United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Purpose

Promote international cooperation in education, science, culture and communication to build peace and sustainable development.

Members:

194 member states

Headquarters:

Paris, France

History

UNESCO was founded in 1945 on the belief that lasting peace must be built on intellectual and moral solidarity among peoples, not just political and economic agreements.

Structure

• General Conference
• Executive Board
• Secretariat, headed by the Director-General

Key facts

• Maintains the World Heritage List, designating sites of outstanding cultural or natural value
• Current Director-General: Audrey Azoulay (France), since 2017
• The United States has withdrawn from UNESCO multiple times (1984, 2018, and announced again in 2025) over political disputes before previously rejoining

Pakistan's relationship

Member since 1949; Pakistani World Heritage Sites include the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, Mohenjo-daro, and Taxila.