The UNESCO Office in Venice fosters international cooperation in South-East Europe (SEE), mainly in the fields of culture and sciences. It also maintains special responsibility for promoting the safeguarding of Venice and its Lagoon, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987. 

UNESCO’s proactive involvement in United Nations Reform extends to the global, regional and country levels. The Office in Venice is involved in the new Common Country Assessment (CCA) and United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) programmes. It actively participates as Non-Resident Agency in a number of MDG and UNTFHS joint programmes.