and the use of force.

We must identify the roots of global problems and strive, with imagination and determination, to check conflicts in their early stages. Better still prevent them. Prevention is the victory that gives the measure of our distinctively human faculties. We must know in order to foresee. Foresee in order to prevent. We must act in a timely, decisive and courageous manner, knowing that prevention engages the attention only when it fails. Peace, health and normality do not make the news. We shall have to try to give greater prominence to these intangibles, these unheralded triumphs.

A universal renunciation of violence requires the commitment of the whole of society. These are not matters of government but matters of State; not only matters for the authorities, but for society in its entirety (including civilian, military, and religious bodies). The mobilization which is urgently needed to effect the transition within two or three years from a culture of war to a culture of peace demands co-operation from everyone. In order to change, the world needs everyone. A new approach to security is required at world, regional and national levels. The armed forces must be the guarantors of democratic stability and the protection of the citizen, because we cannot move from systems of complete security and no freedom to systems of complete freedom and no security. Ministries of war and defence must gradually be turned into ministries of peace.

Arden L. Bement on International Science

Arden L. Bement, Director of the National Science Foundation

"On the international scale, our value will be measured by our global research networks and our partnerships with fast-growing research economies. On the West Coast, you are in an excellent position to collaborate with Asian nations in biology, chemistry, physics, and materials science." Arden Bement at Harvey Mudd College, January 14, 2006.

Dr. Bement has demonstrated a strong interest in international scientific cooperation, and given that the National Science Board has a task force in operation on International Science to advise the NSF, it seems useful to consider his statements on the topic. His views are especially relevant to UNESCO since he is Arden Bement, Vice-Coordinator of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Committee of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.

Here are links to some of his recent talks on international scientific cooperation:

* "International Cooperation, The Future of Science and Engineering" (May 25, 2006, National Natural Science Foundation of China 20th Anniversary Celebration, Beijing, China)
* "Collaboration and Competition: What Can Governments Do?" (May 15, 2006, G8 Heads of Research Councils Meeting, Paris, France)
* "Crossing Borders to Advance the Frontier: NSF's Role in International Outreach" (April 22, 2006, American Physical Society Meeting, Dallas, Texas)
* "Global Connections: National Science Foundation International Programs and Activities" (June 22, 2005Remarks, Global Conference of Environment, Science, Technology and Health Officers, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC)

The United States of America and UNESCO: Building Knowledge, Bridging Cultures

"It is America's honor and gift to be a nation of nations, whose people and aspirations touch every nation on the face of the earth. From universal dreams of freedom, equality and prosperity, we became a country that melded many different cultures, ideas, perspectives, and talents — giving us a rich diversity that continues to make us strong today. With this strength comes great responsibility and a desire to engage with the international community. And words are not enough. Americans are committed to turning these visions into action." Colin L. Powell

When the United States reentered UNESCO, the State Department published this discussion of the reasons we belong in the organization. It makes good reading. It concludes:

The United States will again be the biggest financial contributor to UNESCO, paying 22 percent of the annual assessed budget, in addition to voluntary contributions. America will work to ensure that funds are spent efficiently and transparently.

With regard to science, the statement includes these sentiments:

The 21st century promises great scientific advances. Multilateral coordination through UNESCO will help maximize the effectiveness of scientific goals and projects. The United States looks forward to the opportunity to play a dynamic role with UNESCO partners to help ensure that science is used ethically to help solve the world's problems, and not to create new ones.......

UNESCO serves as an interdisciplinary and multicultural forum to examine the ethics of scientific issues. The United States looks forward to active participation in these discussions as well as meetings of UNESCO's World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge (COMEST).

In its discussion of communications and information, the statement notes:

The free flow of information is fundamental to democracy. Information can contribute to the development of a world where 80 percent of the people still lack access to basic telecommunications. Access to information is also one of the best guarantees of respect for human rights. The Internet, free of government control, is one way to keep information flowing. UNESCO has a unique mandate to promote the right to seek, receive and impart information and to foster media independence......

UNESCO has successfully demonstrated that it has recovered the vision of a free press and freedom of expression that its founders held dear.....

The United States, with its extensive experience and expertise in these areas, intends to work with UNESCO to advance the free flow of information as a major prerequisite for tolerance and political participation.

Download the entire document setting forth the rationale. (August, 2003; PDF, 1.26MB)

National Science Board Task Force on International Science

In September 2001, the U.S. National Science Board released a report entitled, Towards a More Effective Role for the U.S. Government in International Science and Engineering (NSB-01-187). Unfortunately, many of the valid recommendations from that report are largely unfulfilled. There have also been major changes in the international landscape since 2001. Now the NSB is to carefully reexamine the role of the U.S. Government in international S&E.

The Task Force held its first Hearing and Roundtable Discussion on International Science Partnerships on Thursday, May 11, 2006. A brief Task Force meeting was held on Wednesday, August 9, 2006, which I attended as an observer.

The Task Force reviewed the draft report of the March Roundtable which focused on:

The rationale for U.S. government interest in international science and engineering
* The challenges of increasing international cooperation in science and engineering
* Global engagement in science and engineering
* New modes for participation in international science and engineering

I note especially Dr. Patricia Golloway's comments in support of the importance of communication with UNESCO as part of the deliberations of the Task Force. Dr. Golloway, an engineer with long service to the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, emphasized the importance of UNESCO's role in international science and engineering.

The Task Force will complement its Roundtable Discussion on International Science Partnerships with additional meetings:

* In Singapore in late September to be held in conjunction with the 31st Meeting of the Industrial Science and Technology Working Group of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation organization.
* Informal meetings in the Middle East later this year
* A meeting in Europe in the Spring of 2007 in conjunction with a meeting of European Ministers of Science.

The Task Force is to complete its report to the President in the Summer of 2007. I expect the report to be made public, and to strongly recommend new initiatives to improve international scientific cooperation.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the Task Force is: Clara A. Englert cenglert@nsf.gov
(703) 292-7000

Science and Technology in the Era of Globalization

UNU/UNESCO International Conference
23 & 24 August 2006

One of the Co-organizers is the Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO.

This conference provides a forum for exploring how we can better, and more directly, harness scientific and technological progress for the promotion of peace and sustainable development.

It covers such salient issues as access to knowledge and benefit-sharing, the scope of intellectual property protection, and the ethical boundaries of scientific enquiry, with the aim of delineating the parameters within which societies can utilize the processes of globalization to foster the creation and diffusion of knowledge for the benefit of all.

In the public symposium on 23 August, eminent experts from around the world review the ways in which globalization is changing science and technology, and vice-versa, and assess the opportunities that these changes offer.

In the workshop on 24 August, panellists discuss how science and technology link with, and contribute to, economic and social development in four fundamental areas — knowledge-sharing, trade and technology transfer, society and policy-making, and science and technology education for sustainable development — and how globalization is influencing these processes.

