Thursday, March 20, 2014

Unequal Google Doodle?

I learned two things today: 

One, the fun images that Google switches every day on their site ,that provides random information each day is called Google Doodle. 

Two, these Doodles are really white male centered and show a distorted image of the world, saying that most important people in the science, artand in general in any  pioneer area are mostly led by them.This made SPARK activists upset and they did a research between 2010 and 2013. The result is this:  457 Doodles showed up in 3 years and 357 of those were about males.

But my question is this: I know that recently (let's say since the 20th century?) females have been catching up on their rights and expressing their ideas, art etc.,  trying to be as creative and successful as males, doesn't SPARK understand that before this time, mainly males were the only ones doing this? Seriously though, it's not because females were not as smart as men but simply because they had different roles back then and they didn't have a chance to get acknowledgment.

Honestly, I'd like to retrack and say: I learned two things today, but let me modify my second new info to this snipet down here that I found while researching this topic: This Google Doodle image celebrates Miriam Makeba, nicknamed Mama Africa, a Grammy Award-winning South African singer and civil rights activist, who actually made it through the "cruel" Google selection, despite of being a female and of color.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Women's Day? World Wildlife Day!

I know that it is supposedly Women's Day today, but honestly, I  don't care too much for that. Instead of posting something related to that, I would like to share Irina Bokova's message to the world she shared a few days ago, on World Wildlife Day. (She is the Director-General of UNESCO in case you have trouble remembering my post of her last month. Look it up, she's a great lasy!)

"On World Wildlife Day, I call upon all actors – including government authorities, non-governmental organizations, customs services, police forces and the scientific community -- to redouble their efforts and deepen cooperation. Only by joining forces can we craft a sustainable future for the planet’s precious wildlife and biodiversity."

I am excited to know that UNESCO is playing a major role in international efforts for wildlife conservation through the World Network of Biosphere Reserves and not only helps natural sites (through the World Heritage Convention).  Click here to read Bokova's full message!
--> I thought that this logo was quite cute, click on it so you can see the details!

Monday, March 3, 2014

Wedding into Protest

In China and especially in Beijing, the "air is so thick that children are told to stay indoors, city dwellers can no longer see skyscrapers and face masks are out of stock".  The air is so bad that a man recently sued the Chinese government, demanding the environmental protection agency to "perform its duty to control air pollution according to the law." 

Bride Zhang Xinyu and groom Bai Beibei decided to take their wedding portraits outside, facing the smog to protest the abysmal air quality.  Their pictures are not the greatest, during to the smog I suppose and the article is not the best either, but this article here is merely to raise awareness to the issue. 


The Oscars VS North Korea

While a 100% of the TV watching Western world was busy glued to the Oscars, North Korea decided to launch a missile last night. You couldn't want a more perfect timing for such an act. Who will switch to the news while Ellen DeGeneres is ordering pizza for the A-list stars in the first row?!
 It was only for practicing, never left North Korean territory but still, it was aiming a whole new direction (Russia) which means it wasn't a mistake. It was purposfully practicing, training to who know what. I really hope the world won't wait to find it out. Kim Jong Un is so far making sure he stays within his own sees.

Political Campaign Hungarian (=Clown) Style

When the New York Times decides to point something out in the world, it is usually pretty darn important. Hungary, my home country is in the middle of its new election campaign but due to the government's media control, it turned into spreading hate. Why would you campaign against the other party instead of pointing out your own qualities? Perhaps because you don't have any??


The image shows a massive poster put up in the capital, Budapest. It shows the representatives of the opposing party (the clown is added of course) saying "They don't deserve another chance!". Very creative.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

From Thailand to Italy - people are finding their voices!

While most of the world is concentrating on Venezuela and Ukraine, other nations are fighting  almost as hard as the above metnioned two for rights, recognition, even independence in some cases.

Click HERE to hear about some other parts of the world and to see powerful images from the protests.  A short article about Catalonia, Italy, Bangkok and Ukraine. 

