Since its foundation, UNESCO has given great importance to partnership with civil society organizations, in particular NGOs.
The role of civil society representatives is increasingly important in every sector of daily life, and partnership with civil society organizations is becoming indispensable for governmental organizations in pursuing their strategic objectives.
The new Directives concerning UNESCO’s partnership with non-governmental organizations, adopted by the General Conference in November 2011, offer a simplified framework of partnership allowing a greater involvement of NGOs in the development and implementation of UNESCO’s programmes, and thus represent a new step towards the reinforcement of our links with civil society.