New Director for Regional Science Bureau for Asia

Professor Hubert Gijzen assumed the directorship of the UNESCO Jakarta office on 1 August 2006. The Jakarta office functions as UNESCO's Regional Science Bureau for Asia and Pacific covering more than 50 countries in the region. Prof. Gijzen will also be the UNESCO Representative to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Timor Leste.

The press release announcing Prof. Gijzen's appointment states:

Hubert Gijzen is of Dutch nationality. Prior to joining UNESCO Jakarta, he was a Professor of Environmental Biotechnology and Head of Core in the UNESCO-IHE Institute of Water Education in Delft, The Netherlands. He also worked for the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and for a number of universities, both in The Netherlands, as well as abroad. He has a broad science base and interest. Although he has a training background in Biology (MSc) and Biotechnology (PhD), he had the opportunity to work in a range of different disciplines during his career of 24 years, including microbiology, biotechnology, sanitary engineering, and environmental sciences. He has been involved in a number of international education, research and capacity building programmes and projects in various fields of natural sciences and engineering. He and his wife have lived and worked in different countries and regions, including Tanzania (5 years), Colombia (4 years) and Bangladesh (1.5 years).

Check out the websites:

* The UNESCO Jakarta Office
* The Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific

Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems -- LINKS

Rural and indigenous peoples possess their own knowledge, practices and representations of the natural environment, as well as their own conceptions about how human interactions with nature should be managed.

UNESCO launched the LINKS project in 2002 to heighten interdisciplinary and intersectoral action among the elements of its program.

The LINKS project seeks to promote dialogue amongst traditional knowledge holders, natural and social scientists, resource managers and decision-makers in order to enhance biodiversity conservation and secure an active and equitable role for local communities in resource governance. The survival of indigenous knowledge as a dynamic and vibrant resource within rural and indigenous communities depends upon its continuing transmission from generation to generation.

The project website includes links to publications and other resources as well as descriptions of project activities.

During the Fourth World Water Forum in Mexico City (March 2006), the project published "Water and Indigenous Peoples", based on the papers delivered at the Second and Third World Water Forums (The Hague in 2000 and Kyoto in 2003).

It brings to the fore some of the most incisive indigenous critics of international debates on water access, use and management, as well as indigenous expressions of generosity that share community knowledge and insight in order to propose remedies for the global water crisis.

To request a copy, email - links@unesco.org.

US Policy toward UNESCO Clarified

The U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO, Louise Oliver, has written to the Director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, to clarify that the U.S. government officials "did not ask, and do not wish, to approve contacts with U.S. individuals or non-governmental organizations." As the United States resumed membership in UNESCO, and as the State Department prepared to represent the nation in UNESCO venues, State officials asked that UNESCO make them aware of its contacts with U.S. citizens and organizations. Ambassador Oliver clarified that the request was for information only, and its intent was to enable State to facilitate such contacts. Reports had come to her attention that some UNESCO staff might have misunderstood State's request and were needlessly complicating contacts with people from the United States.

With the clarification, we hope that U.S.-UNESCO linkages will continue to grow and strengthen rapidly!

New on the Americans for UNESCO website

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Claudia Cardinale

A page about the UNESCO Celebrity Advocates has been added to the Americans for UNESCO website. Check it out! It provides links to the programs that allow scientists, athletes, artists and other distinguished people to lend their support to UNESCO.

The response by the U.S. State Department to UNESCO's questionnaire about its mid-term strategy and next biennial program and budget has also been added to the AU website. Check it out!

Special session of the UNESCO Middle East Task Force to discuss UNESCO’s response to the crisis in Lebanon

On 31 July, Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, convened a Special Session of the UNESCO Task Force on the Middle East to discuss the current crisis in Lebanon. The aim of the meeting was to co-ordinate UNESCO’s response to the current situation and to prepare the Organization’s contribution to future recovery and reconstruction efforts by the Lebanese authorities.

To read more about the meeting, click here.

Americans for UNESCO in Lien/Link

Read the full April-June 2006 issue of Lien/Link (the bulletin of the Association of Former Staff Members of UNESCO).

Andre Varchaver, President of Americans for UNESCO, publishes an update on AU's activities in the most recent issue of the newsletter of the Association of Former Staff Members of UNESCO. (Andre served on the UNESCO staff from 1959 to 1981.) Here is an excerpt from the article:

AU’s Advisory Council, co-chaired by Esther Coopersmith and Dick Arndt, is composed of a number of distinguished Americans in fields directly or indirectly related to those of Unesco. A particularly distinguished one, Dr Miller Upton, died a few weeks ago at the ripe age of 88, having devoted years of energy to education, internationalism in general and Unesco in particular. Over the years, while heading Beloit College in Wisconsin, he innovated the widely admired “Beloit Plan” that featured a continuous school year and a “World Affairs” program that revitalized the college, attracted national attention and inspired other colleges, such as renowned Dartmouth, to adopt his innovations. He was greatly admired by René Maheu, with whom I visited Beloit College, and Jack Fobes who much later succeeded him at the helm of the U.S. National Commission for Unesco. Upton headed it from 1971 to 1975 and led the U.S. delegation to the eighteenth session of the General Conference where he displayed exceptional qualities of leadership and an innate sense of diplomacy. He was an early supporter of Fobes’ creation of “Americans for the Universality of Unesco”, now AU, and we mourn the loss of this exceptional man.

In cooperation with AU, the Better World Campaign, a subsidiary of the United Nations Foundation (which actively supports a number of Unesco programs, notably the World Heritage), has resumed organizing meetings of representatives of civil society as well as of the government/National Commission and the Congress, related to or interested in Unesco. AU will continue and develop its cooperation with the National Commission and looks forward to working closely with Unesco’s New York Office and its newly appointed Director Hélène Gosselin.

The New NatCom Newsletter is Out

Read the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO Newsletter (Volume 2, Issue 2, April/May/June 2006) online.

Contents:

* Comments from the Executive Director
* UNESCO National Commission Host Second Annual Meeting
* Mrs. Laura Bush Announces Global Literacy Conference
* U.S. Ambassador Hosts Reception for UNESCO Award Winning Journalist
* Newly Established U.S. National Committee for the International Hydrological Program * Conducts Inaugural Meeting on Future Objectives
* UNESCO Overall Review of Major Programs II and III
* UNESCO Prizes Information
* UNESCO Job Vacancies

UNESCO Courier Features New World Heritage Sites

The July-August 2006 issue of the UNESCO Courier headlines the 18 new sites added to the World Heritage List. The additions bring the total number of protected sites to 830. Five of the sights are the subject of Courier articles:

* Bisotun (Islamic Republic of Iran), a monument in bas-relief and cuneiform that that is located 70 meters above the ground.
* Bilbao’s ria in (Spain's Basque country), the first transporter bridge ever built in the world.
* Harar (Ethiopia), entrenched behind its encircling wall with a market and mosques pulsing with life.
* The valleys of Jalisco (Mexico) famous for their agave plantations used for making the famous Mexican liquor.
* The Giant Panda Sanctuaries in Sichuan (China).

