UNESCO Support

RAO is pleased to announce that discussions with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have resulted in a formal agreement concerning mutual cooperation in the creation of an international online audio-visual database.

A Brief History of UNESCO

UNESCO's constitution was adopted by the London Conference in November 1945 and entered into effect on the 4th of November 1946 when 20 states had deposited instruments of acceptance. It currently has 186 Member States.

The main objective of UNESCO is to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and 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.

To fulfill its mandate, UNESCO performs five principal functions :

• Prospective Studies : exploring forms of education, science, culture and communication for tomorrow's world
• The advancement, transfer and sharing of knowledge : relying primarily on research, training and teaching activities
• Standard-setting action : the preparation and adoption of international instruments and statutory recommendations
• Expertise: provided to Member States for their development policies and projects in the form of "technical co-operation"
• Exchange of specialized information

Visit UNESCO's Web site at www.unesco.org.

Internews

Internews is an international non-profit organization working to enhance tolerance and understanding by supporting independent media in emerging democracies, producing and distributing innovative television programming, and using the media as a tool to reduce conflict within and between countries. Internews programs are based on the conviction that vigorous and diverse mass media form an essential cornerstone of a free society. Internews projects currently span Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Formed in 1982, the company is funded mainly by grants from public and private foundations. Internews Network is a 501 (c)(3) organization incorporated in California, regional offices are located in cities worldwide, for instance, Paris, France, Jerusalem, Middle East, Moscow, Russia and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.      Archive Media Project is one of the special programs under the Media Development Program umbrella of Internews. MDP was a $10.5 million, 3-year effort to support the institutional and economic development of print and broadcast media in Russia. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), MDP was administered by Internews Network and was managed in partnership with the Russian American Press and Information Center (RAPIC). For more information about Internews, visit their website at www.internews.org