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Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
The US decision to leave UNESCO again puts a spotlight on what the agency does and why it matters
PARIS (AP) — With the support of international partners and the mobilization of $115 million, the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO recently helped rebuild the Iraqi city of Mosul after it was devastated by the Islamic State group. The restoration of the historic city's iconic Al-Nouri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret was just one of many programs run by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is in the spotlight because the United States is leaving it once again. The decision to pull U.S. funding and participation from UNESCO will deal a blow to its work preserving cultural heritage around the world. President Donald Trump exited the agency during his first term, accusing it of promoting anti-Israel speech. The Biden administration had rejoined UNESCO in 2023 after citing concerns that China was filling the gap left by the U.S. in UNESCO policymaking. Beyond the diplomatic disputes, here's a look at the work that UNESCO does: World Heritage Sites UNESCO names World Heritage sites, including landmarks like the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty, and gives them special protection under its World Heritage Sites program. Its World Heritage Committee each year designates sites considered 'of outstanding value to humanity' and intervenes when sites are in danger of destruction or damage. The program provides countries with technical assistance and professional training to preserve the sites. It now also includes 'intangible' heritage such as folk songs and traditional dances, crafts and cooking in its lists. A World Heritage site designation is coveted and seen as a boost to tourism. Holocaust Education Like the rest of the U.N., UNESCO was created in response to the horrors of World War II, and particularly Nazi crimes. Amid concerns that the agency's Arab members have used UNESCO to pass anti-Israel resolutions, UNESCO has worked in recent years on Holocaust awareness projects. That includes educational materials and organizing visits to former Nazi concentration camps. Empowering Girls UNESCO works to improve literacy, with a special focus on girls in countries hit by war or disasters who get little or no schooling though programs such as the Malala Fund for Girls' Right to Education. In Tanzania, for instance, over 2,500 girls benefited from the creation of safe spaces in 40 secondary schools, The agency provides teacher training and materials and encourages programs for girls to pursue careers in science. Climate Change One of the agency's goals is coordinating climate knowledge and improving international education about how global warming occurs and affects people around the world. Over 30 UNESCO programs are designed to help its members adapt to climate change and favor sustainable development. Ethics of Artificial Intelligence UNESCO adopted in 2021 what it calls 'the first and only global standard-setting instrument on the ethics of artificial intelligence.' Applying to all 194 member states, the recommendation emphasizes the protection of human rights and dignity, grounded in principles like transparency, fairness, and human oversight of AI systems. Operating without the U.S. UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay said the U.S. decision to leave was expected and that the agency has prepared for it. While the U.S. had previously provided a notable share of the agency's budget, UNESCO has diversified its funding sources. 'Thanks to the efforts made by the organization since 2018, the decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, so that it now represents 8% of the organization's total budget compared with 40% for some United Nations entities,' Azoulay said. She added that the agency's overall budget has increased and that it has the steady support of 'a large number of member states and private contributors.'
The Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Trump pulls US out of UN cultural agency Unesco for second time
US senator Jeanne Shaheen, the senior Democrat on the Republican-controlled Senate foreign relations committee, called Trump's decision 'short-sighted and a win for China', which she said became the largest financial contributor to Unesco after Trump last withdrew from the agency. Unesco officials said relevant agency statements had been agreed with Israel and the Palestinians over the past eight years. Azoulay said the US had given the same reasons for its pullout as it had seven years ago 'even though the situation has changed profoundly, political tensions have receded and Unesco today constitutes a rare forum for consensus on concrete and action-orientated multilateralism'. 'These claims also contradict the reality of Unesco's efforts, particularly in the field of holocaust education and the fight against anti-Semitism,' she added. Unesco is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the US Grand Canyon and Egypt's pyramids. It lists 26 sites in the US, including the Statue of Liberty, on its World Heritage List which highlights 1,248 global locations of 'outstanding universal value'. Washington has had a troubled relationship with Unesco over the years. It was a founding member in 1945 but first withdrew in 1984 to protest alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-US bias during the Cold War. It returned in 2003 under former president George W Bush, who said Unesco had undertaken reforms, but in 2011 the Obama administration announced it was stopping funding for the agency after its vote to grant the Palestinians full membership. Trump's first administration announced in 2017 it was quitting after accusing Unesco of anti-Israeli bias, with Washington owing $542m (R9.53bn) in dues, before former president Biden reversed the decision in 2023. Reuters
Reuters
3 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US to leave UN cultural agency UNESCO again, diplomats say
PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) - The United States will leave the United Nations' culture and education agency UNESCO as President Donald Trump continues to pull his country out of international institutions he has long criticized, two European diplomats said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. The move is a blow to the Paris-based agency, founded after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture. The New York Post also reported on the U.S. withdrawal, citing a White House official. Trump took similar steps during his first term, quitting the World Health Organization, the U.N. Human Rights Council, a global climate change accord and the Iran nuclear deal. Joe Biden reversed those decisions after taking office in 2021, returning the U.S. to UNESCO, the WHO and the climate agreement. With Trump now back in the White House, the U.S. is once again pulling out of these global bodies. He has already decided to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO and halt funding to the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA as part of a review of the U.S.' participation in UN agencies, due to be concluded in August. UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the Grand Canyon in the United States and the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria. The United States initially joined UNESCO at its founding in 1945 but withdrew for the first time in 1984 in protest against alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-U.S. bias, returning almost 20 years later in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who then said the agency had undertaken needed reforms. UNESCO's full name is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The United States provides about 8% of UNESCO's total budget, down from about 20% at the time Trump first pulled the United States out of the agency.
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US to pull out of UN cultural agency UNESCO
The United States will leave the United Nations' culture and education agency UNESCO as President Donald Trump continues to pull his country out of international institutions he has long criticized, the New York Post reported on Tuesday, citing a White House official. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. The move is a blow to the Paris-based agency, founded after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture. Trump took similar steps during his first term, quitting the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, a global climate change accord and the Iran nuclear deal. Joe Biden reversed those decisions after taking office in 2021, returning the U.S. to UNESCO, the WHO and the climate agreement. With Trump now back in the White House, the US is once again pulling out of these global bodies. The administration has also ordered a 90-day pause on all US foreign assistance to assess alignment with Trump's foreign policy priorities. UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the Grand Canyon in the United States and the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria. The United States initially joined UNESCO at its founding in 1945 but withdrew for the first time in 1984 in protest against alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-US bias, returning almost 20 years later in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who then said the agency had undertaken needed reforms. UNESCO's full name is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO officials said the agency was already a lot less dependent on the United States than in the past, but the move would nonetheless impact the agency, with some limited impact on programs the United States was financing. The United States provides about 8 percent of UNESCO's total budget, down from about 20 percent at the time Trump first pulled the United States out of the agency.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
26 new UNESCO World Heritage Sites for 2025
