UNESCO Constitution
Since wars begin in the minds of men and women, it is in the minds of men and women that the defences of peace must be constructed.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO’s founding vision was born in response to a world war.
Seventy years on and many liberation struggles later, UNESCO’s mandate is as relevant as ever. Cultural diversity is under attack and new forms of intolerance, rejection of scientific facts and threats to freedom of expression challenge peace and human rights. In response, UNESCO’s duty remains to reaffirm the humanist missions of education, science and culture. UNESCO is also the United Nations’ lead agency for Physical Education and Sport.