That whistle seems loud but as long as he's enjoying it...! Happy protestors in Thailand.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Timeless Art & Human Nonsense

Why is the Pietá hiding behind bullet proof glass? Which Picasso painting got ripped in a museum by a clumsy visitor? What does an eccentric performance artist do to Marcel Duchamp's Fountain? 

Take a look at this humorous article to find out the answers and read about some other incredible attacks on incredible artworks!

Monday, February 17, 2014

North Korea Needs Help

Watch this video. Simple as that. And wait for what the most recent (372 pages long) UN report has to say about it. Oh and watch for the non-existant North Korean answer too.

Meet God's favorite country

Not very surprisingly, I've been looking at Sochi and it's surroundings in the past few weeks. What is interesting though is that I stumbled upon a tiny piece of the world that most of us don't know about: Abkhazia. I also found possibly the most beautiful mythology I have ever encountered. Read how "God's favorite country", Abkhazia was created below:

"When God wanted to distribute the earth between its many peoples, he called them together. The English were given England, the Japanese Japan, the Russians Russia and so on. Only after the world had been divided up did the Abkhazians arrive. God and his angels looked surprised and dismayed. "We are sorry," said the Abkhazians. "We were on our way, but guests turned up and we had to serve them food and drink. Just as we were about to leave, more guests arrived."To punish the Abkhazians, God gave them the harshest piece of earth, cold, bare and dark. But the Abkhazians remained true to their culture. When one day, many years later, one of God's angels went to see what had become of them, he was welcomed with a sumptuous feast – as is customary for every guest. The angel reported this to God. Then God called the Abkhazians to him and rewarded their perseverance.
“I now give you the most beautiful piece of land I know," said God. “I was saving it from myself, but you are worth it. Remember though: like a beautiful young woman, your country will be coveted by everyone. It will be difficult to protect. If your descendants can't protect it, they will melt away like snow in the spring. If they can protect it, it will be theirs. Then it will be a truly beautiful country." "

After knowing how the Abkhazians think of their existence, it is sad to learn that their home is not a separate land today.  Only 5 countries in the world today consider Abkhazia independent: the status is recognized by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Tuvalu. Wishing this strikingly beautiful territory the best from the US, hoping their conflicts will be solved one day, (hopefully soon) and that the 250 000 people, who consider themselves Abkhazians will find peace in wherever they are, whatever country they are part of!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

"Ukraine Must Change or Be Destroyed"



The Ukranian situation is nowhere to be settled and it seems like it will be going on for a little longer. Why not look at it from an intersting, new viewpoint? This article is introducing boxer Vitali Klitschko who turned into a politician to save his country. 
 
On the 29th of January, Vitali Klitschko warned countrymen saying that he might become Ukraine president. He is planning to run at the next elections in May 2015. An interesting fact is that Klitschko has never been knocked out in a professional boxing match. This is what gave the idea for the name of his political party; the acronym means ‘punch’ in Ukrainian. 
He has huge support in Ukraine so far - or at least in the boxwer world he does. "He’s a decent man who deserves to be the president of Ukraine" says his first coach, Mikhail Mazikh.“He was a great opponent in the ring and I think he’s great for his people. I have huge respect for his decision and If I had the opportunity, I would definitely vote for him.” stated opponent Dereck Chisora.
  Click here for the whole article on Klitschko's plans!

We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose.  This wouldn't be the first time that athletic muscle-men get involved in politics, right? Think of body-builder/governer Arnold Schwarzenegger!


Friday, January 31, 2014

Human Rights VS The Winter Olympics 2014

For those who have been living on Mars the last few months (and for my own pleasure) I'd like to discuss the situation at this year's Winter Olympics in Russia.

Most discussion about the Winter Olympics this year is not about usual topics such as who can return with the most golden medals or what will be the new world record in certain sports. This year the most important discussions are about basic human rights and how Russia's president, Vladimir Putin signed a law that bans pro-gay "propaganda" that could be accessible to minors. This basical means that activists are forbidden from any public expression of gay-rights sentiment. This law passed through the parliament basically without any opposition and has extensive public support in Russia.
The law made several impacts on the Olympic Games, which open next week. "President Barack Obama, who has criticized the Russian law, is skipping the Olympics and named a U.S. delegation that includes tennis great Billie Jean King and two other openly gay athletes." There is nothing new about this though. What is more recent though is that in the US, Coca-Cola and McDonald's are trying to handle protesters that are against these companies for sponsoring an  event that takes place at an area where human rights are under oppression.

Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, predicted that sponsors will insist that the IOC makes human rights a more important factor in selection of host cities from now on.

"There will be a reckoning after the Games," Worden said. "Olympic sponsorship is supposed to be the goose that lays the golden eggs, but this goose is not laying golden eggs. It's laying stinky, rotten eggs."

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Maysoon Zayid insiprational talk - the first female comedian in the Arab world

Ted.com is possibly the most amazing website I have found on the internet. This video is just another reason for why I feel this way. 

 "I got 99 Porblems and palsy is just one....I am Palestinian, Muslim, I am female, I am disabled and I live in New Jersey" starts out comedian Maysoon Zayid and continues: If you haven't felt good about yourself so far, you should start now! She challenges you with thoughts such as "People with disabilites are the largest minority in the world and we are the most underrepresented in entertainment" and by saying that "At some point of your life, you have dreamt of being disabled". 

I hope I got you curious and because I don't really want to ruin the video for you, just click here to watch the amazing video of this fearless, funny, intelligent woman who challenges all your false judgements and humor.

Monday, January 27, 2014

"To build your future, you have to know your past" - International Holocaust Remembrance Day

The above mentioned Otto Frank quote is just one of the thousands of precious paraphrases we cherish today. But remembering through other's memories and words is apparently not enough. 


The history of the genocide perpetrated during the Second World War does not belong to the past only. It is a ‘living history’ that concerns us all, regardless of our background, culture, or religion. Other genocides have occurred after the Holocaust, on several continents. How can we draw better lessons from the past?   

 - says Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General. How could we learn from past mistake smore efficiently? Education needs to concentrate on the Holocaust and through that, explain how genocide is still an issue today. Noone would have thought that after the determination of 6 million Jews today, 70 years later genocide could be a reemerging problem!

I chose this well-known image because I always thought it  was a perfect representation of the terror. I think that tt is clear that the men in this picture have given up on their lives and this is what broke most of them. The mentality where the captured were ashamed of being alive and were ready to great death as a friend was what the Nazis wanted to achieve. This picture has been in all my history books since high school and has always struck me, no matter how many times I saw it. I just found out recently that Elie Wiesel,a Romanian born Nobel Peace Prize winner was in the picture. Wiesel is in the second row from the bottom, seventh from the left. He is still alive today, still delivering his powerful message about peace, atonement and human dignity" to humanity.


The whole world remembers the Holocaust today. Click here
to see more about how the UN plans to remember the 70th anniversary of the Auschwitz camp liberation.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Young Artists, Attention!

There is a great program for artists called UNESCO-Aschberg Bursaries for Artists 2014.

The program is a great opportunity for young artists (ages between 25 and 35 practice creativity, work on cultural exchanges and see the importance of the need for artists to enrich their experience through contact with other cultures.The program, which is originally funded by a Swedish phylanthrophist couple with the name Aschberg (very surprising, I know) has been around since 1994. 

If you are interested in this (and aren't an Australian citizen - no jokes, for some reason, that is one of the criterias!), click on the link below and apply! I know I will check it out when I reach the age limit!


Swedish artist Ingmar Bergman, one of the greatest film directors of all time had the honor to be depicted on the 200 kroner bill (worth around $31). See how it all ties in? Swedish? Artist??
You can find out more about it on the UNESCO website here or visit a different site specifically for artists by clicking on this link.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

New Motivation: Irina Bukova

I found some serious inspiration today when doing research on some of the top people working for UNESCO. This Bulgarian lady is my new role model and motivation - check out below to see why!

Irina Bokova, born in 1952 in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria has been the Director-General of UNESCO since 2009. She is the first woman to have been elected head of the OrganizationIn this short interview she talks about some relevant UNESCO topics & drinks tea at the same time - these 2 are definately some of my absolute favorite activites :))

 Keep reading to see why I look up to her!

Other than the fact that she has my dreamjob and is the first woman doing it, I have some other reasons for why I think she is exceptional. I keep finding similarities between us - or at least stuff I wish I had too! One of the things is that Bulgaria and my home, Hungary are very close to each other, especially when we look at them from my current residende, the USA. They are pretty much the same place. Also, she went to get her ungergrad degree at a different countrythan her own, just like I am doing right now. Three, we both studied International Relations. I hope that I am on the right track!

Later she went home and joined the  Foreign affairs (I should consider doing this ) and got involved with the UN. It seems to me that she has been passionate about human rights all her life, which is absolutely necessary when one wants to work for the UN. She speaks several languages other than her own first one...our similarities list just goes on and on!!

I will do my best to learn from her and keep her in mind. Pinkie promise to myself. She is AMAZING!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

6th International UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks

My love for geology and geography is huge...Believe me, I could spend a day studying a map or rocks and would be the happiest person on the planet! But for some weird reason, I have to admit it: have never heard of Geoparks. What are they?!

Geopark: a unified area with geological heritage of international significance. (Thanks Wikipedia!)
The Geoparks initiative was launched by UNESCO in response to the perceived need for an international initiative that recognizes sites representing an earth science interest. Global Geoparks Network aims at enhancing the value of such sites while at the same time creating employment and promoting regional economic development.

This year Stonehammer Geoparkin Canada is preparing to welcome delegates from around the globe to the Saint John region in September 2014 for the 6th International UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks. Exact conference dates are September 19-22, 2014 (with pre and post field trips available to registered delegates including an exciting and interactive community event the evening of  Thursday, September 18, 2014).


Read more about the event at the official website or visit the website for geoparks to learn more about them! You can also check out the UNESCO homepagefor more information about the Conference.

Monday, January 13, 2014

A Possible Road

This Irish gentleman has an interesting career that is worth clicking on! Note to self: learn French (I have started it almost 10 years ago, but never really got into it!), Arabic (beautiful language!) or practice Spanish (started learning it over the summer. Not too hard after 6 years of Italian!)
Other than his whole story, some of his quotes really struck me:  "The best translation is usually the one that does not draw attention to itself." So true!

 Also this is what he says about his job: "Sometimes I need to quickly become expert on topics that are a bit more obscure. For example, I have translated national reports on fish stocks and fishing quotas. That involved an enormous amount of research into the words for different species of fish and fishing nets, which change from one country to another. Some of the answers were in biological dictionaries, and some I had to find on specialized websites. Perhaps the most moving document I have translated so far has been a postcard sent to the Secretary-General by a classroom of Italian children." Sounds like a great job to me so back to the top: keep practicing languages and learn new ones. Sounds easy huh...

--> This is how I imagine his life...which I would be perfectly happy with!

Apparently UNESCO is the Devil

This is possibly the silliest thing I've heard all year (espacially because we are only 14 days into it). Seriously though, what's wrong with people??

Believe it or not, this video is about UNESCO's Evil Purposes and Philospohy. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, apparently, there is such a thing. Please, take a look at it and after you can't take it anymore, feel free to turn it off - but I'd suggest you to listen to the lady at the end before you do so.

Apparently, UNESCO is trying "to create a global culture by first destroying the old one and promoting internationalism over national sovereignty." It tells you to "destroy the family so that people will look to the state for direction"...??

From 7:12, this lady Charlotte Iserbyt calls reperesenting all religions and being tolerant of all of them the new world DISORDER. She says in an unapproving tone that because of UNESCO's ways to educate, today (especially in American schools)  "good teachers challenge student's fixed believes". 

This is from the UN website: "The United Nations is not a world government and it does not make laws. It does, however, provide the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies on issues affecting all of us. At the UN, all the Member States - large and small, rich or poor, with differing political views and social systems - have a voice and a vote in this process." I think this sounds pretty descent and I personally would never question it.

Can someone explain this video for me please? Some people out there just make me really sad...

