United Nations Educational Scientific
and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
Office in South Africa:
Director of Office: Mr Luis Honwana
HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS
The purpose of UNESCO, as stated in Article 1 of
its constitution, is "to contribute to peace
and security by promoting collaboration among the
nations through education, science and culture in
order to further universal respect for the human
rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed
for the peoples of the world, without distinction
of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter
of the United Nations".
South Africa was readmitted as a member on 12 December
1994. South Africa's membership of UNESCO gives
it access to all the expertise available to UNESCO.
UNESCO has extensive resources with regard to information
and publications in the fields of education, science,
culture and communication.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COOPERATING ORGANISATIONS
The technical department responsible for UNESCO,
and UNESCO issues, is the Department of Education.
The South African National Commission (SANC) for
UNESCO was launched by then Minister of Education,
Prof Sibusisu Bengu, on 20 August 1998. Prof Phillip
Tobias was elected as Chair of the SANC. Dr Thomas
Mathoma is Vice-Chairman and is assisted by four
Executive Committee Members.
In the beginning of 2000 Prof Tobias resigned as
the result of ill health and was replaced by Prof
C Bundy, Vice Chancellor of the University of the
Witwatersrand. Unfortunately Prof Bundy also resigned
in March 2001 in order to take up a position at
a British university. After a review process of
the SANC, various changes will be implemented regarding
the structure of the SANC.
Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Department of Communications
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
RELEVANT TREATIES/PROTOCOLS ETC
The process of accession to the Convention for
the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event
of Armed Conflict (Hague 1954) was started by DACST,
as well as accession to the Convention on the Means
of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import,
Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
(1970).
Accession to the International Centre for the Study
of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural
Property (ICCROM) is also receiving attention.
GENERAL COMMENTS
South Africa participates in all major meetings,
conferences and summits organised by UNESCO. South
Africa participated, amongst others, in the World
Solar Summit held in Harare in 1996, the World Science
Conference in Budapest in 1999, as well as the World
Education Forum, which took place in Dakar, Senegal
in 2000.