UNESCO Resources for Those Who Wish to Study Abroad

The book, "Study Abroad", is UNESCO's international guide to higher-education study opportunities and scholarships offered by higher education institutions and international organizations in over 145 countries. It includes some 3,000 entries on courses and scholarships in different higher-education academic and professional disciplines. There is information on: addresses (including Internet sites), admission requirements, application deadlines, financial aid, fees, living expenses and other topics. Entries are presented in English, French or Spanish according to the language of the country concerned.

UNESCO's online "Study Abroad Database" contains some 3,000 opportunities for post-secondary studies in all academic and professional fields in 147 countries and territories for the years 2005 and 2006.

UNESCO International Conventions on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education

There are six regional conventions on the recognition of qualifications (Africa, Arab States, Asia and Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and two European conventions) and one interregional convention (Mediterranean Convention).

UNESCO conventions are aimed at promoting the recognition of academic qualifications for academic purposes (e.g. to continue studies in a different institution). Nevertheless, the conventions sometimes hold a ‘de facto’ and ‘de jure’ role in recognizing diplomas for professional purposes (e.g. to get a job). It is important to check with the different conventions.

Alert: Misuse of UNESCO Name by Bogus Institutions

Click here to read the full alert from UNESCO.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of requests from individuals, recognition bodies and accrediting agencies concerning dubious providers of higher education that use UNESCO’s name or logo to give the impression that they are recognized providers of higher education.

UNESCO is an intergovernmental body. It does not have the mandate to accredit nor to recognise higher education institutions, programmes, diplomas or accrediting agencies.

Any provider of higher education or accrediting agency which claims or gives the impression of being accredited and/or recognised by UNESCO should be looked upon with caution. Such institutions or accrediting agencies may use different fraudulent modes.

The Ethics and Politics of Nanotechnology

Click here to go to the UNESCO website for the report.

The Nanotechnology and Development News has summarized this report as follows:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has released a report that advocates international action in the area of science and technology ethics in order to avoid disparate ethical standards between developed and developing countries on how nanotechnology is developed and used. The report says, 'Science and technology are often well developed and promoted in developed countries using resources from less developed countries, but the results and products generally do not return to these less developed countries.' The report says that collaboration between scientists has made nanotechnology an 'international science project' which, in combination with a lack of communication between experts and the poor in a given nation, increases the risk that inequalities of access to research will be greater within nations than between them. The report also says that developing countries without infrastructure could lack access to reliable scientific information needed to minimize potential nanotechnology hazard and exposure risks. The report says that these and other ethical issues should be identified, analyzed, and presented to the general public, specialized groups, and decision makers in order to raise their awareness. It also recommends that national governments require open-access to publicly funded research results.

The report was published as a brocure by UNESCO in 2006. (PDF, 26 pages.)

Read a critique of this report by David Berube in his NanoHype blog.

Reforms at UNESCO

According to Wikipedia:

The organization's reforms included the following measures: the number of divisions in UNESCO was cut in half, allowing a corresponding halving of the number of Directors -- from 200 to under 100, out of a total staff of approximately 2,000 worldwide. At the same time, the number of field units was cut from a high of 79 in 1999 to 52 today. Parallel management structures, including 35 Cabinet-level special advisor positions, were abolished. 209 negotiated staff departures and buy-outs took place from 1999–2003, causing the inherited $10 million staff cost deficit to disappear. The staff pyramid, which was the most top-heavy in the UN system, was cut back as the number of high-level posts was halved and the “inflation” of posts was reversed through the down-grading many positions. Open competitive recruitment, results-based appraisal of staff, training of all managers and field rotation were instituted, as well as SISTER and SAP systems for transparency in results-based programming and budgeting. In addition, the Internal Oversight Service (IOS) was established in 2001 to improve organizational performance by including the lessons learned from program evaluations into the overall reform process.

Go to Director General Koïchiro Matsuura's 2005 discussion of the reform and restructuring efforts.

Indo-UNESCO MoU on biotech centre

Read the full article on the Chennai Online News Service.

The article notes:

India and UNESCO Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish in Delhi a Regional Centre for Education and Training in Biotechnology.

The MoU was signed by UNESCO Director General Maciej Nalecz (sic) and Secretary, Department of Biotechnology M K Bhan in the presence of Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal.

In addition to education and training, the Centre will have strong research programme with an aim to develop human resources.

The key areas to be covered by the Centre include nano-biotechnology, stem cell research, biosensors, agriculture and environment biotechnology.

Editor's note: Maciej Nalecz is in fact the Director of the Division of Basic and Engineering Sciences of UNESCO.
UNESCO

Encyclopedia Entries for UNESCO

Online encyclopedias represent a great resource on the World Wide Web. Here are a couple of online encyclopedia entries on UNESCO that are chock full of information and useful links:

* Wikipendia
* Questia

The John Bolton Confirmation

The Washington Post today has an editorial opposing the confirmation of John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. It states (in part):

Mr. Bolton began his tenure with an argument over the preparations for a gathering of heads of state. He demanded that the summit document omit, among other things, references to the anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals, on the ground that these had been interpreted by U.N. officials to include a commitment to more foreign aid. Mr. Bolton's action alienated other U.N. ambassadors with no obvious gain; such commitments, even if accepted, are non-binding.

Mr. Bolton's handling of the new U.N. Human Rights Council was equally clumsy. He failed to show up at nearly all of the 30 or so negotiating sessions leading up to the council's creation, then waded in at the eleventh hour with a bizarre proposal that the State Department quickly repudiated. Mr. Bolton's spokesman says that the ambassador engaged in good faith throughout the process. But U.S. allies felt that Mr. Bolton did not do so.

Mr. Bolton has embarrassed himself most recently by his mishandling of U.N. management reform, a cause supported by U.N. officials and the richer member states. Mr. Bolton came up with the idea of threatening to cut U.N. funding unless the management reforms were adopted, and his spokesman insists that this brinkmanship was helpful. But South Africa's U.N. envoy called it "poison"; Germany's ambassador called it "wrong"; his British counterpart said it was a mistake to hold the budget hostage. After six months the budget threat was dropped.

WP also published a story in today's news section ("The Bolton Nomination, Act II" by Colum Lynch) detailing some of the controvery around Bolton's role in the United Nations. Notably, it quotes the distinguished international civil servant, U.N. Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown who said in a public speech on June 6:

There is currently a perception among many otherwise quite moderate countries that anything the U.S. supports must have a secret agenda aimed at either subordinating multilateral processes to Washington's ends or weakening the institutions, and therefore, put crudely, should be opposed without any real discussion of whether they make sense or not.

