Update | Commission on the Status of Women | CWS67 | 6 to 17 March 2023

The sixty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place in New York.

© Zonta International District 29

Read more about the CWS67 here:
Zonta International parallel event Innovation and its Transformative Impact on all Aspects of Gender Equity
 
Zonta International President Ute Scholz and further Zontians at the CWS67 in New York/NY

Zonta International District 29

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The United States of America returns to UNESCO

Status October 2023

The White House marked the United States return to UNESCO

On Tuesday 17 October, UNESCO Director-General Audrey [1]Azoulay attended a reception hosted by the President of the United Stats at the White House to mark the return of the United State to UNESCO in the first Lady, members of Congress, civil society actors, and private sector companies who worked to reinforce the United States’s commitment to UNESCO and which to accelerate its contribution to the Organization.

Read more:  Return to UNESCO |  Flag ceremony

The more united we are, the stronger we can build global consensus in the important fields of education, science, and cultural heritage. Thay’s why the message the United States sent to the world by deciding to rejoin our organization is so important.
 
Audrey Azoulay UNESCO Director-General: "Today, as democracies are facing considerable challenges, the United States continues to exert tremendous influence in our fragmented world." She continued, paying tribute to the American scientists, artists, journalists and public servants – many of whom have worked and collaborated actively with UNESCO over the years, in the presence of U.S. astronaut Dr Mae Jameson.

Dr. Jill Biden presided the ceremony and stressed the importance of UNESCO as a platform to discuss and move forward issues of education, science and culture and communication:

  • "It was in that spirit that UNESCO was created. To spread ideas and open minds.
  • “While I might be biased as a teacher, I think we can all agree that education is one of our greatest shared tools in shaping that future."
  • “Let us keep fighting to help young people grow and learn and use their voices. Let’s inspire them with education, and science, and culture."
  • "And when we do, we’ll empower the next generation of thinkers and dreamers and doers, helping them unleash their possibility, pushing our human story onward to a better future, together.”

Status July 2023:

A very large majority of Member States vote in favour

UNESCO's 193 member states met on Thursday June 29th for an extraordinary session of the General Conference to examine the proposal. On Friday 30th afternoon, they adopted the American proposal by a very large majority. All the conditions are now met for a full return of the United States to UNESCO in July. (132 votes in favor, 10 votes against)

“It’s a great day for UNESCO and for multilateralism. Building upon the momentum achieved in recent years, our Organization is once again moving towards universalism with this return of the United States.” Audrey Azoulay Directeur général de l'UNESCO

A reinforced budget to implement its mandate

The United States will fund the equivalent of 22% of the Organization's regular budget. To this will be added the progressive payment of their arrears and, as of 2023, voluntary contributions to fund programs including those supporting access to education in Africa, the memory of the Holocaust and the protection of journalists.

UNESCO will thus benefit from a reinforced budget to implement its programs for education, culture, science and information. It will also be able to step up its actions for Africa and gender equality, two of its strategic priorities.article-pr_gc-5th-extraordinary_01
©UNESCO/Christelle Alix

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