44 Endangered World Heritage Sites

Today I'd like to raise awareness to sites that are not secure up until today. Usually once UNESCO consideres a place a World Heritage site, it is well protected. Sadly this is not always the situation.There are some cases, where these sites are still in great danger, no matter how much attention does the agency pay to it. In 2014 fourty-four sites are considered to be unsafe.

One of them is the rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar. This site includes six national parks distributed along the eastern part of the island. These relict forests are critically important for maintaining ongoing ecological processes necessary for the survival of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, which reflects the island’s geological history.Some of the species are in great danger, especially the primates and lemurs
Other reasons for endangered sites can be war zones or other political fights. This is the case in Kosovo, at the Dečani Monastery.  The church was built in the mid-14th century for the Serbian king Stefan Dečanski. This monastery, which is the king's mausoleum, is built in a style that plays a great role in subsequent Balkan art.  Although the war is over, the peace of the church is still disrupted by people who oppose Kosovo's autonomy. When sufficient safety is ensured, it is intended that the church will once again function as a place of worship.

Here is the full list of endangered sites.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

World Heritage List Criteria

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. Let's take a look at what these are!

 

Here is the website for information on the Criteria for Selection and I have also summarized it a little here.

A World Heritage site must complete ONE of the following: 

 

(1) represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

(2) exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;

(3) bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

(4) be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

(5)  be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture/ cultures, or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;

(6)  be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. 

(7) to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
(8) to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;

(9) to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;

(10) contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

My images are possibly the most well-known World Heritage Sites. In fact, Stonehenge is one of the most famous sites in the world and Britain's greatest national icon. It is possibly the most popular natural site on the list. Vatican City is one of the most important cultural sites on the list. The small slice of the city that the image represents is packed with more history and artwork than most cities in the world.


World Heritage List

Here is my new favorite website: the World Heritage List with an interactive map. One can see all the different lists, zoom in, click on pictures of most of the sites and explore all the places UNESCO protects today!

I could spend days on this site, looking up all the cultural and natural 981 properties! These include 759 cultural, 193 natural and 29 mixed properties in 160 States Parties.

To see the awesome INTERACTIVE MAP,  click here!

I was especially interested by what sites does my home country, Hungary have. Here they are, all 8 of them! The funny thing is thatg I have only visited 2 out of the eight...I need to go home and catch up on all of them!
  
Hungary

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Education on Holocaust Remembrance in Hungary 2014 - UNESCO grants its patronage to Holocaust memorial year in Hungary

UNESCO recognizes that teaching about the history of the Holocaust is fundamental to establishing respect for human rights, basic freedoms and the values of tolerance and mutual respect. UN Member States are encouraged to develop educational programmes that transmit the memory of the Holocaust to future generations so as to prevent genocide from occurring again. UNESCO promotes these learning materials and provides a platform for institutions, teachers, students and interested parties to access resources on Education for Holocaust Remembrance. 

--> This is the image of the most touching Holocaust Memorial that I know of. It is located in Budapest, Hungary (which is my hometown), on the shore of the Danube, right in front of our House of Parliament.  It was sculpted by Gyula Pauer and thought upon by film director Can Togay. 
 
 To encourage this there is an International Seminar this year called: "The Impact of Holocaust Education: How to Assess Policies and Practices?". The seminar is organized in the framework of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and aims to discuss the contents and quality of Holocaust education in several countries of the world. 

UNESCO has agreed to be chief patron of the Holocaust Memorial Year 2014 in Hungary. The memorial year will mark the 70th anniversary of the 1944 deportation of Jews of Hungary to the German extermination and concentration camp of Auschwitz Birkenau and commemorate victims of the Holocaust in Hungary during the Second World War.


International Year of Crystallography 2014

 2014 marks the centennial of the birth of X-ray crystallography. Over one century ago three gentlemen, William Henry, William Lawrence Bragg (father and son) and Max von Laue discoverered the diffraction of X-rays by crystals. In 1914 they won the Nobel Prize in Physics. 

International Year of Crystallography 2014 highlights the continuing importance of crystallography and its role in addressing post-2015 development issues such as food security, safe drinking water, health care, sustainable energy and environmental remediation; as well as commemorating auspicious crystallography accolades. 
 