What Went Wrong With the Tsunami Warning System?

Photo by DIMAS ARDIAN / GETTY IMAGES via Time Asia Magazine

Read the full article in the Asia Edition of TIME (July 26, 2006).

Almost 700 people were killed, nearly 1,000 injured and some 20,000 families left homeless by the tsunami that hit Java on July 17. But last month, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared that an interim alert system was up and running. Why was the destruction so great?

TIME reports:

Patricio Bernal, executive secretary of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Committee, says the response to the Java tsunami actually represented a success for the interim warning system and in a sense, he's right. Just 17 minutes after the earthquake struck off the coast of Java, scientists at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Hawaii crunched the seismological data and sent a bulletin to colleagues in Jakarta, warning of the possibility of a local tsunami for land within 100 km of the temblor's epicenter......."The initial system did work," says Bernal. "From then on, it is the responsibility of the Indonesian system."

About 20 minutes after the quake, the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency's technical department for tsunamis received the e-mail bulletin from PTWC in Honolulu that included a warning about the risk of a local tsunami. Apparently, the

agency subsequently relayed text messages warning of the quake to about 400 Indonesian officials in disaster management, but there was little they could do: there were no alarm bells to ring on the beach, no emergency broadcasts to transmit over the radio or TV, no way to warn the people on the coast.

Clearly more needs to be done. I suggest that UNESCO does not have the resources to assist the poor Asia-Pacific nations to develop domestic tsunami warning systems, and that other donors must step up to fill the gap.

"Bolton Hopes for Vote on U.N. Nomination"

Read the full Associated Press article in The Washington Post. (Sunday, July 23, 2006.)

Last year Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee opposed Bolton's confirmation as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, leading to President Bush making a recess appointment. According to the WP:

the senator has had a change of heart, saying last week that he would not block Bolton's nomination this year because of an urgent need to ease tensions in the Middle East.

The GOP-controlled Senate Committee has scheduled a hearing for Thursday on Bolton's nomination. If confirmed by the Senate, Bolton would be expected to serve as UN Ambassador through the rest of the Bush Administration. It seems likely that the nomination will go forward to the full Senate, and that Democrats will oppose it in the Committee and on the floor of the Senate.

Since UNESCO is part of the United Nations family of organizations, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations has significant influence on U.S. policy towards UNESCO.

UNESCO Job: Senior ProgramSpecialist for Science and Technology Education and Technical Capacity Building

Purpose of post:: Promoting Natural Sciences Sector actions in Science and Technology Education & Technical Capacity building.

Main responsibilities: Under the authority of the Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences and under the supervision of the Director of the Division of Basic and Engineering Sciences, the incumbent shall, in particular:

· Foster the quality of university science and technology education in developing countries and reinforce the linkage of university education with other levels of education in science and technology.

· Promote the Organization’s clearing house functions on science and technology education for sharing information on curricula development, innovative teaching methodologies, and best practices.

· Carry out and/or develop selected activities for capacity building in engineering and technology in developing countries. Oversee and foster collaboration between divisions of the Sector for Natural Sciences and regional offices in strengthening national capacities in engineering, science and technology and science-based monitoring of the environment.

· Provide back up to cross-sectoral activities on building capacities in developing countries and mainly, least developed countries and post-conflict countries to address the goals for sustainable development specified in the UN Millennium Declaration.

· Promote extra-budgetary activity in technical capacity building and in science and technology education.

Profile:

· Advanced University Degree, preferably at Doctorate level, in one of the basic or engineering sciences.

· 10 to 15 years of progressively responsible relevant experience of which, at least 5 years’ experience in university teaching in science and/or engineering, and in the planning, management or administration of university education, and at least 5 years’ experience of regional or international activity in building up human and institutional capacity in science or engineering in developing countries. Part of this experience should be acquired at the international level.

· Demonstrated experience in science-based monitoring of the environment.

· Thorough knowledge and ability to use micro-computers (for retrieval and analysis of information and for information service to Member States and partner organizations) in particular mastering of Word; Excel, Internet, etc.

· Excellent oral and written communication skills.

· Excellent knowledge of English or French, and good knowledge of the other language.

Conditions of employment: UNESCO’s salaries are calculated in United States dollars but mainly paid in local currency. They consist of a basic salary and a post adjustment which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station and exchange rates. For this post, the annual remuneration in local currency will start at around €95,900 (€89,100 if without dependants), exempt from income tax. In addition, UNESCO offers an attractive benefits package including 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan and medical insurance. The initial appointment will be for two years, with a probationary period of 12 months, and renewal of the contract is subject to satisfactory service. Wordwide mobility is required as staff members have to serve in other duty stations according to UNESCO’s job rotation policy. UNESCO is a non-smoking organization.

How to apply: Candidates should use UNESCO’s online application system at www.unesco.org/employment. Candidates without access to internet may send a paper application by completing the official UNESCO CV form (available at Headquarters, UNESCO Offices, National Commissions in Member States, or any office of a United Nations Resident Representative) in English or French to Chief, HRM/RCR, UNESCO, 7 place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France, before the closing date, quoting the post number “SC-427”. There is no application, processing or other fee at this or at any stage of the process.

New Edition of the NatCom Newsletter

U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, Volume 2, Issue 2, April/May/June 2006

In This Issue:

* Comments from the Executive Director
* UNESCO National Commission Host Second Annual Meeting
* Mrs. Laura Bush Announces Global Literacy Conference
* U.S. Ambassador Hosts Reception for UNESCO Award Winning Journalist
* Newly Established U.S. National Committee for the International Hydrological Program Conducts Inaugural Meeting on Future Objectives
* UNESCO Overall Review of Major Programs II and III
* UNESCO Prizes Information
* UNESCO Job Vacancies

Marguerite H. Sullivan To Leave the State Department

To read a biography of Ms. Sullivan, click here.

Margerite Sullivan will be leaving the Department of State on August 4, 2006 to take up a new position in the field of international media. For the last two years she has served as the Executive Director of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.

Ethics of Science and Technology

Click here to to the UNESCO Ethics of Science and Technology website.

Some key UNESCO resources on the topic:

* UNESCO Global Ethics Observatory

* Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights

* Bioethics: the ethics of genetics (New Courier, May 2002)

* Infosheet

Sid Passman provides the following set of links to resources on ethics, science and technology, which may be of interest to the UNESCO supporting community.

* Scientist's Code of Ethics
The scientist cannot demand that his collaborators or subordinates act in contradiction with the principles of scientist ethics or legislation. ...

* Open Directory - Science: Science in Society: Research Ethics
The Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science - Provides "engineers, scientists and science and engineering students with resources useful for ...

* Ethics in Science
Material for an ethics course for science majors, by Dr. Linda M. Sweeting, ... The author asks "Do scientists really need a professional code of ethics?". ...

