...but the Tsunami warning system coordinated by UNESCO worked all the same.
Executive Secretary of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Wendy Watson Wright talked to CNN about UNESCO's Tsunami Early Warning system, which you can see here.
Science Barbie
"I eat math for breakfast."
Through the L'Oreal-UNESCO partnership to recognize outstanding women scientists, UNESCO is currently accepting nominations for two programs...
First, the 2013 L'Oreal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science recognize 5 excellent women scientists (one from each continent) at the height of their career. If you know of any fantastic American women scientists who should be considered for this $100,000 award, please send them here. The deadline for nominations on this prize is5/30/12.
Second, if you know of any women scientists (35 or younger) working in the life sciences who either have a PhD or are pursing one, they might be great candidates for the UNESCO-L'Oreal Fellowship for Young Women in the Life Sciences. This $40,000 prize is awarded to each of 15 young women from around the world. If you know of any American women scientists who might be great candidates for this fellowship, they can find more information here, and apply here. The deadline for application for this fellowship is 6/15/12.
Culture Counts
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar with UNESCO DG Irina Bokova in front of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia last month.
UNESCO Director Irina Bokova recently sent in a piece to the New York Times Op-Ed page in which she makes the case that culture matters.
This Committee provides advice through our Commission to the U.S. Government about its activity relating to UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Program. Monday's meeting featured a range of topics including discussion about how fresh water management experts in the U.S. might better engage their international counterparts.
You can read more about this partnership and ICIWaRM's involvement here.
It Was Sad When the Great Ship Went Down
This Sunday the wreck of the Titanic will officially fall under the protection of UNESCO's Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. You can read all about it here.
He's a Poet, and People Know It.
Chris Merrill
Commission member Chris Merrill - poet, journalist, essayist, translator, and Director of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa - was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the National Council on the Humanities.
You can read more about Chris' confirmation to Council here. Congratulations Chris!
Need a little dose of web analytics to brighten your day? Well, here you go...
The organizers of Be the Good Guys website say the site received almost 1,000 hits within its first 5 hours with the average visitor spending an average of 3 minutes on the page.
Presumably, plenty more have visited this page since then. If you haven't and you would like to, go here.
UNESCO U.S. Clubs Working Group Chair Visits MIT
Phillip Walsh (left)
with Guy Djoken (right)
Guy Djoken, Chair of our UNESCO Clubs and Associations Working Group, recently met with MIT Director of Campus Activities Phillip Walsh to talk about the possibility of creating a UNESCO Club there.
If you or someone you know might be interested in starting a UNESCO Club, please send them here for more information.
Host An International Exchange Student
This fall the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is sponsoring about 2000 international high school exchanges students from over 50 countries for the 2012-2013 school year in communites across the U.S.. These students will live with American families.
If you would like be a host for one of these students, you could make a big difference in their experience. Find out more here.
World Heritage 40th Anniversary Video Challenge!
As part of the effort to mark the 40th anniversary of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention, our Commission is teaming up with the National Park Service, the American Council for Historic Preservation, and History to accept submissions for a video challenge!
If you or anybody you know would like to speak out about why American World Heritage sites are important for the world, send in a submission! Find out more here!
International Education Resources Series:
Do Something
This is the third installment of a series from our Commission's Youth Working Group about International Educational Resources you might not know about.
DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the U.S. for teens and social change.
By leveraging the web, television, mobile, and pop culture, DoSomething.org inspires, empowers and celebrates a generation of doers: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action.
In regards to educating youth, DoSomething.org has cause pages that give 11 or so facts, then greater detail on sub-issues within those causes, and finally a whole slew of action items - ways to get involved locally, to participate online, or to start something new!
With middle school and high school youth, it's vital to demonstrate the impact that is possible when young people act in collaboration. DoSomething.org presents startling facts and information yet provides enough action options to motivate teens to feel empowered, not discouraged. To view DoSomething.org's available resources, go here.
Invitation from the Ural-Siberian Federation of UNESCO Clubs
The Ural-Siberian Federation of UNESCO Clubs has invited artists 18 and younger to participate in a contest they are holding this spring.
This contest centers around the theme "Talk to the World!" and invites participants to make submissions in a variety of formats. The deadline is Fri 4/20. To find out more, go here.
2012 Ibsen Scholarships
Henrik Ibsen
Norway's Delegation to UNESCO has asked us to spread the word about the 2012 Ibsen Scholarships.
The Ibsen Scholarships award innovative projects in the field of drama and performing arts, and projects that act as incentives for critical discourse related to the existential and societal related subject matter addressed by Henrik Ibsen and his plays.
Approximately $170,000 will be awarded to projects worldwide. The application deadline for this year is Monday 4/30/12.
If you know of any American Thespians who might be good candidates for this scholarship. Please send them here!
The Tokyo based Goi Peace Foundation is calling for submissions to it's International Essay Contest for Young People.
This program is open to participants 25 and younger - the theme of this year's essay contest is: "Creating the Future We Want."
1st Prize for this year is 1300 bucks - and there are a bunch of other prizes after that. If you're short enough in the tooth (young enough to participate) or know anyone who is that might be interested, please send them here.
Deadline for submissions is Sat 6/30/12. You can see last year's prize winning essays here.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNACOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are calling on youth (25 or younger) to submit original and creative videos - 5 minutes or less - focusing on migration, diversity, and social inclusion as part of a video conference.
Winners will get a free trip to New York to present their submissions to the Plural+ Youth Video Festival in December.
The deadline for video submissions is 7/1/12. For more information, go here!
Hey! Are you on the Twitter?How about the Facebook?
So is the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO! If you haven't liked us yet, we won't take it personally. But...what are you waiting for! Like us here.
This past Monday during an event to mark World Water Day, Secretary Clinton announced the formation of a new U.S. Water partnership involving the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and it's UNESCO Category II I
This is the third installment of a series from our Commission's Youth Working Group about International Educational Resources you might not know about.
The Ural-Siberian Federation of UNESCO Clubs has invited artists 18 and younger to participate in a contest they are holding this spring.
