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Commission Update

Friday February 24, 2012

American Professor Awarded UNESCO Prize
Douglas Biklen
  
UNESCO recently announced that Syracuse University Professor Douglas Biklen will recieve the UNESCO/Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah Prize to Promote Quality Education for Persons with Intellecutal Disabilities.
 
Professor Biklen is being recognized for his work over the last 40 years to inspire researchers and provide hope to people with disabilities, and their families, from all around the world.
 
Doug's nomination for the prize was suggested by our friends with the Iowa City UNESCO Creative City of Literature and put forward to UNESCO through our Commission. His nomination stood out from those of 22 others. 
 
As part of the prize Doug Biklen will recieve a monetary  award of $40,000 at a special ceremony on February 29 hosted by the government of Kuwait, which generously sponsors this prize.
 
For more details click here - you can even see an interview UNESCO conducted with Doug Biklen here.
 
Congratulations Doug!! 

 

John Malkovich to Deliver World Theatre Day 50th Anniversary Message 
The U.S. International Theatre Institute (ITI) based with the Theatre Communications Group in New York City recently announced that award winning actor John Malkovich will deliver the message for this year's 50th anniversary of World Theatre Day at a special celebration at UNESCO in Paris on 3/22.
 
ITI and World Theatre Day were originally founded through UNESCO 50 years ago. The mark the occassion, the U.S. International Theatre Institute are coordinating a number of initiatives including...
 
Generation Without Borders: a call for early to mid career theatre practitioners and students to submit essays envisioning our global theature movement 50 years from now.
 
SHINSAI: A nationwide event on 3/11 - the first anniverary of the earthquakes and Tsunami in Japan, involving more than 50 theatres, to raise relief funds for the Japanese theatre community affected by the disaster
 
I AM THEATRE: An online platform for theatre people across the world to share their stories and express the diversity and vitality of the international theatre community. 
 
2012 World Theatre Day Map: An interactive world map to track the growing number of World Theatre Day 2012 activities.
 
Please spread the word about all these terrific opportunities by sending people here. 
 
How is Your Memory? 
 
UNESCO is currently calling for nominations to its Memory of the World Register. 

 

Initiated in 1997, the Memory of the World Register is UNESCO's list of library collections and archive holdings of world significance to promote documentary heritage of universal value.
 
The U.S. National Commission is eligible to submit up to two nominations before 3/31. If you know of any potentially great American nominees, please check out the nomination process here and definitely let us know!

 

Little Free Libraries
The Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature recently opened it's first Little Free Library under the stewardship of Ms. Chris Rohret.
 
Congratulations Iowa City!
 
Speaking of Libraries.... 
....we recently initiated the UNESCO Associated Library Program in the United States.
 
What is a UNESCO Associated Library? Well - it's really just a way to recognize any library that regularly conducts programming that cuts across UNESCO's sectors of communication, culture, education, social science and natural science.
 
This program is brand new/just getting started - so we currently have exactly zero UNESCO Associated Libraries in the United States. Do you know a library in your town, county, or state that would like to be the first?
 
 
UNESCO - USGS Atlas
 
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and UNESCO recently partnered to produce an atlas that, through satellite imagry, catalogues the state of various World Heritage sites at risk around the world. This publication was announced in Paris back in November but will have its U.S. launch tomorrow in New York City
 
You can find out more about tomorrow's event here. 
 
 
Our Commission's Youth Working group has been busy.
 
For the good of the order they've compiled this amazing list of youth international education resources from some of the leading organizations in the country.
 
Spread it around - hope it's helpful. Thank you, Youth Working Group!

 

The Alamgiri Gate
 
Our acting Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Hoagland recently visited the Alamgiri Gate accompanied by our Consul General to Lahore Nina Maria Fite.
 
Part of the Lahore Fort UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Alamgiri Gate The Alamgiri gate was restored in 2009 with a grant from the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation. You can read more here.

 

Celebration at Aztec Ruins 

 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of UNESCO's World Heritage Program, and the 25th anniversary of Chaco Culture in New Mexico as a World Heritage Site.
 
Aztec Ruins National Monument is part of that World Heritage Designation. To mark the occasion, entrance to the park is free and there are a series of events being held today.
 
Read more about it here. Congratulations Aztec Ruins!
Punching Bag
UNESCO certainly shows it knows how to take a hit this week, it received a bunch of them in the press. If you're in the mood to hear the critics, check out...
 
 
Joseph Harriss' piece in The American Spectator
 
Brett Shaefer's piece with the Heritage Foundation
 
 
Andrew McCarthy's piece in the National Review
 
Got Mad Skillzz?
 
As part of the Education For All 2012 focus on skills, UNESCO is currently accepting submissions as part of an art contest open to participants ages 18 to 24.
 
The contest asks youth to address the question of what skills young people need to create a better future.
 
If you (or somebody you know) would like to participate in this contest, please send them here.
 
First prize is a trip to Paris; deadline for submissions is Sunday 4/1!
 
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Important Dates

 

Sat 2/25: American Association of Geographers' UNESCO-USGS Atlas Launch (New York, NY)

 

Mon 2/27 - Sat 3/10:  189th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board (Paris)

 

Wed 2/29: Meeting of UNESCO National Commissions (Paris)

 

Wed 2/29: al-Sabah Prize Ceremony (Kuwait)

 

Wed 2/29: Juan Bosch Prize for the Promotion of Social Science in Latin America and the Caribbean Application Deadline

 

Wed 2/29: Generation Without Borders Essay Competition Submission Deadline

 

Wed 2/29: Memory of the World in the Digital Age Conference Abstract Submission Deadline

 

Tues 3/6, 3 pm: Laura W. Bush Traveling Fellowship Call

 

Thurs 3/8: International Women's Day

 

Sun 3/11: Japan Tsunami Anniversary World Theatre Day Shinsai Event

 

Thurs 3/15: UNESCO World Heritage Independence Hall Event (Philadelphia, PA)

 

Thurs 3/15: UNESCO Lunch hosted by U.S. ICOMOS (Philadelphia, PA)

 

Thurs 3/15: Penn UNESCO Chair in Learning and Literacy Dedication (Philadelphia)

 

Thurs 3/22: World Theatre Day Celebration (Paris)

 

Sun 3/25: Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade

 

Mon 3/26 - Thurs 3/29: Planet Under Pressure Conference (London)

 

Tues 3/27: World Theatre Day

 

Sat 3/31: Memory of the World Register Nomination Deadline

 

Sun 4/1: Education for All Art Contest Submission Deadline

 

Fri 4/27: World Book Capital 2014 Nomination Deadline

 

Thurs 5/3: World Press Freedom Day

 

Thurs 5/10 - Sat 5/12: Canadian National Commission for UNESCO Annual Meeting (Ottawa)

 

Mon 5/21: International Day for Cultural Diversity, Dialogue, and Development

 

Thurs 5/31: Education For All Challenge Deadline

 

Thurs 5/31 - Sat 6/2: US/ICOMOS 15th Annual Symposium (San Antonio, TX)

 

Fri 6/1: Digital Replay Submission Deadline

 

Wed 6/20 - Sun 6/24: 6th Annual National Underground Railroad Conference (St. Augustine, FL)

 

Fri 6/29 - Sat 6/30: UNESCO Center of Peace First Ladies' Youth Infusion Summit (Annapolis, MD)

 

Wed 7/18 - Sat 7/28: UNESCO Center for Peace 6th Annual IMUN Conference (Frederick, MD)

 

Wed 9/26 - Fri 9/28: Memory of the World in the Digital Age Conference (Vancouver)

 

Wed 10/10 - Thurs 10/25: 190th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board