* The Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science
The Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science mission is to provide engineers, scientists, and science and engineering students with resources for ...

* Online Ethics Center: Ethics in the Science Classroom
Assistance to teachers who wish to integrate ethics and values into their pre-college science classes.

* Ethics in Science Annotated Bibliography, Towson University
for a Course in Ethics in Science at Towson University ... A book for potential teachers of ethics in science, with bibliography and videography. ...

* Ethics and the scientist.
Ethical issues are receiving considerable attention in the scientific community just as in other are...

* ISSCR :: Scientists : Resources on the Ethics of Human Stem Cell ...
The International Society for Stem Cell Research is an independent, nonprofit organization established to promote and foster the exchange and dissemination ...

* Code of Ethics for scientists
This is a Code of Ethics For Scientists that was formulated in 1984 by a group of scientists. For a thorough background, we refer to Bengt Gustafsson, ...

* History of Science and Ethics Internet Resources
Links to museums, historical instruments galleries, electronic publications, papers, e-mail groups and books.

Women for Science

The low representation of women in science and engineering is a major hindrance to global capacity building in science and technology. This report presents recommendations and action items grouped around three themes:
* Academies advocating and promoting the education and careers of women;
* Academies acting, both individually and jointly, to engage women in global capacity building;
* Academies building inclusive institutional climates and advising governments and other principal players on specific actions toward similar ends. It is published by the InterAcademy Council, and was written by an Advisory Panel created by the Council for the purpose of this report. 2006.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2006

Read the full report online (PDF file).

The MDGs Report of the United Nations was released on 3 July 2006. The report presents the latest assessment on how far we have come, and how far we have to go in reaching the goals, in each of the world’s regions.

Reuters AlertNet notes with respect to the report:

"With less than a decade left to meet its development targets, the United Nations said on Monday there were "staggering" obstacles to succeeding and conditions in many poor countries were actually worsening.

"The eight Millennium Development Goals include targets on health, poverty and the environment -- such as halving the number of people living on less than $1 a day and stopping the spread of AIDS and tuberculosis.

"The U.N. progress report on the goals, set in 2000, found that while global incidence of extreme poverty has declined, some 140 million more people have entered that category in sub-Saharan Africa.

"More people are also going hungry in the region, which has seen only modest improvements in child mortality and maternity rates in the past six years, according to the study."

Aksu-Dzhabagly Nature Reserve

The Aksu-Dzhabagly Nature Reserve is the oldest nature reserve in Central Asia. It also the first in the world to get status of a UNESCO biosphere preserve. For more than 70 years fauna and flora of Aksu-Dzabagly have been safe from ax, hunting and industrial pollution. The symbol of the preserve is Graid's Tulip. The Aksu Canyon - is 15 km long and 500 m deep, with a width between the canyon walls of 600-800m.

There is also a paleonthological preserve a the altitude of 3000 m above the sea level. Petroglyphs here go back to the 5-7th cc BC.

The UNESCO Free Software Portal

The UNESCO Free Software Portal gives access to documents and websites which are references for the Free Software/Open Source Technology movement. It is also a gateway to resources related to Free Software.

The UNESCO Archives Portal

The UNESCO Archives Portal gives access to websites of archival institutions around the world. It is also a gateway to resources related to records and archives management and international co-operation in this area.

The UNESCO Libraries Portal

The UNESCO Libraries Portal gives access to websites of library institutions around the world. It serves as an international gateway to information for librarians and library users and international co-operation in this area.

UNESCO Observatory on the Information Society

The Observatory on the Information Society monitors the impact of globalization on knowledge societies through the collection of pertinent information and observing trends.

"Technology Business Incubation"

By Rustam Lalkaka, UNESCO, 2006.

This UNESCO Toolkit on Innovation in Engineering Science and Technology is intended to guide sponsors, researchers, educators and corporate and government planner in exploring the incubation option, and then in establishing and operating a successful Technology Business Incubation programme.

Innovation and new technologies can have an impact at all levels -- from commercializing R&D in hi-tech sectors to fining solutions such as improved water pumps and cooking stoves at the grass-roots level in developing countries. To maximize this potential, strong linkages must connect innovation, knowledge production and the diffusion of knowledge.

A Technology Business Incubator (TBI) is a facility providing nurturing services to selected start-up and entrepreneurial groups in early-stage technology-related ventures, to help them scale-up laboratory research results, or their own innovations and to develop viable businesses.

The Toolkit begins by explaining what a technology business incubator is, followed by detailed chapters on planning, implementing and operating an incubator. Using concrete examples and practical information, it outline the process of set-up; from the initial feasibility study and business plan; through choosing a location, planning the layout and finding sponsors; to selecting managers and tenants and monitoring incubator performance. It is published in the Science and Technology Development Series.

For more information contact: Tony Marjoram or UNESCO Publishing.

"The Fundamental Role of Science and Technology in International Development: An Imperative for the U.S. Agency for International Development"

The Fundamental Role of Science and Technology in International Development: An Imperative for the U.S. Agency for International Development

The paper copy of this book has just been published. The online version has been available for some time. I suspect the report is must reading for those in the United States interested in science and technology for international development. The book does not deal with UNESCO explicitly, but UNESCO is the lead agency in the UN system for basic science and engineering, as well as social science and some fields of applied science.

U.S. Participation in UNESCO Deliberations

Read the full article, "Damage Control." By Barbara Crossette in the current edition of Foreign Policy. (Subscription required.)

In an article generally critical of U.S. Representative to the United Nations John Bolton and U.S. Ambassador to the Economic and Social Council Richard “Terry” Miller, Barbara Crossette makes the following comment:

At the United Nations, with 191 nations and foreign policies, compromise is inevitable. The trick is to know when to quit debating and cut a deal.

Take the case of UNESCO, the United Nations’ social and cultural arm. Fed up with its anti-American bias, the United States withdrew from the organization in 1984. After winning some important reforms, the United States returned to unesco in 2003. First lady Laura Bush was even dispatched to Paris to mark the American return to the fold. Yet by the fall of 2005, Bolton’s team was embroiled in a nasty fight over a draft Cultural Diversity Convention. Let’s be clear: The convention was clumsily written and contained provisions that were a transparent attempt to protect the French entertainment industry from competition. The way the United States (often represented by Terry Miller) went about opposing it, however, was disastrous. Almost all U.S. amendments were voted down unanimously; in retaliation, Bolton’s team voted against the agency’s budget. “Japan was particularly troubled and outspoken in opposition,” reports former U.S. diplomat Ray Wanner. “It is difficult to understand how this vote served the national interest.”

Bolton almost always has a solid rationale for the arguments he makes. But having U.S. representatives bravely charging up well-defended diplomatic hills only to be mowed down is not good strategy, particularly when it irritates critical allies. Your office needs to do a better job of making him choose his battles.

Barbara Crossette was United Nations bureau chief for the New York Times from 1994 to 2001. She is now a consulting editor at the United Nations Association of the United States.

Announcing the new Americans for UNESCO Website

Americans for UNESCO (AU) has just remounted its website on the Internet. We hope to make it a useful source for Americans interested in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. At the moment it has information on the AU itself, and links to some useful website at UNESCO and the State Department.

Lien / Link: 60th Anniversary Issue

Emily Vargas-Baron writes:

Dear Friends,

I wish to inform you that in the current issue of "Link," Bulletin No. 96 of the Association of Former UNESCO Staff Members, there are several valuable sections: a wonderful article on Andre (plus a fine picture of him), an insightful article on AU written by Andre, and a touching article by Michel Debeauvais on Phil Coombs.

I think Andre's article will be most helpful in informing UNESCO colleagues (both current and former) about AU and its support for expanding collaboration with UNESCO.

Editorial: UNESCO's Values 60 Years Later

UNESCO
Headquarters

"SINCE WARS BEGIN IN THE MINDS OF MEN..., it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." From the preamble of UNESCO's Constitution

UNESCO is celebrating its six decades of work this year. The U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, in its meeting next week, is devoting a session to the commemoration. It seems appropriate to to editorialize about the UNESCO adventure at this moment.

UNESCO was created by the Allies, working in a bombed out London, at the end of World War II. It is not surprising that UNESCO’s mandate was “to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture.”

As the membership of UNESCO expanded to more than 190 nations, UNESCO’s leadership came to recognize that -- as important as the maintenance of peace is -- there is a still greater objective for UNESCO. We have come to understand that development too begins in the minds of men, and it is in the minds of men that progress in all fields must be constructed. I suggest that UNESCO’s broader mandate is to promote social, political and economic development through education, science and culture!

I believe that UNESCO promotes a set of values, and that the global penetration of these values is indeed transforming the world, leading to peace and progress. These values include:

§ Concern for the poor
§ Love of peace
§ Emphasis on ethical behavior informed by philosophy
§ Respect for learning
§ Love of the written word
§ Respect for cultural diversity, and joy in cultural riches
§ Enthusiasm for the global dissemination of new media
§ Freedom of information
§ Respect for and love of scientific knowledge
§ Respect for knowledge based policies
§ Respect for the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of mankind
§ Respect for and love of the natural heritage of mankind
§ Respect for nature and concern for the environment

Certainly UNESCO can not transform the world alone, but it has played an important role in the global dissemination of these values. Its thousands of workers and myriad programs spread these values, and indeed the prestige of UNESCO itself helps to promote these values. UNESCO helps catalyze the efforts of governments, academia, the scientific community and civil society all over the world.

Indeed, were there not an international forum such as UNESCO for the discussion and debate of these fundamental values, I think we would have to create one complementary to but separate from the General Assembly and Councils of the United Nations.

I am proud that Americans were leaders in the creation of UNESCO, and pleased that we are again leaders in the governing councils of the organization. I hope and believe that the promotion of these values is fundamental to American national policy.

Mrs. Bush's Remarks at the 100th Anniversary of Mesa Verde

"I'm delighted to be here on this very, very special celebration for Mesa Verde, the 100th Anniversary of Mesa Verde as a national park. Amid these centuries-old dwellings, we're reminded of Mesa Verde's special place in our national park system. Many of our parks offer awe-inspiring landscapes or iconic structures, but visitors to Mesa Verde have a unique opportunity to enjoy both. Mesa Verde is actually the first national park that was established to protect America's man-made treasures, and thanks to a century of custodianship by Mesa Verde rangers, God's creation and man's will be enjoyed here for centuries to come. Congratulations to all of you.

"I'm happy today to have the opportunity to explore a few of Mesa Verde's more than 4,000 archeological sites, including some of the famous cliff dwellings. These sites reflect the culture of this region's ancient inhabitants, tracing their progression from basket weavers, to pottery makers, to farmers, to urban planners, who developed some of America's earliest communities.

"These dwellings also show us the connection between the ancestral pueblo people and their descendents who live in the Southwest today. In fact, 24 Native American tribes in this region have an ancestral affiliation with Mesa Verde."

Mesa Verde is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

'10 STORIES THE WORLD SHOULD HEAR MORE ABOUT'

The 2006 list covers a spectrum of issues and geographical regions, some of which draw on troubling humanitarian emergencies and conflict situations (such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nepal) while others focus on such vital areas as human rights (asylum law and child prisoners) and development (Liberia and water as a shared resource). In this year's list, some stories focus on conflicts that may have been in the media spotlight - but highlight a perspective that does not usually get much play.

The United Nations each year publishes "Ten Stories the World Should Hear More About." The initiative was first launched in 2004. The short list of stories is not meant to be representative of the UN agenda. The ranking of the stories is not a reflection of their relative significance.

One of this years stories describes a UNESCO project, From Potential Conflict to Co-operation Potential (PCCP), that aims to foster cooperation between stakeholders in the management of shared water resources, while helping to ensure that potential conflicts do not turn into real ones.

From water wars to bridges of cooperation: Exploring the peace-building potential of a shared resource

“Guidelines for Terminology Policies. Formulating and implementing terminology policy in language communities”

UNESCO just published this report that was prepared by the International Information Center for Terminology (Infoterm). Terminology planning occurs at different levels: national, regional, language community, local community, institutional or organizational. There are also terminology planning activities in various professional fields such as chemistry, biology, physics and medicine. In addition, there is a terminology component to virtually all standardization and harmonization activities, whether in industry or elsewhere. A terminology policy or strategy, especially when conceived and implemented at the national level, needs to take into account highly complex demographic, cultural, ethno-linguistic and geo-linguistic and socio-psychological factors. Infoterm, was founded in 1971 by UNESCO with the objective to support and co-ordinate international co-operation in the field of terminology. Members are national, international and regional terminology institutions, organizations and networks, as well as specialized public or semi-public or other kind of non-profit institutions engaged in terminological activities.

UNESCO and Rising Above A Gathering Storm

Norman R. Augustine

The Keynote address on Friday, June 2nd at the annual meeting of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO is titled:

UNESCO and Rising Above A Gathering Storm

It is to be delivered by Norman R. Augustine, who is listed in the program as “Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lockheed Martin Corporation”.

There is some background suggesting that this will be an especially interesting talk.

Rising Above A Gathering Storm is the title of an important and influential book published last year by the National Academies of Science. It was written by the Academies’ Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century.

The group consisted of several corporate CEOs, university presidents, three Nobel Prize winners, several past presidential appointees, and distinguished teachers.

The chairman of the committee was Norman Augustine.

Not only that, but Augustine has a knack for turning a memorable phrase! (Click here for some examples.)

This report has been credited as significantly influencing the American Competitiveness Initiative announced by President Bush in the last State of the Union message. The Initiative, recognizing that America's economic strength and global leadership depend on continued technological advances, promises:

· a major increase in federal funding of fundamental research and development,
· incentives for private sector investments in research and development,
· a major effort to improve math, science, and technological education in our K-12 schools, and
· a new program of Career Advancement Accounts that workers and people looking for work can use to obtain training and other employment services.

Thus, the talk should be an exceptional opportunity to hear about the current and future state of U.S. competitiveness, and the role that UNESCO can play in helping assure that science and technology remain a vibrant force for American economic progress.

AmUNESCO Board and U.S. NatCom meetings

The Board of Directors of Americans for UNESCO met yesterday (Tuesday, May 23, 2006). The main topic of discussion was the upcoming meeting of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO (NatCom).

The NatCom meeting is to take place on June 1st and 2nd, at the Doubletree Hotel in Washington, DC (1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW). It is open to the public, but those planning to attend should contact the National Commission staff (they need to plan for the number of attendees). (Click here to see the full agenda.)

UNESCO is celebrating its six decades of existence. AmUNESCO Board member Raymond E. Wanner has been invited to participate in a panel on Thursday (June 1) titled: “UNESCO at Sixty Years: How It Began and Where It Is Going”. In my experience, no one knows more about this topic than Ray.

The keynote speaker on Friday (June 2) is to be Norman R. Augustine, who will speak on “UNESCO and Rising Above A Gathering Storm”.

UNESCO is currently conduction a major review of its natural and social science programs. An international panel has been convened for the purpose. Dr. Kathie Olsen, Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation, is a member of the panel, and is to speak on the exercise on Thursday afternoon.

“What UNESCO for the Future”

"A reflexion on current and future trends, on potential gaps that must be filled and on future scenarios, with a foreword by Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, and an introduction by Mr Pierre Sané, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Social and Human Sciences."

‘What UNESCO for the future?’ proceeds from a reflexion on current and future trends and potential gaps that must be filled, on future scenarios and on ‘What UNESCO?’ in terms of its role today as a participant that could influence the processes of global transformation.

‘What UNESCO for the future?’ reflects on UNESCO’s possible responses to the rising global challenges it faces today. In other words, what role could our Organization have within the United Nations system, and what contribution could it make towards resolving the main challenges and threats of the twenty-first century?

If, as some think, we have effectively arrived at a crossroads – that we are reaching a point of no return in a number of fields (water, energy, climate change, pollution, terrorism, nuclear power) – what UNESCO will allow us to face this future? What relationship to foster between the Organization’s fields of competence and its functions? What methods to use to reach the world’s most vulnerable populations if we are to build intellectual co-operation worthy of the name?

This publication presents the addresses given in the course of this forum by sixteen personalities:

* Jacques Attali
* Robert Badinter
* Boutros Boutros-Ghali
* Souleymane Bachir Diagne
* Fatma Haddad-Chamakh
* Ping Huang
* Albert Jacquard
* Randolph Kent
* Yersu Kim
* Achille Mbembé
* Edgar Morin
* Hisashi Owada
* Miguel Rojas-Mix
* Carolina Rossetti Gallardo
* Ghassan Salamé
* Tu Weiming

Andre Varchaver comments:

- Most interesting and valuable as a well written historical account of how UNESCO came to be and, - importantly - the role of the United States in its creation is to be found in the reprint of "Planning the Organization of UNESCO, 1942-1946; a Personal Record" by Frank Richard Cowell, former Secretary-General of the British National Commission for UNESCO, written on the occasion of UNESCO's 20th anniversary. I am tempted to say that it should be required reading for all of us as well as the members and staff of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.

Report from the AAAS Meeting

A session titled "Whither UNESCO? Science, Poverty, and Peace" was held at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in St. Louis on February 17, 2006. The session was organized by Irving Lerch, representing Americans for UNESCO. (An audio tape of the session is soon to be available.)

The purpose of the meeting was described in the following Synopsis:

This is a critical time for UNESCO. The basic science and engineering program is being reorganized, increasingly complex issues in biomedicine are being scrutinized, and the member states are ordering their priorities placing greater emphasis on the devolution of programs away from the center and onto offices in geographically dispersed regions. U.S. State Department officials are trying to find ways to coordinate the participation of civil society with the work of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO. The organization is being asked to place greater weight on science and engineering in the service of UNESCO's cross-cutting goals: poverty, conflict reduction, and social justice. The framework for these great works is being redeveloped to achieve greater efficiencies with a view to obtaining lasting and substantial results. UNESCO institutes, such as the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, have become important resources for the global science and engineering enterprise to recruit and develop scholars from developing countries and integrate them into the intellectual life of the global science and engineering community. The purpose of this symposium is to track these changes and to determine how best to organize U.S. participation to achieve global and national objectives.

The Discussion

John Daly opened the meeting, representing Dr. Lerch, who was unable to attend. He very briefly described Americans for UNESCO and the purpose of the session.

Laurel Baldwin-Ragaven served as moderator for the session, and began it with remarks as to interests of the AAAS and its Commitee for Sientific Freedom and Responsibility in unfettered collaboration across nations. She stressed the need for American scientists to participate in international scientific activities. Especially important is the role of American scientists in international advisory meetings held to interpret scientific knowledge for policy makers. She stressed the importance of scientific and academic freedom in such efforts.

Without the United States' scientific community, there is no UNESCO science program.
Andras Szolosi-Nagy

The View from UNESCO, Andras Szollosi-Nagy

This was a comprehensive and well-delivered talk on UNESCO's initiatives around the world dealing with accessing clean drinking water. Dr. Szollosi-Nagy recognized that most of the world will not achieve the Millennium Development Goals unless access to water is improved. Yet the world faces a looming crisis of lack of fresh water. Thus, UNESCO's scientific leadership in areas such as fresh water studies and analysis of the hydrological effects of climate change is critically important. Perhaps more so are UNESCO's efforts to help build capacity in developing nations to deal with these issues.

The speaker also made an appeal to the audience for U.S. scientists to engage directly with UNESCO programs. He stated that our most important challenge now is getting the U.S. intellectual community back and involved in UNESCO.

He described UNESCO's successful effort to create "The Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems". This is an integrated compendium of sixteen encyclopedias, equivalent to 200 volumns, It attempts to forge pathways between disciplines in order to show their interdependence and helps foster the transdisciplinary aspects of the relationship between nature and human society. It deals in detail with interdisciplinary subjects, but it is also disciplinary as each major core subject is covered in great depth, by world experts. It is also online, free for use by the world's scientific community.

The View from the U.S. Government, Kelly Seikman

Reviewed the role of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and highlighted the various ways that Americans can get involved with international exchange. She pointed out the newness of the situation--as well as the lack of history and continuity during the 19 year period in which the United States was not a member of UNESCO. Ms. Seikman also underlined the importance of the U.S. Mission to UNESCO, located in Paris.

The talk focused briefly on the promotion by the United States of cross-cutting programs at UNESCO, and the importance of the current reviews of UNESCO's programs in the natural and social sciences.

UNESCO staff of international civil servents is intended to include representatives of all its member nations. The nominal number of U.S. staffers should be between 46 and 76. However, in March there were only 32 full time U.S. staff members. The State Department is seeking to encourage other U.S. citizens on the staff.

The Role and Viewpoint of the National Academies, Bruce Alberts

Dr. Alberts described the international programs of the U.S. National Research Council, and notably those of the InterAcademy Council formed as an international coalition of national academies. He ended his talk with what he felt should be the priorities for UNESCO from his perspective as someone concerned with science education and Inter Academy collaboration to address global challenges. (Since the presentation is available on the web, it will not be further mentioned here.)

The Role and Expectation of the Learned and Professional Societies, Rita Colwell

Dr. Colwell "spoke from the heart," touching on her own personal experiences of having worked for more than 25 years internationally, putting a developing world perspective on stretching minimal funds to maximal effect. She emphasized the need for scientist to scientist cooperation. She described the importance of the UNESCO sponsored MIRCEN program, an international network in microbial biology, in catalyzing such cooperation.

Approximately 35 to 40 people attended the session. It concluded with questions from the floor and responses from the panelists.



Participants

Laurel Baldwin-Ragaven (Moderator), Henry R. Luce Professor of Health and Human Rights, Trinity College, and current Chair of the AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility.

Andras Szollosi-Nagy (Speaker), Deputy Assistant Director for Natural Sciences, UNESCO.

Kelly Seikman, (Speaker) Ms. Seikman spoke in place of Marguerite Sullivan, Department of State and Director of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO. (Ms. Sullivan was unable to attend the session due to illness.)

Bruce Alberts (Speaker), University of California, San Francisco (Former President of the National Academy of Sciences)

Rita Colwell (Speaker), University of Maryland and Canon U.S. Life Sciences Inc. (Former President of the National Science Foundation)

John Daly, Board of Directors, Americans for UNESCO

Annual Meeting of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO

The U.S. National Commission for UNESCO will host its annual conference on Thursday, June 1 and Friday, June 2, 2006 at the Doubletree Hotel in Washington, DC (1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW).

The Commission will have a series of informational plenary sessions and subject-specific committee breakout sessions on Thursday, June 1 and the morning of Friday, June 2.

The Commission will meet in plenary session to discuss its recommendations on Friday, June 2, 2006, from 1345 until 1600.

The theme of the conference is the 60th Anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. The meetings will be open to the public.

Anyone wishing to attend should contact the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO no later than Wednesday, May 24th for further information about admission, as seating is limited.

Call: (202) 663-0026;
or Email: DCUNESCO@state.gov

A Science, Technology and Innovation Policy for Lebanon

The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy for Lebanon was launched in Beirut on April 27, 2006 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, and the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Fouad Sanioura, in the presence of all government ministers, UN agency representatives and the Lebanese scientific and academic communities. It was UNESCO which set in motion the formulation of a science, technology and innovation policy for Lebanon three years ago. The policy report is the fruit of the work of four task forces led by UNESCO consultant Peter Tindemans and involving prominent Lebanese scientists and international experts. The Policy is published by the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Lebanon.

Read an Executive Summary of the report (in Arabic, English and French). (A comprehensive report on the policy is soon to be available on this website.)

Go to the website for the launching ceremony.

Sixty Years On: UNESCO and the Challenges and Opportunities for Engineering

This is a very interestingPower Point presentation made by Tony Marjorem for a talk at the Institution of Civil Engineers on 28 November, 2005.

It should be obvious to all, as it was to our ancestors in the Industrial Revolution, that a strong infrastructure is essential for economic development. Canals, railroads, and roads are needed to move goods. The energy infrastructure, including electrical power generation and distribution, and the production and distribution of fossil fuels are critical to manufacturing, transportation, not to mention air-conditioning and heating. The ICT infrastructure of telecommunications and computers has produced the information revolution. Water and sanitation infrastructure not only is crucial for good health, but as those people who spend much of their lives drawing and carrying water know all to well, produces great savings of effort. All are dependendent on professional engineering. So to is modern manufacturing. Agriculture is made more productive via the efforts of engineers who build the irrigation infrastructure and are responsible for agricultural machinery.

The United Nations system includes agencies that support the health professions, the agricultural professions, the environmental professions, and the manufacturing professions. It is only UNESCO that has stepped up to begin to provide cross-cutting support for the engineering professions. This is a critically important function, since the engineering professions cross-fertilize each other, and since engineering education benefits considerably from interdisciplinary approaches.

UNESCO Milestones

Check out this website with a list of the milestones in UNESCO's 60 year history.

Harmonization of Animal Care and Use Guidance

Read the full (enhanced) discussion in Science magazine (5 May 2006: Vol. 312. no. 5774, pp. 700 - 701). I think a subscription is required.

This article (by Gilles Demers, Gilly Griffin, Guy De Vroey, Joseph R. Haywood, Joanne Zurlo and Marie Bédard) calls for continued and expanded efforts to harmonize laws and regulations relating to the ethical treatment of animals involved in scientific research. Their article cites a number of important references (with links in the expanded version). It draws heavily on the work of the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS). The authors make the point that such harmonization is important for many reasons, including not only improving ethical treatment but also simplifying the administration of international research collaboration and improving the comparability of research results from different nations. Indeed, I believe that the thought that has been given to regulations involving animals used in science in the United States has lead in many cases to saving money and to more valid research.

Most people, when they think of this topic at all, think of the use of laboratory animals in medical research -- a very important topic, and one of considerable interest to the World Health Organization. However, animals are involved in many other fields of science, and not only in the laboratory. Thus, for example, agricultural scientists do research on livestock, environmental scientists and zoologists do research on wild animals in their natural habitat, and ichthyologists do research involving fish in fresh and salt water ecosystems.

The relevant regulatory system is complex. In the United States, for example, there are different regulations for treatment of laboratory animals, livestock involved in research, and animals in the wild. There are also different regulations for primates versus other less intelligent laboratory animals versus laboratory mice and rats.

Harmonization of animal care and use regulations would seem to be an important topic for UNESCO, which is of course the lead agency in the United Nations System for the physical and social sciences, and which has a program in bioethics. UNESCO's work could complement that of the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health, coordinating among the different UN agencies, and broadening the scope to include all of science.

The United States government might well recommend that UNESCO consider a declaration designed to harmonize regulations on the ethical treatment of animals in science. Were UNESCO to embark on the effort to develop such a declaration, the United States has a strong community of experts involved in the relevant issues who might assist in UNESCO's work.

UNESCO: Strategy on Human Rights

Read the full PDF document.

"Further integrating the human rights approach into all of UNESCO’s programs, advancing human rights in an era of globalization, and strengthening partnerships."