For all those international affairs buffs out there, visiting the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization headquarters in Paris would be a truly once in a lifetime opportunity. Luckily, by studying abroad with Forum-Nexus, students who have longed to see this organization in action can finally make these dreams a reality.
While it is one thing to read about UNESCO in textbooks, it is an entirely different story to actually experience this pillar of international diplomacy in person. Since its founding in 1945, the organization has been making an effort to maintain peace and order following two world wars.
Even though the nations involved in these 20th century conflicts wrote up agreements so that they could set all their issues aside, these treaties did not seem to be enough. For this reason, there was quite the demand for a neutral party that could promote economic and political stability through unified intellectual endeavors. UNESCO was created to do exactly that, tying nations with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds together with the common interest of scholarly advancement.
See UNESCO firsthand
During your study abroad experience, you can see this organization in action. While UNESCO serves a variety of global purposes, there are a number of core responsibilities that you may find not only fascinating, but also revolutionary in the field of international affairs.
For starters, students can hear all about the organization’s efforts to make receiving an adequate education a basic human right. No matter people’s gender, religious denomination, ethnic ties or any other factor that may differentiate them from others, they are entitled to a quality education, fostering their personal growth, in addition to that of their country and of global society as a whole.
UNESCO also encourages scientific collaboration. For example, if one developed country has access to tools that could help it detect seismic activity, the organization asks that the nation share any information regarding emergencies so that emerging populations can prepare themselves, despite their lack of technological solutions. This level of cooperation is believed to build bonds between nations, creating a feeling of camaraderie that leaves governments around the globe with a strong sense of responsibility that stretches beyond their own jurisdiction.
Embrace the organization’s attitude
Perhaps the most striking UNESCO mission that may hit home for you while studying abroad is its goal to nourish understanding and tolerance for different cultures. This organization recognizes that every nation has a unique background and has an interest in preserving its own identity. In this interconnected world, it can be challenging for countries coming from various standpoints to work together without forfeiting parts of their heritages, or even condemning other countries for refusing to abandon their own cultural beliefs and customs.
However, UNESCO aims to harbor global understanding so that country officials can have constructive discussions and work together to reach compromises – all without putting cultural diversity in jeopardy. To accomplish this, each nation look from other countries’ points of view to comprehend the factors that may be influencing their decisions. By reaching a more profound understanding of other populations that reaches right to their cultural roots, nations may be able to communicate more effectively and come to compromises more easily.
As you embark on your international learning experience, it would behoove you to assume this mentality. You are likely to encounter a wide array of people stemming from different traditions during your trip, and the most effective way to understand them is to keep an open mind and think outside of your own cultural box. In doing so, you can make the most of your adventure, actually receiving insight being presented and increasing your tolerance for diversity – a skill set that will prove beneficial throughout your international affairs career.