Building peace in the minds of people
Since 1961, UNESCO Bangkok, the Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education and Cluster Office for the six “Mekong” countries, Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Singapore, and indirectly through UNESCO country Offices in Hanoi and Phnom Penh, promotes peace and human development through education, sciences, culture, communication and information.
With the words of the UNESCO Director-General, Ms. Irina Bokova, appointed in 2009, UNESCO calls for a “New Humanism for the 21st century”.
The Asia-Pacific region counts for almost two thirds of the world’s population and gathers countries of great diversity in economic, religious, political and cultural terms. This diversity, along with globalization and the dynamism and rapid evolution of the region bear great challenges for Governments and societies. Closely with Governments, National Commissions and other governmental and non-governmental partners, UNESCO Bangkok works on making development sustainable and profitable for everyone in a culture of peace and human rights.
In the 48 UNESCO Member States and 2 Associate Members of the Asia-Pacific, UNESCO is present with a network of 13 Field Offices comprising Cluster Offices, Country Offices and Regional Bureaux. UNESCO Bangkok has a double role as Regional Bureau for Education and Cluster Office. As Regional Bureau for Education, UNESCO Bangkok provides strategic expertise, advisory, monitoring and evaluation functions to Member States, other UNESCO Field Offices and UN Country Teams in the area of Education.
As Cluster Office, UNESCO Bangkok covers all UNESCO mandates: education, sciences, culture, communication and information. It is responsible for the implementation of related programmes in the “Mekong” countries - directly in Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Singapore, and indirectly in support of UNESCO country Offices in Hanoi and Phnom Penh.
In the spirit of One UN and as part of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Thailand, UNESCO Bangkok works in synergy with the United Nations Sister Agencies for achieving the United Nations Millennium Goals in the Asia-Pacific.