Key events for the International Year of Crystallography

  • Opening Ceremony of the IYCr204, UNESCO Headquarters, 20-21 January 2014
  • Open Laboratories in Crystallography, in Africa, Asia and Latin America, during the Year
  • Asian Summit Meeting on Crystallography, Karachi, Pakistan, 28-30 April 2014
  • Latin America and Caribbean Summit Meeting on Crystallography, Campina, Brazil, September 2014
  • African Summit Meeting on Crystallography, Bloemfontein, South Africa, 15-17 October 2014.

2014 World Heritage Calendar



This year's UNESCO Calendar has been released! 12 beautiful pictures of World Heritage sites, one for each month.

The calendar has been part of a project with Panasonic for almost 20 years now, showing the most amazing images every year since 1995.

To read more about the calendar, click  Here.


Click to watch a short video on the making of the calendars!

Friday, January 10, 2014

C for Culture

The C in UNESCO is for Culture...and for Cuisine!

Traditional cuisine, called Washoku is starting to disappear...and UNESCO World Heritage is here to step up against that!

The typical Japanese diet, which used to revolve around rice, fish and vegetables, has been heavily influenced by the introduction of fast-food restaurants from the West and prepackaged convenience foods from other parts of Asia, including China and Taiwan. 

On the dietary end, that means a lot more meat, bread, and oil. On the economic end, it means a heavier dependence on foreign imports and a lower level of self-sufficiency. Japanese top chefs are concerned that traditional food might disappear. 

Where UNESCO recognition will help is in preserving cooking techniques and dining traditions among a Japanese public that is becoming more accustomed to eating out, often alone. Food education, called Shokuiku in Japan, is a major concern: Passed in 2005, the Basic Law of Shokuiku established various food and nutrition education programs in Japan’s public schools.


To read more about the subject, click here!

S for Science

 Hello again, 

in case you were wondering, S stands for Science in UNESCO.

One of the largest science projects is the protection of water resources at the agency. UNESCO has one day a year to bring awareness for our drinkable water. 

This one day is called World Water Day and it will be held on the 22nd of March - like every year so far. Focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources is something that can never get enough awareness. 
 This year particular attention will be paid to identifying best practices that can make a water- and energy-efficient 'Green Industry' a reality and this is why I decided to make this article the one for Science. 


Click here to read The Article on World Water Day

 The next post will be about culture - my favorite topic!

E for Education

It is time to talk a little about the E in UNESCO: Education.

They are getting ready for a big conference In Okyama, Japan: the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development will take place here in November 2014!

Since this year is the last for the Decade of Education (mentioned in my latest post down there somewhere), they will be discussing what they achieved and summarize the work of 10 years. They will also talk about future plans. Wonder when is the next big conference for culture!


Here isa map about all the Japanese World Heritage Sites. Most of them are cultural sites and not natural, which is usually not the case. It is no surprise though, it is such an ancient culture...Japan had thousand and thousands of years to build these temples and shrines!

Want to volunteer for UNESCO? Deadline is coming up soon!


In the name of  "The Decade of Biodiversity" and part of the last year for the program "UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014)", here is a volunteer program

Deadlines are coming up, so check it out if you are interested - I thought it looked great! 

 Here is a brief summary of the project: This program is one of the best opportunities to young people to go beyond borders, share cultures, and work together to preserve natural sites, restore archaeological finds, and raise awareness amongst local communities about their heritage.

If you are interested, check it out, applications are due the 17th January 2014!

For more information, click on this: http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1086/

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The UNESCO Logo


--> I also really enjoy their logo! Isn't it smart & simple? Love it how the word UNESCO (which stands for United Nations Eduaction Science Culture Organization) is basically the columns for the museum. (It is supposed to be a temple...but it more reminds me of the British Museums or the ones at my home, Budapest!) Makes me want to pat the designer on the shoulder! I also like the light blue and white wiith which they usually depict it with. They perfectly represent peace, which is one of the main motto's of UNESCO.
  