From the Great Wall of China to the Taj Mahal, UNESCO 's list of World Heritage Sites protects some of humanity's most treasured historical monuments. Now, 26 new sites have been added to this prestigious list. This year's additions include the original Disney Castle, a Diamond Mountain in North Korea, and the Killing Fields of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge. UNESCO has also included Port Royal - a mysterious sunken 'Pirate City' in Jamaica. Of the 32 candidates nominated this year, those accepted include 21 cultural sites, four natural wonders, and one mixed location. Pictured: Linderhof Castle near Oberammergau, southern Germany. The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Germany When Walt Disney needed inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty, he turned to the stunning palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Built between 1864 and 1886, the spires of Neuschwanstein Castle tower over the Bavarian Alps. King Ludwig II, who would be declared mad shortly after the castle's completion, drew inspiration for the castle's design from fairy tales and the operas of Wagner. The castle features grand murals of forests and cherubs alongside a hidden grotto built to connect the King's living space and offices. Between 1975 and 1979, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge party killed between two and three million people. Inspired by radical Maoist ideology, the party led by Pol Pot killed ethnic, educated, urban, or professionally trained individuals. Perceived opponents of the regime were taken to sites which became known as the killing fields, where they were murdered and dumped in mass graves. These graves were so shallow that bones of the dead can still be seen sticking out of the ground to this day. One of these sites, formally an orchard located 6 miles (10km) south of the capital Phnom Penh, was made into a memorial site for the atrocity named the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center. The centre includes a large Buddhist stupa, or tower, made out of hundreds of unidentified skulls from those killed at the site. The Killing Fields and the notorious S-21 and M-13 prison, where thousands were tortured, have all been made part of the UNESCO world heritage list. Mount Kumgang, North Korea Known as the Diamond Mountain from the Sea, Mount Kumang is now one of three UNESCO World Heritage sites in North Korea. UNESCO has added the area as a mixed site, meaning it has outstanding natural and cultural value. This area is renowned for its valleys, waterfalls, incredible biodiversity, and peaks rising to nearly 5,250 ft (1,600m). Due to the local climate, these mountains are constantly shrouded by a changing pattern of mists, rain, and clouds. Additionally, the area has been considered sacred by Korean Buddhists for hundreds of years. The site is home to ancient stone carvings and temples dating back as far as the 5th century, including three which are still active today. Until January last year, the site was also one of the very few locations open to South Korean tourists as part of the so-called 'Sunshine Policy'. Gola-Tiwai Complex, Sierra Leone The Gola-Tiwai Complex is the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Sierra Leone and has been added following decades of conservation work in the region. The complex will include the 700 square kilometre Gola-Tiwai National Park as well as the nearby Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary. Once considered at threat by logging and civil war, this rainforest is home to a bewildering array of rare and endangered species. The area hosts more than 1,000 plant species, 55 mammals, up to 448 birds, and 600 species of butterfly. It is also the last remaining home of the forest elephant and pygmy hippopotamus in Sierra Leone. Pygmy hippos, made famous by Khao Kheow Open Zoo's Moo Deng , are now found in only a handful of waterways in West Africa and are considered endangered. The forest is also key to the survival of some species we would recognise here in the UK, such as migratory swifts which stop to rest in Gola-Tiwai on their way to Europe. Port Royal, Jamaica In the 17th century, the town of Port Royal was a major hub of English trade in the Caribbean and a notorious pirate haven nicknamed 'the wickedest city of Earth'. The city was home to English and Dutch 'Privateers', gangs of marauding pirates encouraged to attack the Spanish fleets. On shore, these wealthy criminals would spend their ill-gotten cash in the city's many taverns and gambling dens. However, a major earthquake in 1692 and an accompanying tsunami sank most of the port into the ocean. What remained of the town was then destroyed by a fire and a hurricane in the following years, all but wiping Port Royal off the map. Today, the remains of the pirate town are still found beneath the waves where they have been converted into a major archaeological site. This area, known as the Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal, has now been officially recognised as an UNESCO World Heritage site. The 26 New UNESCO World Heritage Sites 1. Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection (Cambodia) 2. Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago, Omatí Minhô (Guinea-Bissau) 3. Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal (Tajikistan) 4. Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains (Cameroon) 5. Faya Palaeolandscape (United Arab Emirates) 6. Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor (Malaysia) 7. Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia, The domus de janas (Italy) 8. Gola-Tiwai Complex (Sierra Leone) 9. Maratha Military Landscapes of India (India) 10. Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan (France) 11. Minoan Palatial Centres (Greece) 12. Mount Kumgang, Diamond Mountain from the Sea (North Korea) 13. Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape (Malawi). 14. Møns Klint (Denmark) 15. Murujuga Cultural Landscape (Australia) 16. Peruaçu River Canyon (Brazil) 17. Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream (South Korea) 18. Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley (Iran) 19. Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave (Russia) 20. Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe (Turkey) 21. The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal (Jamaica) 22. The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá (Panama) 23. The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (Germany) 24. Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta (Tatehuarí Huajuyé, Mexico) 25. Xixia Imperial Tombs (China) 26. Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes (Vietnam).
