Portugal

• © UNESCO/Felipe Alcoceba
• Bathalha, monastery of Santa Maria da Victoria

Portugal joined UNESCO on March 11, 1965. After withdrawing in 1972, it rejoined the Organization on September 11, 1974.

Portugal and UNESCO collaborate notably in projects involving Portuguese-speaking countries.

In July 2007, the Emigration and Communities Museum in Fafe (Portugal) hosted an international seminar partnered by UNESCO and the International Organization for Migration, entitled “Memories and Migrations: Museums, Education, Diversities and Human Rights.”

Portugal is actively involved with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to promote collaboration on the study of oceans, and hosted the 2005 “Ocean Policy Summit”.

The country has 13 World Heritage sites, and has initiated an international cooperation network among experts of every country having heritage of Portuguese origin.

Portugal has one biosphere reserve, the Paúl do Boquilobo, in the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) network.