The UNESCO logo block is composed of three parts:
1. the emblem - the temple - including the UNESCO acronym;
2. the complete name (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in one or several languages;
3. a dotted line in a logarithmic progression.
These components cannot be disassociated.

 About the language used next to the logo: 

  • The language chosen for the logo must correspond to that of the support used and of the audience targeted.
  • Mindful of the same criteria, several languages may be used. The six official languages of UNESCO are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
  • The use of the complete name in English, in association with one or several other languages provides an explanation of the acronym of the Organization.

Requirements for Project Officer at UNESCO - only for the brave hearted!

SO here is the question: What do you need so you can work for UNESCO?

The bars are set high. One has to work for several years at professional places before applying and needs to know fluent French...For those who still haven't lost their courage to do this, here is the whole page of requirements. 

Heads up everyone!


PROJECT OFFICER -World Heritage Centre -Culture Sector -Primary Location: PARIS, France

(Application to be sent to: wh-recruit@unesco.org)

OVERVIEW OFTHE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC) and the direct supervision of the Chief of the Policy and Statutory Meetings Section at UNESCO Headquarters, the incumbent shall manage the WHC online State of Conservation Information System, prepare working documents for the sessions of the World Heritage Committee/General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, coordinate and finalize the state of conservation reports and supervise the decision-making process in French during the statutory meetings. In particular, the incumbent shall:

1) Further develop, manage and coordinate the WHC online State of Conservation Information System;

2) Identify further areas of conceptual improvement for the State of Conservation Information System,
including by cooperating with other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and relevant international conservation agreements or programmes, as well as the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee (IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM), and ensure their implementation;

3) Coordinate with the WHC units and the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee the drafting of the reports on the state of conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List and on the List of World Heritage in Danger, analyze these reports, make recommendations to finalize them and the draft decisions, as well as conduct regular analyses of the trends of the threats to the World Heritage properties for inclusion in the World Heritage Committee documents;

4) Ensure an efficient and timely management of the documentation on state of conservation for the sessions of the World Heritage Committee, its Bureau and the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in order to allow an easy retrieval of and access to the information;

5) Initiate and develop information and promotional materials related to the State of Conservation Information System for States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and other relevant stakeholders;

6) Supervise, in close cooperation with the Rapporteur of the World Heritage Committee/General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, or his representative, the decision-making process in French during the sessions of the Governing Bodies of the World Heritage Convention and their Consultative Bodies, and ensure the accuracy of the content of the final Decisions report in light of the debates, in view of the Rapporteur’s approval and transmission to all States Parties and timely integration in the Decisions database;

7) Plan, develop and negotiate with potential partners future extrabudgetary project proposals and ensure their implementation;

8) Represent WHC and UNESCO to workshops, meetings and other events related to the state of conservation of World Heritage properties and/or statutory processes of the World Heritage Convention, upon request, report to WHC and prepare the statutory documents relating to these meetings, whenever appropriate.


EDUCATION
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a field related to natural and/or cultural heritage conservation, or to international law applied to the preservation of nature and/or culture or other related fields.


WORK EXPERIENCE
Four to seven years of relevant professional experience of which preferably 2 years acquired at international level. Excellent knowledge of the World Heritage Convention and its processes. Work experience in an intergovernmental framework in conservation or natural/cultural resource management would be an asset.


SKILLS/COMPETENCIES
Excellent knowledge of ICTs. Familiarity with the work of cooperating bodies such as IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM, MEAs and relevant international conservation agreements or programmes. Excellent communication, organization and interpersonal skills, team-player. Ability for networking and public relations with tact and diplomacy in a multicultural environment.


LANGUAGES
Excellent knowledge of French and very good working knowledge of English. Good drafting skills in both French and English.


BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS
UNESCO’s salaries are calculated in US dollars and exempt from income tax. They consist of a basic salary and a post adjustment which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station and exchange rates.
Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, home travel, education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. More details on the ICSC Web site.
Please note that UNESCO is a non-smoking Organization.


All in all, this is not too bad, right? I am honeslty just trying to encourage myself...I can do this!! 

Start learning French, everyone!