| dc.description.abstract | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized
agency of the United Nations founded in 1945 to contribute to the construction of peace, human
development and dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and
information. UNESCO contributes to world peace and development through its fi ve functions:
Laboratory of ideas and foresight, Standard setter, Clearing house, Capacity-building and
Catalyst of International cooperation. UNESCO’s Fields of competence include Education,
Sciences, Culture and Communication & Information. These fields of competence are programmed into Five (5) namely: Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture and; Communication and Information. UNESCO carries its mission through a global network of field offices, regional bureaus and institutes in over 195 countries, 8 Associate members and National Commissions for UNESCO.
The Uganda National Commission for UNESCO/ICESCO (UNATCOM) was established in November 1963. Later in 2012, it also became the secretariat for the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), an equivalent of UNESCO in the Islamic Countries founded by the members of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC): OIC was established in Sept. 1969 to which Uganda became a member 1974 and on 21st November 2012, was admitted as the 51st member of ICESCO. The role of the National Commission in Uganda is to ensure the promotion and implementation of UNESCO’s mandate in Uganda, engage partners at national, local, regional or international level and work with a worldwide network of National Commissions. At the National level, UNATCOM is mandated to assist the government Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Institutions, Individuals, Community Based Organizations, and NGOs in developing their plans and projects in line with the UNESCO guidelines and Programme framework. Uganda National Commission for UNESCO’s carries out its functions through: Consultation, Liaison, Information, Programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in all the UNESCO Programmes of Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture and; Communication and Information. As a result, UNATCOM’s activities contribute to and support the NINE (9) line Ministries of Education and Sports, Science and Technology, Energy and Mineral Resources, Water and Environment, Lands and Urban Development, Disaster Preparedness, Tourism and Antiquities, Gender, Labour and Social Development and Information, Communication and National Guidance. The beneficiaries Agencies that fall under these Ministries are: National Curriculum Development Centre, Universities and other Educational Institutions, National Council for Science and Technology, Academy of Sciences, Geological Surveys, Various Energy Consortia, National Forestry Authority, National Environment Authority, Cities and other Urban Authorities, Museums, UNESCO-designated Sites, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Cultural Institutions, Performing and Creative Arts Institutions, Uganda Communications Commission. | en_US |
