United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationThe Syrian Arab Republic, a founding member, joined UNESCO on 16 November 1946. It is covered by the UNESCO Office Beirut.
The Syrian Arab Republic has established a special working relationship with UNESCO, mainly around heritage projects. In 2005, the country co-organized a training session on “Managing Heritage Sites” involving the whole region, as part of UNESCO’s programme of capacity building in cultural heritage conservation. Several Syrian sites are inscribed on the World Heritage List, with Palmyra the most prestigious among them. A desert oasis, Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city, one of the ancient world’s most important cultural centres.
About 30 Syrian schools belong to the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet).