The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (‘the Convention’) entered into force in 2006. The rapid ratification of the Convention is a testament to the international community’s concern for safeguarding the world’s living heritage but many of the States Parties to the Convention or States not yet party to the Convention do not fully understand the different mechanisms established under the Convention. That is why UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean is organizing several workshops in Aruba, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti aimed at assisting those countries to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage through effective implementation of the Convention. They also aim at building up a critical mass of experience and knowledge, both in government institutions and in civil society, so that the beneficiary countries will be equipped with an appropriate sustainable framework for safeguarding intangible heritage and implementing the Convention on a long term basis.<br/>Development objectives:<br /><br />• Enable the beneficiary countries to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage through effective implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, thereby contributing to sustainable development.<br />• Promote better visibility of intangible cultural heritage, awareness of its significance and function in society, and mutual respect for the heritage of others, thereby fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace.<br /><br />Immediate objectives:<br /><br />• To assist beneficiary countries to ratify the Convention and meet their national obligations under the Convention, in particular with regards to safeguarding measures. <br />• To increase their possibilities to benefit from the mechanisms of international cooperation established by the Convention, including International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.<br />• To build up a critical mass of national capacity, both in government institutions and in civil society, so that the beneficiary countries will have a sustainable framework for safeguarding intangible heritage and implementing the Convention.<br /><br />Activities of technical assistance for the beneficiary countries will take place, especially with the National Commissions for UNESCO and the National Committees for the Safeguarding of the intangible heritage.<br /><br />The theme of this workshop is: The 2003 Convention, its implementation and community and youth involvement.<br /><br />Participants: Representatives of cultural institutions, university students, journalists, culture specialists, bearers and community members and the members of the National Committee for Safeguarding the Intangible Heritage. <br />

Development objectives:<br /><br />• Enable the beneficiary countries to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage through effective implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, thereby contributing to sustainable development.<br />• Promote better visibility of intangible cultural heritage, awareness of its significance and function in society, and mutual respect for the heritage of others, thereby fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace.<br /><br />Immediate objectives:<br /><br />• To assist beneficiary countries to ratify the Convention and meet their national obligations under the Convention, in particular with regards to safeguarding measures. <br />• To increase their possibilities to benefit from the mechanisms of international cooperation established by the Convention, including International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.<br />• To build up a critical mass of national capacity, both in government institutions and in civil society, so that the beneficiary countries will have a sustainable framework for safeguarding intangible heritage and implementing the Convention.<br />Activities of technical assistance for the beneficiary countries will take place, especially with the National Commissions for UNESCO and the National Committees for the Safeguarding of the intangible heritage.<br /><br />The training activity will be on inventorying in this case.<br /><br />Participants: Culture specialists, representatives from national and provincial institutions, from civil society, bearers and members of the communities.<br />

The objective of OceanTeacher is to provide training tools for Oceanographic Data and Information management. These tools are used during IODE Training Courses but can also be used for self-training and continuous professional development.<br /><br />This course will focus on the development of an interactive web-based marine atlas<br/>This course will focus on the development of an interactive web-based marine atlas. Participants will prepare a prototype atlas.

The International Day for Tolerance is observed each year on 16 November.<br/>More information available soon.

UNESCO celebrates philosophy every year on the third Thursday in November.<br /><br />In 2012, the World Philosophy Day will be held for the tenth time, with events being organized at the international, national and local levels. They will enable their participants to share a multitude of views and experiences, fully respecting cultural diversity, with regard to the main theme of the 2012 World Philosophy Day which is “Future Generations”.<br /><br/>At its Headquarters in Paris, UNESCO will be organizing two round tables on 15 November (on responsibilities towards future generations and on youth) and a series of side events on 14 and 15 November, devoted to innovative philosophical practices, including a demonstration of teaching philosophy for children. In addition, on 15 November, UNESCO will stage an event that pulls together all these themes: a group of schoolchildren from Greater Paris will install a “time capsule” containing messages they would like children of their age to read in 2062. The Day will conclude with a concert of the blues-based group Circular Time.<br /><br />The main theme of the 2012 World Philosophy Day will be “Future Generations”. Global concern for sustainable development has given increased pertinence to the interests and moral standing of future generations.<br /><br />These questions are profoundly philosophical. They concern communication between beings who cannot talk to one another; identities, as extended in time and space; the scope and power of the moral imagination; and of course the ethical issue of responsibility.<br /><br />“Future generations” is a particularly relevant main theme for World Philosophy Day in 2012, as the world reflects on the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). WPD 2012 celebrates the 15th anniversary of the adoption by UNESCO of the Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generations Towards Future Generations, as well as the 300th anniversary of the birth of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.<br /><br />In establishing World Philosophy Day in 2005, the General Conference highlighted the importance of this discipline, especially for young people, underlining that “philosophy is a discipline that encourages critical and independent thought and is capable of working towards a better understanding of the world and promoting tolerance and peace”.<br /><br />The General Conference was convinced that “the institutionalization of Philosophy Day at UNESCO as world philosophy day would win recognition for and give strong impetus to philosophy and, in particular, to the teaching of philosophy in the world”. <br /><br />For UNESCO, philosophy offers a cross-cutting reflection and analysis that should permeate all disciplines which aim to build a better understanding of our present world and develop adequate responses to challenges. Philosophers have a very important role in shedding light on contemporary challenges, especially when these relate to ethics and justice. We believe that critical thinking, foresight, and ethical judgment are invaluable ingredients for a healthy society. For this reason UNESCO strives to strengthen the philosophical perspective in all its programmes and fields of action.<br /> <br />UNESCO leads World Philosophy Day – but does not own it. It belongs to everyone, everywhere, who cares about philosophy.<br /><br />On this Day of collective exercise in free, reasoned and informed thinking on the major challenges of our time, all of UNESCO’s partners (national governments, their public institutions and organizations, including National Commissions for UNESCO, relevant non-governmental organizations, associations, universities, institutes, schools, UNESCO/UNITWIN Chairs, Associated Schools and Clubs and so forth) are encouraged to organize various types of activities - philosophical dialogues, debates, conferences, workshops, cultural events and presentations around the general theme of the Day, with the participation of philosophers and scientists from all branches of natural and social sciences, educators, teachers, students, press journalists and other mass media representatives, and the general public.<br /><br />A wide range of activities will also be organized around the world, to celebrate philosophy and to reflect on what is at stake in thinking seriously about future generations.<br /><br />The authorization to use the UNESCO logo of the 2012 World Philosophy Day for the activities held at the local, national or regional levels is granted by the National Commission for UNESCO of the country of the organizers, while for the events held at the international level, the authorization to use the relevant logo is granted by UNESCO Headquarters in Paris upon request.

.<br/>The Headquarters Committee advises the Director-General on all questions relating to the Organization’s Headquarters submitted by the Director-General or by a member of the Committee, and provides the Director-General with advice, suggestions, guidance and recommendations in this connection <br />